Category Archives: Places

Long Overdue Trip to the Fronton Vineyards

Posted on 02/12/2019 by nessafrance

Hands up if you’ve heard of the Fronton vignoble. If you don’t live here, you probably haven’t come across it, like us before we moved to France. It’s a very small wine-growing area, and only a limited proportion of the … Continue reading →

Posted in Food/drink/recipes, Places | Tagged Château Bellevue La Forêt, Fronton, Fronton vignoble, Montech, Négrette grape, SW France, Vinovalie, wine | 2 Comments

Every Château Tells a Story #17: Le Château de Bournazel

Posted on 14/10/2019 by nessafrance

So much for my theory that tourist sites are less crowded out of season. Le tout Aveyron turned up at the Château de Bournazel yesterday, giving the hard-pressed guide some logistical problems. “This is the first time we’ve opened in … Continue reading →

Posted in Aveyron, Places | Tagged Aveyron, Bournazel, Château de Bournazel, monument historique, patrimoine, Renaissance architecture, Renaissance château, SW France | 2 Comments

Autumn Food Fêtes and Festivals

Posted on 06/10/2019 by nessafrance

We’re definitely in autumn now. This year it has started off rather damp and gloomy, although the weather is often glorious at this time. But I make no secret of the fact that autumn is my favourite season. After a … Continue reading →

Posted in Events, Places | Tagged Cajarc Saffron Fair, chestnuts, Foire à la Châtaigne, Laguépie, Lalbenque truffle market, Limogne truffle market, SW France, truffles | 2 Comments

Back to Belcastel

Posted on 29/09/2019 by nessafrance

This week, we celebrated an important wedding anniversary and returned to Belcastel in Aveyron to do so in style. This plus beau village is home to a Michelin-starred restaurant, Le Vieux Pont, which specialises in Aveyronnais produce and local recipes … Continue reading →

Posted in Aveyron, Food/drink/recipes, Places | Tagged Aveyron, Belcastel, Château de Belcastel, Les Plus Beaux Villages de France, Michelin star, Restaurant du Vieux Pont | 13 Comments

Abandoned Village: Saint-Amans-le-Vieux

Posted on 15/09/2019 by nessafrance

Today was a beautiful, if still too dry, autumn day, so the SF and I decided to bestir ourselves and make the most of this fine weather for a walk. “Where shall we go?” We are faced with an embarras … Continue reading →

Posted in History, Places, Walking in France | Tagged Bonnette Valley, Caylus, deserted village, lac de Caylus, rural exodus, Saint-Amans le Vieux, SW France | 4 Comments

Cordes-sur-Ciel: Dramatic and Timeless

Posted on 31/08/2019 by nessafrance

I’d forgotten what a long way up it is. Seventeen years had obliterated our memory of the steep hike up to the cité of Cordes-sur-Ciel perched on its hilltop, which was long considered inaccessible. But we weren’t going to wimp … Continue reading →

Posted in History, Places | Tagged Albigensian Crusade, bastide, Cathars, Cordes-sur-Ciel, Counts of Toulouse, Raymond VII Count of Toulouse, Southwest France, Tarn | 23 Comments

From Monks to Mona Lisa: L’Abbaye de Loc-Dieu

Posted on 25/08/2019 by nessafrance

Imagine a place the locals dreaded so much that they named it locus diaboli, the devil’s place. A lonely, remote spot near the major trade route between Rodez and Cahors, with dark woods bristling with bandits lying in wait. And … Continue reading →

Posted in History, Places | Tagged Abbaye de Beaulieu en Rouergue, Abbaye de Loc-Dieu, Cistercian monastery, Hundred Years War, Leonard Da Vinci, Mona Lisa, SW France | 12 Comments

Rally Round: the Caylus Car Rally

Posted on 05/08/2019 by nessafrance

It isn’t exactly the Paris-Dakar rally, but it’s an annual event that we really enjoy taking part in. The Caylus rally is not about speed; it’s about discovering the local historic heritage during a 50 km circuit with eight checkpoints. … Continue reading →

Posted in Places | Tagged Bach, Caylus Notre Village, Jamblusse, Lacapelle-Livron, lavoirs, Loze, rallye touristique, SW France, Varaire, wash-houses | Leave a comment

Timeless Monument: The Cathedral of Cahors 900 Years On

Posted on 28/07/2019 by nessafrance

2019 marks the 900th anniversary of la Cathédrale Saint-Etienne in Cahors. The cathedral is even older than the ill-fated Notre-Dame de Paris. Yesterday, 27th July, was supposed to be the official anniversary, since it was on that day in 1119 … Continue reading →

Posted in History, Places | Tagged Cahors, Cahors Cathedral 900 years, Cahors market, Cathédrale Saint-Etienne, Château de Cénevières, French Wars of Religion, Lot, Secret Gardens of Cahors, SW France | Leave a comment

Summertime, and the Living is – Busy

Posted on 30/06/2019 by nessafrance

Life on La Lune has been a bit quiet recently. One non-negotiable reason is that we had huge problems accessing the internet during the past week. While it is back, it’s wobbly. The other reason is that summer has arrived, … Continue reading →

Posted in Places, Teysseroles chapel | Tagged canicule, Caylus, Chapelle de Teysserolles, fête de Teysseroles, Hommes sans Frontières, Notre-Dame-de-Livron, refugee camp Septfonds, Spanish Civil War, summer weather in SW France, SW France | 4 Comments

Quirky Quercy Art – or Quart

Posted on 09/06/2019 by nessafrance

Some of you will remember the late lamented Fyfe Robertson, a British TV journalist known for his trenchant views. A somewhat quirky figure himself, with his tweeds and deer-stalker hat, he had his own series, ‘Robbie’, in which he roamed … Continue reading →

Posted in Places, Quirky stuff | Tagged Art, Caylus, Contemporary art, Quercy, quirky art, Saint-Grat, SW France, Vidaillac | 4 Comments

Noses to the Grindstone? La Meulière de Clayrac near Cordes

Posted on 02/06/2019 by nessafrance

Our walking group has recently taken some interesting routes, which have introduced us to the patrimoine (historic heritage) of the region. Some of the sites are quite off the beaten track and we hadn’t come across them before in our … Continue reading →

Posted in History, Places | Tagged Amarens souterrains de, bastide, Cordes-sur-Ciel, Counts of Toulouse, la Meulière de Clayrac, millstone quarry, petit patrimoine, SW France, Tarn | 6 Comments

A Walk Around Caylus

Posted on 19/05/2019 by nessafrance

It’s been an eventful 10 days or so. My latest novel is now out, involving quite a lot of last-minute effort. And the Irish Embassy in Paris phoned on Tuesday to say that my citizenship application had been accepted. My … Continue reading →

Posted in History, Places, Walking in France | Tagged Bonnette Valley, cascade pétrifiante, Caylus, church of Saint-Pierre Livron, léproserie, leper colony, Saint-Pierre Livron, SW France | 21 Comments

Saving Face: Some of the Less Obvious Gems in SW France

Posted on 05/05/2019 by nessafrance

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, so I’m following the example of fellow blogger Midi Hideaways, who wrote a recent post about the statuary and carved stone faces on buildings in the towns of the Languedoc. In this post … Continue reading →

Posted in History, Places | Tagged carved stone figures, Caylus, chimera, French Wars of Religion, gargoyle, Maison des Loups Caylus, Najac, Puycelsi, Puylagarde, Saint-Antonin-Noble-Val | 6 Comments

A Special Day for Life on La Lune

Posted on 26/04/2019 by nessafrance

Today is a rather special day for us. More of that below. It’s been a rather eventful couple of weeks, which explains my erratic blogging record just now. Having taken part in a concert in the hilltop village of Puycelsi … Continue reading →

Posted in Places, Walking in France | Tagged Félines, orchids of SW France, Puycelsi, SW France, walking | 15 Comments

Centuries to Build, Hours to Destroy: Notre-Dame de Paris

Posted on 16/04/2019 by nessafrance

One of France’s – no, the world’s – best-loved icons, Notre-Dame de Paris, caught fire shortly before 7 pm last night. The flames quickly took hold and, although the fire brigade was quick to react, it was impossible to save … Continue reading →

Posted in History, Places | Tagged France, Notre-Dame de Paris, Notre-Dame fire, Paris, World Heritage site | 12 Comments

Say it with Flowers: France’s Villages Fleuris

Posted on 24/03/2019 by nessafrance

The garden is burgeoning and it’s that time of year when one’s thoughts turn to planning and planting. While driving around France, you might have noticed village signs declaring “Village – or ville – fleuri(e)” and sporting one to four … Continue reading →

Posted in Gardening, Places | Tagged Cahors, Conseil national des villes et villages fleuris, Les Plus Beaux Villages de France, Marcolès, Secret Gardens of Cahors, SW France, Villages fleuris | 8 Comments

Tilting at Windmills

Posted on 17/03/2019 by nessafrance

One of the things I love about living here is local people’s interest in le petit patrimoine, the vestiges of a rural life that has faded away. Groups of enthusiastic volunteers contribute to their restoration to rescue them from oblivion. … Continue reading →

Posted in History, Places | Tagged Association des Amis du Moulin de Saillagol, Moulin de Saillagol, patrimoine, Saillagol, SW France, windmill | 10 Comments

The Story of the People at La Lune

Posted on 10/03/2019 by nessafrance

I’d love to know who lived in our house long ago. Elderly neighbours have always been hazy about this, perhaps because it doesn’t really interest them. This week, at last, I discovered a story about previous occupants.

Posted in History, Places | Tagged French archives, French census, French country life, infant mortality, la France profonde, paysans, SW France | 22 Comments

The Post-Impressionists Head South to Rustic Provence: Guest Post

Posted on 24/02/2019 by nessafrance

Life on La Lune: I’m very keen on art, so whenever I visit a place, I always seek out the art gallery. The Impressionists and Post-Impressionists particularly appeal to me. They have a few connections with Southwest France: Toulouse Lautrec … Continue reading →

Posted in Personalities, Places | Tagged Aix-en-Provence, Arles, Impressionists, Paul Cézanne, Post-Impressionists, Provence, Vincent van Gogh | 4 Comments

The Bells, the Bells: the Magic of Church Bells in Rural France

Posted on 10/02/2019 by nessafrance

In Victor Hugo’s The Hunchback of Notre Dame, the loud ringing of the cathedral bells has turned Quasimodo, the bell-ringer, deaf. Some of you will no doubt have seen Charles Laughton hamming it up inimitably in the 1939 film. I … Continue reading →

Posted in History, Places | Tagged Aveyron, carillon de Villefranche-de-Rouergue, casque de Saint Grat, church bells, Saint-Grat, SW France, Villefranche de Rouergue | 9 Comments

Millau: Towers, Markets and Bridges – Guest Post by Angela Wren

Posted on 08/11/2018 by nessafrance

I’m thrilled to welcome back to the blog Angela Wren, whom I had the great pleasure of meeting at an authors’ event in Carcassonne in September. Angela is a Francophile, who has visited many more corners of France than … Continue reading →

Posted in Books/writing, Places | Tagged Angela Wren, Emma Calvé, Jacques Forêt mysteries, Millau, Millau Bridge, Millau glove-making, SW France | 4 Comments

Villeneuve d’Aveyron: Ancient Paths and a Historic Gem

Posted on 07/10/2018 by nessafrance

What do you think this building is? A small château or fortified house? A barn? All will be revealed below. Autumn is the best time for walking in this area. The days are warm and sunny, it’s usually dry underfoot … Continue reading →

Posted in History, Places, Walking in France | Tagged Aveyron, Château de Ginals, church wall paintings, Eglise de Toulongergues, SW France, Toulongergues, Villeneuve-d'Aveyron, Walking in France | 6 Comments

A Mystery Tour on the Way to Cantal

Posted on 09/09/2018 by nessafrance

Revisiting old haunts can be tinged with disappointment. I once returned to a place where I had lived 30 years before and was saddened to see how much it had changed. Happily, Cantal has never fallen into that category. This … Continue reading →

Posted in Auvergne, Places | Tagged Auvergne, Cantal, Maison Carrée, Marcolès, Massif Central, Maurs, Monts du Cantal, Thiézac, Vallée de la Cère | 15 Comments

Return to Cahors

Posted on 26/08/2018 by nessafrance

I do like Cahors, an ancient city and capital of the Lot Département. Why is it, then, that we visit so infrequently? It’s more appealing than our own Préfecture, Montauban, and it doesn’t take much longer to get there. The … Continue reading →

Posted in History, Places | Tagged Cahors, Cahors market, Cahors wine, Cathédrale Saint-Etienne, Léon Gambetta, Lot, Mont Saint-Cyr, River Lot, route de Saint-Jacques de Compostelle, Secret Gardens of Cahors | 22 Comments

A Local WWII Resistance Group: Update

Posted on 05/08/2018 by nessafrance

Today, the causse above the riverside village of Cazals is a tranquil place with superb views of the Gorges de l’Aveyron. It’s covered with juniper and scrub oak and the only sounds are birdsong or the occasional whirr of … Continue reading →

Posted in French life, Places, World War I & II | Tagged Allied invasion of Normandy, Armée Sécrète, Cazals, French resistance, Maquis d'Ornano, Resistance in Tarn-et-Garonne, SW France, World War II | 4 Comments

The Story of Notre-Dame des Grâces

Posted on 19/07/2018 by nessafrance

Set at the edge of a grassy plateau overlooking the verdant Bonnette Valley, this little chapel is visible for miles around. It commands a magnificent view of the countryside, with the ancient province of Quercy on one side and the … Continue reading →

Posted in History, Places | Tagged Bonnette Valley, Catherine de Gorsse, Charlotte Grey, Château de Mondésir, Lacapelle-Livron, Notre Dame des Grâces, SW France, Templar commanderie | 9 Comments

Summer in Southwest France

Posted on 03/07/2018 by nessafrance

Summer is here, les grandes vacances have begun and the foreign number plates in the area have multiplied. And to go with them, a little present from the French government: a drop in the speed limit on secondary roads from … Continue reading →

Posted in French life, Places | Tagged Chapelle de Teysserolles, fete, French markets, lavoir de Caylus, summer, summer fêtes, Summer holidays, SW France, Teysseroles fête | 11 Comments

Every Château Tells a Story #16: le Château de Saint-Michel de Vax

Posted on 17/06/2018 by nessafrance

What a boon the internet can be – in small doses. And we’ve had only a small dose of it recently. More about that in a later post. I can find out almost anything, without moving from my computer in … Continue reading →

Posted in Châteaux, History, Places | Tagged Claude Simon, French châteaux, French Revolution, Jean-Pierre Lacombe-Saint-Michel, Les Géorgiques, Saint-Michel-de-Vax, SW France, Tarn | 6 Comments

Whitsun Walk on the Wild Side

Posted on 22/05/2018 by nessafrance

Pentecôte (Whitsun) is the time for our village’s annual fête. It’s become a tradition for Caylus Notre Village (CNV), an association that promotes and protects local monuments, to organise a series of guided walks around the commune as part of … Continue reading →

Posted in Places, Walking in France | Tagged APICQ, Caylus, Caylus Notre Village, Fête de la Pentecôte, lavoir, Moulin de Genebrières, SW France, vintage cars | 15 Comments