Le bonheur est dans le pré, happiness is in the field! The Gers department, pronounced jerce, borders Haute Garonne to the west/north west and is home to many delightful things particular to SW France. We decided to take my parents to Condom on their visit last autumn. I hadn’t seen much of the Gers before…Read more »
Tag: culture
Via Garona
Posted by in Haute Garonne, occitanie, Toulouse click for music – by Basquing Spring is here and it is time for hiking and biking! The GR 861 hiking trail connects the sites of Saint-Jacques de Compostelle between the stunning Basilica Saint-Sernin in Toulouse and the majestic cathedral of Saint Marie in Saint-Bertrand-de-Comminges. Known as ‘la Via Garona’, the route runs along the river…Read more »
Toulouse-Jolimont
Posted by in occitanie, Toulouse, Uncategorized Jolimont – Reflections from above. A walk………… To the east of the historical centre of Toulouse is a hillside neighbourhood called Jolimont, not far from where I live. For visitors to Toulouse there are a couple of unique places of interest around Jolimont. The cemetery Terre-Cabade et Salonique and the Parc de l’Observatoire. If you…Read more »
Gaillac
Posted by in culture, occitanie, Uncategorized The city of Gaillac is located in the Tarn department, formerly of the region of Midi Pyrenees. When Midi Pyrenees joined Languedoc Roussillon, becoming Occitanie, it also became the region of France which produces the most wine. Gaillac is known as one of the oldest vineyards of France (4th century BC). The area produces a…Read more »
Toulouse, City of Space
Posted by in Haute Garonne, Toulouse, voyage For millions of years, Space was beyond the limits of exploration and understanding for earth dwellers. In 1957, the Soviet Union sent the world’s first man-made satellite into orbit. The race for space was a very exciting era. I remember hearing the sentence “one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind“ again and…Read more »
Toulouse – Up in the Air
Posted by in culture, occitanie, Toulouse, Uncategorized Much of the growth and vibrancy in the city of Toulouse is to do with the aerospace industry. In and around the former region of Midi Pyrenees around 80,000 people, including me, make a living from the aviation industry. Toulouse is home to a number of important aerospace related companies, including Airbus and the European Space…Read more »
Christmas Market Toulouse
For just over a month at the end of each year there is a Xmas Market in Toulouse, with artisanal gifts to buy and delicious seasonal treats to try. There are even a few friendly Quebecois kicking around selling poutine and queue de castor as well as maple syrup and ‘tartinade d’erable’, or maple spread…Read more »
Le Guardien du Temple – Toulouse
Posted by in culture, Toulouse, Uncategorized Were you there? The people of Toulouse and their suburban neighbours and others from far and wide came to watch the most spectacular street art imaginable. The Guardian of the Temple – An Urban Street Opera I wanted to share this with you so that you could get the full experience. Don’t you…Read more »
Flower Power
Out of the black and into the blue… Toulouse saw a period of great prosperity after the black years of the plague. In the 15th century Toulouse began to enjoy a ‘golden age’. The ‘blue gold’ of the pastel plant created great wealth in the city. La Fleurée de Pastel Isatis tinctoria: woad in English and…Read more »
Jazz sur son 31
Posted by in Haute Garonne, occitanie, Toulouse The weather is turning a bit colder now and I am cursing myself for having complained, recently, that it was too hot. Having missed Piano aux Jacobins a few weeks ago, and regrettably Remi Panossian, due to the seemingly endless summer and a force stronger than myself which propelled me back and forth to the…Read more »
