Tag Archives: Hundred Years War

Varen: Haven by the River Aveyron

Posted on 03/08/2017 by

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 →

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Puylaroque: Tranquil Village with a Turbulent History

Posted on 19/02/2017 by

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 →

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Calvignac, Lot: Untold Stories?

Posted on 23/08/2016 by

 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 →

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A Village on the Causse – Varaire

Posted on 09/12/2015 by

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 →

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Every Château Tells a Story #7: the Château de Féneyrols

Posted on 06/08/2015 by

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 →

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Every Château Tells a Story: #6 Le Château de Penne

Posted on 14/04/2015 by

  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 →

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Every Château has a Story #3: Le Château de Caylus

Posted on 12/12/2014 by

  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 →

Posted in Châteaux, French life | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Every Château Tells a Story #2: Le Château de Najac

Posted on 18/11/2014 by

  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 , , , , , , , , | 15 Comments

Beautiful Bastide: Villeneuve-d’Aveyron

Posted on 20/05/2013 by

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 , , , , , , | 14 Comments

Musée Ingres at Montauban

Posted on 08/03/2013 by

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 , , , , , , , | 14 Comments