Tag Archives: Toulouse

Ma Vie Française #8: Chris Bockman, Sniffing Out News Stories in SW France

Posted on 09/12/2018 by

There’s been a slight hiatus in posting, as I’ve been dealing with some family health issues. However, this week, I’m delighted to bring you another interview in the Ma Vie Française series. Chris Bockman has been keeping his finger on … Continue reading →

Posted in French life, Personalities | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Is it a Bird? No. Is it a Plane? Yes, it’s an Airbus 380

Posted on 07/05/2014 by

  For someone with all the technical knowledge of a flea, a visit to an aircraft factory might not seem like a high priority. But when my former university’s SW France alumni group proposed a visit to Airbus in Toulouse, I … Continue reading →

Posted in Places | Tagged , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Winter Warmers: Chansons and Cassoulet

Posted on 14/02/2012 by

The cold spell is forecast to end this week but it’s not going without a fight. Last night it had snowed, not very much but enough for us to abandon any plans of going to the market today. There probably … Continue reading →

Posted in Food/drink/recipes, Weather | Tagged , , , , , | 9 Comments

Violets in Toulouse, la Ville Rose

Posted on 06/02/2012 by

The imposing pink-brick buildings of Toulouse have earned it the nickname ‘la ville rose’. But the city’s emblem is the delicate violet, la violette ‘Parme de Toulouse’. Throughout February, at the peak of the flowering period, the city celebrates the … Continue reading →

Posted in Gardening, History, Places | Tagged , , , , | 18 Comments

Getting the blues: the pastel trade in southwest France

Posted on 22/05/2011 by

Albi and Toulouse experienced a golden age during the late medieval and Renaissance periods, founded on the trade in pastel dye. I had vaguely heard of pastel (woad) but knew little about it. Visiting and reading up on these places … Continue reading →

Posted in French life, History, Places | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 20 Comments

Toulouse: pink, violet or blue city?

Posted on 30/04/2011 by

Here is a post about Toulouse, our regional capital, as an antidote to all that Royal Wedding stuff (yes, I did watch it, in the company of a group of French and English friends, and a good time was had … Continue reading →

Posted in French life, History, Places | Tagged , , , , , , | 12 Comments

Exams French style

Posted on 21/04/2011 by

I mentioned a while ago (see the post here) that I had been selected for the regional finals of a French national competition called Les Timbrés de l’Orthographe, to find the people in France who master French grammar the best. … Continue reading →

Posted in French life, Language, Places | Tagged , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

The Tale of Napoleon’s Thumb

Posted on 25/03/2011 by

You could be forgiven for thinking that Montauban is a rather boring place. Unlovely suburbs surround the centre and the A20 motorway bypasses the town, so most people bash on to Toulouse, some 45 km further south. However, the town … Continue reading →

Posted in French life, History, Personalities, Places | Tagged , , , , , , | 10 Comments