Mosse awarded Carcassonne city medal

Kate Mosse has been presented with a city medal in recognition of her contribution to literature by the mayor of Carcassonne in France—a rare award for a British person.

Mosse has described the walled town as her adopted home and “the place I am most grateful to return to in real life and in imagination”.

Recent novel The Burning Chambers (Mantle) opens in Carcassonne with the discovery of an anonymous letter and a fast-paced adventure inspired by the French Wars of Religion between Huguenots and Catholics.

She said: "For 30 years my fiction has found inspiration in the beauty and the cruelty of the history of this extraordinary place. It is an exceptional honour to receive this medal.”

Mosse added: "Three generations of my family have been proud to know the Carcassonne I celebrate in my novels. I am glad to have the opportunity to express my gratitude to readers of all nationalities – French, English Dutch and many more – who share my devotion to this great city and who do me the honour of believing in the triumphs and tragedies of my fictional characters.”

Mayor Gérard Larrat told her: “You say that you adopted Carcassonne. On the contrary, the city has adopted you."

“This medal is only given to those who enhance the life and reputation of our city to an exceptional degree,” he added.