Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-04-06
VENERABLE FRENCH
. TOWN THREATENED.
Recent Flood Waters Surged
Around CarCaSonne, on
River Aude.

"Flood waters threatened one of the
Oldest landmarks of southern France
when they recently Surged about the
venerable Getty of CarcasSonne," says
bulletin from the headquarters OF the
National Geographic Society.
"Carcassonne StraddleS the river
Aude about SIS miles southeast OF Tou-
louise. Travellers arriving at the rail-
way station in the So-called new town
on the west bank of the Aude scan the
panorama for a city of antiques, but
it is not found on that side OF the river.
New Town Built by Revolters.
"The new town is only about 800
years older than early American towns"
continues the bulletin. Some OF the
inhabitants of the old town, across the
river, revolted against the King OF
France and were driven out of the old
town walls. They were allowed to
settle on the site of the new town.
That was in 1247.
A beautiful shaded parkway near
the railroad station introduces Carcass
some, but few steps beyond the trav-
eler is hemmed in between walls of
stone and brick buildings rising sheer
from the sidewalks. The streets run
at right angles forming solid blocks,
the monotony of which is relieved only
by few squares and small parks and
q WlQe, SnaQeQ boulevard.
Place CarnOt Is Civic Center.
'The Place Carnot is combined
market place, loafing place, and meet
ing place in CarcaSSonne. The traveller
passes through quiet streets OF the city,
when suddenly his eyes are dazzled with
an array of color as he enters the
square. Before the city has awakened
shaggy donkeys drawing carloads OF
rhU
tread the city streets toward the square.
Beside them stalk ShaWled women In
apron-covered voluminouS skirts and
Sun-seared men of the soil.
by the time the city aWakenS the
green, red, yellow, purple, and white
vegetables, fruits, and flowers are care
fully placed on stands under gay,
striped awnings. In an hour the city'S
housewives are boisterously bargain
ing and gesticulating with the mer-
chants. Peddlers of candy and tinware
add to the din of the square, while
mere curiosity seekers and loafers laugh
and chatter.
Nearby, guides show st. Vincent's
Church, fourteenth century structure,
and ST. Michaels, which is slightly
older. These are among the Oldest land
marks Of the new town. Within a
stones throw of these relics the streets
which they border intersect with boule-
wards where well-to-do CarcaSsonnianS
promenade in Paris fashions, ride their
favorite mounts and drive their shiny
automobiles.
Walls Were Impregnable.
Gross the river Aude, enter the gates
of the old town, and you are on site
which was occupied by a settlement
somewhere back in the miStS of his
tory. You may cross the Aude by a
modern bridge or, with the ancient
ramparts ahead of you, you might pre-
fer the old thirteenth century span.
The froWning gray walls OF the old
town were impregnable when battering
rams we're the high explosives of at
tackers. There are two walls with about
% feet between them. One glance at
these ramparts convinces the traveller
that one historian was right when he
said that only famine or treason with
in the walls could cause the capture of
the town.
THE walls form an irregular oval
about the old town and have only four
openings. One opening in each wall
is large enough to admit horses and
wheeled vehicles, and each is guarded
by series of turrets and towers. The
other openings are mere holes in the
walls wide enough for only one man to
squeeze through.
Inside, narrow. cobbled streets
breathe an atmosphere of many CEN
turtles ago. There is the venerable st.
Nazaire Cathedral with stained glass
windows depicting Bible scenes, and the
chateau, where high walls once echo
ed with the gay revelry of Carcassonne
feudal lords. These old structures
look down upon streets almost desert
ed, for the life of Carcassonne today
is in the new town, where the wine
trade, one of the old trades of the city,
still fourishes."