Friends Along the Way

When I read Laury's blog post over at Soar-Dream-France this morning, I was immediately reminded of this fine fellow whom I met one day last September. A visit to Rocamadour was on my agenda having seen it in my Eyewitness guidebook to the Dordogne and Southwest France. Finding the pilgrimage village wasn't a problem; finding a good place to park was, however. I pulled off on the first gravel road I saw and sure enough, it led me to a huge parking area that was mainly for RV's and trailers. It wasn't close enough to where I wanted to be, but this guy standing near the fence lured me out of my car for a quick photo op. I wanted so badly to stroke his soft muzzle and scratch that special place between his ears, but he was having none of it and backed away from the fence when I reached out to touch him. Do you think it's too much of a stretch to imagine that this donkey might be related to the one that traveled with Robert Louis Stevenson across this area in 1879?

Sepulchre

I recorded this panoramic sweep of the mountains of southwest France from atop Montsegur. The view was breath-taking; I felt as if I could see forever! I was surprised at how rugged and rural so much of France actually is. I thought of this view last week as I was reading a second Kate Mosse novel, "Sepulchre." Like "Labyrinth" this novel is also set in southwest France, in these very mountains. And like "Labyrinth, the stories in "Sepulchre" slip between two different time periods: France in 1891 and 2007. It's a melange of tarot, magic, and music, good and evil, and the universal search for family and love. While the novel can certainly be read on its own without reading 'Labyrinth," there are some threads that connect it with the other book that add richness to the story. Having seen the wildness of these mountains makes me appreciate how truly terrifying the battle against evil could be in the remote setting of Rennes-les-Bains and the fictional country estate of Domaine de la Cade. Perhaps the sleepy mountain town had stone buildings just like this one I photographed in the mountains outside of Collioure?

The Choice is Made

A couple of weeks ago I blogged about the photos that I was looking at trying to decide which ones to send Laury for the August 28th vernissage at the Chatette. I emailed some of the choices and arrangements to Laury, and she called me later with her comments and suggestions. She thought framing the photos without mats would make them much more dramatic. As luck would have it, my photography store was able to make me some 8x8 inch prints that would fit nicely into the frames I had already purchased. This morning I slipped my study of peonies into the frames as Laury suggested and voila! Here is my submission to the vernissage. It's hard to get the same look as they will have in Laury's cave where they will be hung against a gorgeous stone wall and lit from above. I also haven't quite decided if this is the order they should be in; I think I'll let Laury and Patrick make the final decision on that when they hang them the evening of August 27th. With any luck I'll be there in person to voice my opinion!

Montsegur

Blogging about "Labyrinth" and the Crusade against the Cathars in southwest France has brought back memories of Montsegur. This monument honors the Cathar men, women and children who were burned here for refusing to renounce their faith. I blogged about it last September at Dona Nobis Pacem. Click here to read my thoughts on this sad moment in religious history.

City of "Labyrinth"

I recently finished a novel set in southwest France that was my kind of book.

"Labyrinth" by Kate Mosse is a 'timeslip' which the author explains is a story that slips between two different time periods. In this case, it moves between the 13th and 21st centuries. The modern part of the story begins at an archaeological dig deep in the Sabarthes Mountains just south of Montsegur; the medieval story takes place in this city, Carcassone. This photo shows the ancient walled city set high on a hill overlooking its modern off-spring below and to the left (not shown in this photo) I stopped along the Autoroute on my way 'home' from the Mediterranean shore last September when I caught a glimpse of this sight that looked to be straight out of a fairy tale. The informational plaque in the pullout told the story of Carcassone's siege during the Crusade against 'heretics' in the early 1200's. I debated....should I alter my plans and drive into Carcassone for a close-up look at this magnificent walled city or should I continue on to Cadrieu? Cadrieu won out as I had promised Laury I'd be back in time to help her set up for the vernissage. So I tucked Carcassone away for a 'next time' visit. After reading 'Labyrinth' next time can't come soon enough!

I've reviewed 'Labyrinth' over at Red Bell Reads...check it out!

Henri Matisse in Collioure

Who doesn't love a painter who splashes such vivid color on the canvas? Although Matisse spent several summers in Collioure, the summer of 1905 was his most productive. That summer he invited his friend, Andre Derain, to join him. Both artists were inspired by Collioure's beauty. Both artists were part of a group of loosely-organized painters known as the "Fauves" or wild beasts. This school of art was short-lived existing between 1904-1907 giving way to the Cubists who followed them. The Fauves used pure primary colors to convey their view of the world and were considered the first to paint "Modern" art.

Here's a Derain painting of Collioure. I love the contrast between the sapphire blue sea and the ochre-colored roofs of the village. I'm excited to see these same scenes in person this September!

Where to Stay...

Help me choose! As I look through lodging possibilities in Collioure, I've narrowed my choices down to two. The first is this lovely old 'hermitage' set in the hills above Collioure, Ermitage de Consolation. The dictionary defines an hermitage as an abbey or monastery. When I google this one, the only information I can find about its history is in French and since my French is so rudimentary, I can't comprehend what it says...darn! This was surely a religious retreat of some kind since it boasts a chapel and religious artifacts. Its setting looks very peaceful, doesn't it?

This is a photo of the other place I'm considering, Les Templiers. It's a hotel and restaurant located right in the village and close to the sea. The draw to stay here is the hotel's collection of art. Apparently in the early days, the proprietor accepted works of art from his patrons in payment for their bar bills. The hotel is hung with paintings and drawings by such famous artists as Dufy, Matisse and Picasso. I suppose I could stay at the more reasonably priced Ermitage and have dinner here at Les Templiers and enjoy the best of both worlds, eh?

Collioure

I'm continuing to gather fun ideas for my upcoming trip to southwest France this September. One thing I know I want to do is make a trip south and visit a village by the sea. This is the one I'm considering. Sitting beside the beautiful blue Mediterranean, Collioure combines both French and Spanish culture. It's been a fishing village since 673 and was an important strategic site for the defense of southern France. It's only a few kilometers from the Spanish border. In my opinion, though, its main claim to fame is that it was home for awhile to Henri Matisse, one of my favorite artists. Many of his most famous paintings were inspired by Collioure. I'm open to recommendations...anyone visited this picturesque village by the sea?