Soon after arriving in Quillan six weeks ago I wrote about the Defilé de Pierre-Lys. It’s the narrow gorge between Quillan and Axat and is the shortest route to the coast. The river Aude plunges through the gorge, hemmed in by cliffs both sides. It’s a popular rafting spot. This morning I am going through by bus.

Before the road was made surely any sensible road planner would have rejected the gorge routev; it’s not feasible. But at some stage someone decided it could be done. I’m guessing 1930s. It must have been a time when authorities believed any obstacle could be overcome by machines, explosives, and manpower. The road looks insane to me. Back in NZ I saw pictures and a video of the defilé and I looked at maps. I thought we would probably take a long detour north to reach Perpignan and the Mediterranean coast. But I was wrong. We have driven through the defilé several times. It no longer scares me much. The first few times I consciously took a deep breath and summoned my courage then quietly said ‘phew!’ at the end. I think the road ought to scare drivers at least a little. On this morning’s bus ride through the defilé I noticed a passenger near me mouthing words behind her fist. Praying? It was a bit freaky being in a window seat on the cliff side of the bus; rocks disturbingly close to me. But all was fine and I felt comforted by the thought that the driver must have come through the route hundreds or thousands of times.