De captivants à banals, les articles et photographies de “The Baguette” sont une tentative de publier un journal de ma vie dans la Manche et de proposer un forum de discussion pour tout ce qui touche à la Normandie.
On my way south to the Comminges region, I spent some time with good friends who live in a beautiful town just outside of Toulouse called Avignonet-Lauragais. The town is visible from the highway due to the large windmills that generate electricity by...
Read moreThe village of La Roque-Gageac, huddled against a cliff which drops vertically to the River Dordogne, occupies a wonderful site—one of the finest in this part of the valley, in which Domme, Castelnaud and Beynac-et-Cazenac are all within a few kilometres...
Read moreLaid out in the 18th century by the Marquis de la Calprenède, the gardens of Eyrignac were remodelled many times during the 19th century and finally given their present aspect in the 1960s by Gilles Sermadiras de Pouzols de Lile, current owner of the...
Read moreThe original château was built in the 13th century and looked down upon a village that has since disappeared. The Hundred Years’ War left Puymartin in ruins with its fortifications, doors and roof destroyed. In 1450, the family of Radulphe de Saint-Clar...
Read moreLes cabanes form part of an actual farm that raises geese. The huts are constructed by using dry stone walling techniques--they are built by carefully piling up stones and wedging them with more stones. This work is done without any cement, mortar or...
Read moreThe Barons of Castelnau de Bretenoux fortified this site, at the meeting place of several valleys, as early as the 13th century. Around the strong keep, there grew up during the Hundred Years’ War a huge fortress with a fortified curtain wall. The castle...
Read moreHollowed out of the limestone mass of the Gramat Causse by a subterranean river, the great chasm of Padirac, famous throughout Europe, is thought of as one of the greatest interesting geological sights of France. Be sure to check out their website for...
Read moreNear the valley of the Dordogne as it makes a deep cut through the Gramat Causse, a series of caves was discovered in 1902 by Armand Viré, a student of the geographer and speleologist Édouard-Alfred Martel, at the foot of the cliffs beside the river....
Read moreBefore arriving at les grottes de Lacave, I made a quick stop along the Dordogne via the small village of Bastit. The river itself is quite calm and the region famous for its good food and wines. Those seeking excellent accommodations in the area need...
Read moreOne of my favorite films is Ever After (À tout jamais in French) starring Drew Barrymore and Anjelica Huston. The settings, the music, the costumes, the acting and especially the modern retelling of the Cinderella story have stayed with me these many...
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