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Tag Archives: SW France
Tilting at Windmills
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
8 Comments
The Story of the People at La Lune
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
20 Comments
Very Welcome Visitors
We knew they were there, because we’d heard them. But we didn’t know exactly where. They kept themselves well concealed, only moving about at night, until we stumbled upon their secret hiding place.
Posted in Nature
Tagged Asio otus, long-eared owl, moyen duc, owl pellets, owl roost, owls, SW France
16 Comments
New Technology Lands on La Lune
Life on La Lune passed its 9th birthday last week on 14th February. A few things have changed since then, not least our ability to access the internet. When I published my first post (the present one is the 628th), we … Continue reading
The Bells, the Bells: the Magic of Church Bells in Rural France
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
La Chandeleur: Candles, Customs and Crêpes
Today is la Chandeleur or la fête des chandelles. I had never heard of it before we moved to France, but I had heard of Candlemas – lovely name – which is the British equivalent. To those of you in … Continue reading
Posted in Customs, History
Tagged Candlemas, crêpes, French customs, Groundhog Day, La Chandeleur, la fête des chandelles, pancakes, SW France
3 Comments
Five French Weather Phrases
The Brits have a reputation for talking about the weather. Hardly a surprise, since you can experience four different seasons in one day in parts of the UK. It was a surprise to us initially that French people also talk … Continue reading
Épiphanie, the Day of the Three Kings, in France
Now that New Year’s Eve has passed, I can wish you all a very happy, healthy and peaceful 2019. In France, it’s considered bad luck to do so before midnight on 31st December. Although we have turned the corner of … Continue reading
Posted in Customs, Food/drink/recipes
Tagged Épiphanie, Caylus Notre Village, Epiphany, France, French customs, Galette des rois, SW France, three Magi, Twelfth Night
10 Comments
Mistletoe in French Tradition
When I lived in the UK, mistletoe was a rarity, only to be found in over-priced bunches in garden centres during the run-up to Christmas. Moving here, I saw that it grows abundantly in our area. Some species of tree … Continue reading
Posted in Customs, Nature
Tagged Christmas traditions, Druids, Gauls, gui, mistletoe, mistletoe on oaks, SW France
4 Comments
Béret Nice
Along with the Eiffel Tower, the baguette and the Citroën 2CV, the béret has become a (caricatured) symbol of French culture. Thus, it was adopted by people like Ernest Hemingway, who wanted to look French even if they weren’t – … Continue reading
Posted in Customs, History
Tagged béret production, Bearn, beret, Blanq-Olibet, French beret, Musée du Beret, Nay, SW France
2 Comments
Wild Boar
When we moved here in 1997, it was not uncommon to see whole troupes of these animals, of up to 20 individuals. We have also seen the occasional lone male. Since then, our sightings of them have been much rarer. … Continue reading
Posted in Nature
Tagged battue, French wildlife, hunting, sangliers, SW France, wild boar
10 Comments
Millau: Towers, Markets and Bridges – Guest Post by Angela Wren
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
France’s Flower of the Dead
For a fortnight or so before 1st November (Toussaint; All Saints’ Day) pavements outside French florists’ shops and undertakers, and whole marquees at supermarkets, are heaving with chrysanthemums in pots. But don’t be tempted to offer a pot as a … Continue reading
Posted in Customs, History
Tagged Chapelle de Teysserolles, chrysanthemums, flower of the dead, French cemeteries, SW France, Toussaint, World War I
8 Comments
Ça Sent la Rose
Roses must have one of the loveliest scents of all flowers. They have been cultivated for more than 5,000 years and thousands of varieties now exist. Unfortunately, they don’t do well here in our poor soil and they didn’t … Continue reading
Posted in Gardening, History
Tagged Château de l'Astorguié, François Coty, Parisot, perfume distilling, Rosa centifolia, rose oil, rosewater, SW France
20 Comments
French Flavours: Pounti, Traditional Auvergnat Dish
During our recent visit to Cantal, we had the opportunity to taste again a dish that is traditional to northern Aveyron/southern Cantal: pounti. Before we first visited that area, 25 years ago, I had never come across this dish, not … Continue reading
Posted in Food/drink/recipes, History
Tagged Auvergne, Cantal, French regional cuisine, Goose Fat and Garlic, Jeanne Strang, peasant food, picoussel, pounti, SW France
6 Comments
Villeneuve d’Aveyron: Ancient Paths and a Historic Gem
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
Rentrée Time
Here we are in September again. How did that happen? Surely Easter was only last week. Actually, I don’t mind. This is my favourite month of the year, perhaps because I was born in September (cards and presents welcome). We … Continue reading
Posted in Customs, French life
Tagged autumn, la rentrée, la rentrée politique, la rentrée scolaire, summer, Summer holidays, SW France
6 Comments
British, French or Irish? Or all Three?
I don’t write about politics on this blog. Of course, I have my views, but I generally keep them to myself. So I haven’t mentioned the ‘B’ word (okay, Brexit) in my posts so far. However, I can’t ignore it … Continue reading
Posted in French life, Rants
Tagged Brexit, Carte de séjour, European Union, French citizenship, implications of Brexit, Irish citizenship, SW France
37 Comments
A Local WWII Resistance Group: Update
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
Canicule: the Dog Days of Summer
It’s either a famine or a feast. We spent the winter and most of the spring grumbling about all the rain; now we’re taking refuge from the heat. Much of the northern hemisphere is experiencing unprecedented levels of heatwave: notably … Continue reading
Posted in Weather
Tagged canicule, dog days of summer, Dog Star, drought, heatwave, summer weather in SW France, SW France
22 Comments
The Story of Notre-Dame des Grâces
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
Summer in Southwest France
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
Saint John’s Day Customs in France
Yesterday marked la Fête de la Saint-Jean, which occurs on 24th June each year, although the festivities normally take place the night before. It’s a not uncommon example of a pagan celebration taken over by the Catholic Church to commemorate … Continue reading
Every Château Tells a Story #16: le Château de Saint-Michel de Vax
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
Buried Treasure at Teysseroles Chapel
I’ve written before about the visit of the departmental archaeologists to Teysseroles, where we are helping to restore the 15th-century chapel. This is a requirement when works are planned at a historic monument, to ensure that nothing of significance is … Continue reading
A French Country Wedding
Weddings were in the air a fortnight ago, with the latest royal event. As is often the case, my historical research appetite was whetted. So let’s go back a century … Continue reading
Whitsun Walk on the Wild Side
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
14 Comments
Loze: a Tiny Village on the Causse
Sometimes life takes you over. I’ve brought out two books in the space of a month and sung in two concerts, in Gaillac and a tiny hamlet near Puycelsi, in the past 10 days. I’m notorious for trying to do … Continue reading
Posted in History, Places
Tagged Bonnette Valley, Lacapelle-Livron, lauzes, Loze, Mas de Monille, Moulin de Vignasse, rural depopulation, SW France
25 Comments
Orchids in SW France
If my memory is correct, we first saw our house here in SW France 21 years ago today. The weather was glorious, as it has been recently – very welcome after a gloomy few months. In 1997, we noticed in … Continue reading
Posted in Nature
Tagged common orchids, orchids, orchids of SW France, SW France, Tarn-et-Garonne, wild orchids
26 Comments
