Tag Archives: River Aveyron

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 →

Posted in History, Places | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 15 Comments

Discovering a Former Railway Line

Posted on 30/06/2017 by

Do you enjoy travelling by train? I do, except of course when it’s cancelled or held up by the wrong sort of leaves or by vandals removing the copper from the electric cables, as happened to us recently in Sweden. … Continue reading →

Posted in History, Places | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 15 Comments

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 →

Posted in Châteaux, History, Places | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

French People’s Favourite Village: Saint-Antonin-Noble-Val in 2015?

Posted on 25/04/2015 by

  In 2014, it was Cordes-sur-Ciel in our Midi-Pyrénées region, about 30 km from us. Which village will it be this year? The 2015 candidate for our region is Saint-Antonin-Noble-Val. Voting in this contest – Le Village Préféré des Français … Continue reading →

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Every Château Tells a Story #5: Les Châteaux de Bruniquel

Posted on 15/03/2015 by

Les châteaux? Yes, there are two, built at different periods. The village of Bruniquel is one of France’s plus beaux villages (most beautiful villages). It is perched on a rocky outcrop overlooking the River Aveyron and once commanded a strategically … Continue reading →

Posted in Châteaux, History, Places, World War I & II | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

The Flood of the Century in Southwest France, 3-4 March 1930

Posted on 03/03/2015 by

  On Saturday 1st March 1930, 85 years ago, torrential rain started to fall on already saturated ground in Southwest France. Unseasonably high temperatures brought by southerly winds rapidly melted the thick mantle of snow that had fallen in late … Continue reading →

Posted in History, Places, Weather | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

Trip Along the River Aveyron

Posted on 23/03/2014 by

I went to the hilltop village of Puycelsi in the Tarn département on Friday to interview some victims for one of my magazine articles. It’s about 50 minutes’ drive from here but the route is one of the most spectacular … Continue reading →

Posted in History, Places, World War I & II | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 12 Comments

Saint-Antonin-Noble-Val: Haunting and Historic Town

Posted on 20/03/2013 by

Winter here – especially this winter – is not greatly conducive to getting out and exploring. It’s all too easy to sit in front of the fire and make a promise that we’ll do it next week. But I do … Continue reading →

Posted in History, Places | Tagged , , , , , , , | 21 Comments

Penne: Silent Sentinel

Posted on 17/05/2012 by

    This week our walking group chose a route that the SF and I hadn’t done before, close to the village of Penne in the Tarn Département. Since we didn’t go into the village, I’m afraid that nearly all … Continue reading →

Posted in History, Nature, Places | Tagged , , , , | 19 Comments