A journey through the past and present of a little-known area of south-west France. Explores the people, places and events that shaped a land once too important to ignore. A whole library has been written about the Lauragais in French, but virtually nothing in English.

The essays in this book provide new insights into the history of heresy and the formation of the persecuting society in the Middle Ages and explores the shifting understanding of orthodoxy and heterodoxy in medieval and modern times.

On two hundred and one days between May 1, 1245, and August 1, 1246, more than five thousand people from the Lauragais were questioned in Toulouse about the heresy of the good men and the good women (more commonly known as Catharism). Nobles and diviners, butchers and monks, concubines and physicians, blacksmiths and pregnant girls--in short, all men over fourteen and women over twelve--were summoned by Dominican inquisitors Bernart de Caux and Jean de Saint-Pierre. In the cloister of the Saint-Sernin abbey, before scribes and witnesses, they confessed whether they, or anyone else, had ever seen, heard, helped, or sought salvation through the heretics. This inquisition into heretical depravity was the single largest investigation, in the shortest time, in the entire European Middle Ages. Mark Gregory Pegg examines the sole surviving manuscript of this great inquisition with unprecedented care--often in unexpected ways--to build a richly textured understanding of social life in southern France in the early thirteenth century. He explores what the interrogations reveal about the individual and communal lives of those interrogated and how the interrogations themselves shaped villagers' perceptions of those lives. The Corruption of Angels, similar in breadth and scope to Emmanuel Le Roy Ladurie's Montaillou, is a major contribution to the field. It shows how heretical and orthodox beliefs flourished side by side and, more broadly, what life was like in one particular time and place. Pegg's passionate and beautifully written evocation of a medieval world will fascinate a diverse readership within and beyond the academy.

The Rough Guide to Languedoc & Roussillon is the most comprehensive guide to this beautiful and varied corner of southwest France. Written by a renowned historian with more than 15 years' experience in the region, it's packed with insightful accounts, detailed practical information and clear maps. You'll find everything you need to know to make the most of the region's highlights - with information on accommodation, places to eat and much more - whether in the vibrant city of Toulouse, the magnificent fortress of Carcassonne, the picturesque beach town of Collioure or the sleepy hamlets of the Orb valley. The Rough Guide to Languedoc & Roussillon includes thorough coverage of outdoor activities, from boating along the Canal du Midi and hiking in the Pyrenees to rafting or canoeing down the Ariège. Plus, there's insightful historical and cultural background information and two lavishly illustrated colour inserts introducing you to the legacy of the Cathars and the food and wine of Languedoc and Roussillon. Make the most of your time on earth with The Rough Guide to Languedoc & Roussillon.

The Rough Guide to Languedoc & Roussillon is the ultimate travel guide to this rich and rewarding region of France. Discover the highlights of both Languedoc and Roussillon with stunning photography, colour-coded maps, candid reviews and indispensable practical information. You'll find detailed advice on what to see and do - from visiting breathtaking hilltop villages and Cathar castles to lazing on dune-backed beaches and boating along the majestic Canal du Midi. There's comprehensive coverage of all the urban centres like Toulouse, Perpignan, Montpellier and Nîmes, and of course the medieval citadel of Carcassonne. Throughout the guide there are up-to-date descriptions of the best hotels, bars, shops, markets, cafés and restaurants, for budgets high and low, and insights into the region's traditions, culture and heritage. We'll lead the way to the best places to tuck into cassoulet, shuck oysters or taste renowned wines such as Picpoul de Pinet and Côtes du Roussillon. Make the most of your trip with The Rough Guide to Languedoc & Roussillon.

Menu from the Midi explores French gastronomy from the farmer’s field to the dining room table.

Pottery is the oldest, the longest, the most widely diffused of human arts. Its recorded history begins with the building of Babel; and great cities in all ages, notably all great American cities, are vast structures of pottery. It is its own historian.--pg. 2.