I have been living in the south of France for 20 years, and through my books I endeavour to share my love for the history and gastronomy of Occitanie and the Pyrenees.

My writing is based on an insatiable curiosity about my adopted home. It's often personal and frequently in the first-person. I make extensive use of interviews with people from all walks of life: some are professionals, others are experts in their field, and many are simply from families that have lived here for centuries. 

My exploring might take me inside the ruins of an abandoned château or the salon of one that is still inhabited, into a farmer's field or to a food festival, up lofty mountains and down prehistoric caves. Underpinning these true-life experiences is desk-based research, primarily drawing on historical texts, and academic and scientific papers, most of them in French.

​I do not write fiction. Instead, I focus on what is sometimes called long-form journalism, the sort of writing that requires perseverance, dedication, imagination, instinct, an obsession with detail and preferably a large dose of luck.

the keys to the chateau

If you are wondering how my journey began, follow the  link and read an article which was first published in French Property News. Writing is rarely a route to riches, but when I first moved to France, I found it was a key that opened the door to many a château.

I have given talks to numerous associations in our region on various aspects of history and gastronomy in the south of France. If your are an organiser and are interested in discussing this further, please get in touch using my Contact Form.

Have you ever wondered what sort of books authors like to read, other than their own?

The website Shepherd.com gives readers fun ways to find amazing books, and it recently asked 883 authors for their favourite three reads of 2023. Here are the results, and perhaps they will help you find your next enjoyable book: shepherd.com/bboy/2023

My own choices are here: shepherd.com/bboy/2023/f/colin-duncan-taylor