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Tag Archives: Hundred Years War
From Monks to Mona Lisa: L’Abbaye de Loc-Dieu
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
On the Carpet: the Tapestries of Montpezat-de-Quercy
I’m pleased to say that I have done one of the five items I listed in my January post of things to do in 2018. It’s now getting a bit late for the truffle market at Lalbenque, but that will … Continue reading
Every Château Tells a Story #15: Le Château de Puylagarde
The village of Puylagarde has several distinctions. First, it’s the highest village in our département of Tarn-et-Garonne at 425 metres. On a clear day, you can see the Pyrénées to the south and the Monts du Cantal to the north … Continue reading
Varen: Haven by the River Aveyron
I never cease to be amazed by the new things (to me) I discover in this region, where I have lived for 20 years. We haven’t set foot in Varen for ages and even then we didn’t stop to have … Continue reading
Posted in History, Places
Tagged Château de Varen, French Wars of Religion, Hundred Years War, Le Moulin Varen, Lexos, patrimoine, River Aveyron, SW France, Tarn-et-Garonne, Varen
16 Comments
Puylaroque: Tranquil Village with a Turbulent History
The panorama from the viewpoint at Puylaroque is magnificent. Beneath the rocky outcrop on which the village stands, the plains of southwest France roll away towards the Pyrénées. On a clear day, you can see the mountains, but that is … Continue reading
Calvignac, Lot: Untold Stories?
I often find the smaller places in rural France more interesting than the big cities or the real tourist honeypots. They have their own intriguing histories, their hidden features, and to me these are more satisfying than the roads much … Continue reading
Posted in History, Places
Tagged Calvignac, Château de Cénevières, Exoplanet Lot, Hundred Years War, Lot, River Lot, Saint-Cirq-Lapopie, SW France
20 Comments
A Village on the Causse – Varaire
Last week our walking group started from Varaire, a small village on the Causse de Limogne in the Lot. Like many of these villages, it’s picturesque, but blink and you’d miss it when driving through. In common with other places, … Continue reading
Every Château Tells a Story #7: the Château de Féneyrols
Our region is crammed with small châteaux that played an important role in its history at one time. Almost every village of any size had one. Now, they are seen as quaint relics of bygone days. I set out to … Continue reading
Every Château Tells a Story: #6 Le Château de Penne
Circumstances have prevented me from posting for a few days, but now I’m resuming with my series about the region’s châteaux. Le château de Penne commands a strategic position 120 metres above the River Aveyron on a rocky outcrop. … Continue reading
Posted in Châteaux, History, Places
Tagged Albigensian Crusade, château de Penne, French Wars of Religion, Hundred Years War, Penne, Penne-du-Tarn, SW France
9 Comments
Every Château has a Story #3: Le Château de Caylus
Very little remains of this château, except for a square tower in surprisingly good condition and parts of the original ramparts. And yet, in its heyday, le château de Caylus had dominion over a large swathe of the surrounding … Continue reading
Every Château Tells a Story #2: Le Château de Najac
On autumn mornings, it rises out of the mist, perched on top of its pinnacle; while on summer evenings, it seems to float in the sky, lit from below. The fortress is a landmark for miles around, standing sentinel … Continue reading
Posted in Aveyron, Châteaux, History, Places
Tagged Aveyron, Chateau de Najac, Croquants, French Wars of Religion, Hundred Years War, Najac, patrimoine, SW France, Templars
15 Comments
Beautiful Bastide: Villeneuve-d’Aveyron
Today is la fête de la Pentecôte (Pentecost) in France – for those of you who think I don’t know my dates, this was posted late on Monday. And in keeping with the tradition of public holidays it’s cold and … Continue reading
Posted in Aveyron, History, Places
Tagged Aveyron, bastides, church wall paintings, Hundred Years War, Najac, Villefrance-de-Rouergue, Villeneuve-d'Aveyron
17 Comments
Musée Ingres in Montauban
We took advantage of yesterday’s spring-like sunshine, abandoned the computers and awarded ourselves a day off. We spent it at Montauban, where we had to go anyway to collect our new identity cards – more of that anon. I’ve written … Continue reading
Posted in History, Personalities, Places
Tagged Black Prince, Bourdelle, Hundred Years War, Ingres, Montauban, Musée Ingres, painting, sculpture
16 Comments
