Lauragais Blog

Carnival time in Limoux (south of Carcassonne)

17/3/2019

It lasts longer than Rio. It follows stricter codes than Venice. And performers and spectators are never further than a confetti-throw from a bar offering bubbly Blanquette de Limoux.

This year the carnival runs from 27 January until 7 April. Three times a day every weekend - plus Mardi Gras - the medieval arcades around the central square resonate to the beat of the drum and the sound of brass and woodwind.

But preceding the band are the dancers - different groups every day - wearing a dazzling array of costumes from the traditional to the downright ridiculous. Whatever they are wearing, they love confetti!

They've been at it for 400 years, and I'll be back on 7 April for the last night - La Nuit de la Blanquette - a torchlight procession ending with the ceremonial burning of the Carnival King, followed by large quantities of bubbly Blanquette de Limoux.

Sunday prize giving at Château Portos, Cahuzac

20/2/2019

On Sunday, I finally caught up with the winner of my 'Lauragais' photo competition.

In the splendid setting of his front garden, I presented Stijn van Hoecke with his certificate and prize for the winning entry, 'Lauragais on the Beach'.

Afterwards, we took tea in one of the château's holiday homes - the main building may look beautiful from the outside, but Stijn and his partner Yves are hard at work renovating the interior, and we were far more comfortable in the sunshine by the coach house swimming pool.

If you would like to know more about Château Portos or its two luxury gîtes, follow this link:

'Lauragais' reviewed by France's leading English language newspaper

29/1/2019

The Connexion sells 50,000 copies a month, and readers of the February edition will discover a lively review of my book, 'Lauragais: Steeped in History, Soaked in Blood'.

A Visit to Gaillac's Chinese Lantern Festival

23/1/2019

Gaillac is best known for its wines, and the town claims to have vineyards that pre-date the Roman occupation. But it is also twinned with the town of Zigong in China's Sichuan province, and this winter it is hosting its second Chinese Lantern Festival.

We visited the park on Monday and spent a cold, moonlit evening wandering among a thousand giant illuminated silk sculptures. The festival closes on 6 February 2019. Féerique et magnifique!

'Lauragais' photo competition: and the winners are...

3/1/2019

Thank you to everyone who submitted pictures for the 'Lauragais' photo competition.

Some readers travelled enormous distances both horizontally and vertically in their attempt to win, while others displayed considerable talents for creativity and comedy.

After long and difficult deliberations, the judges have finally reached their verdicts.

First prize

Stijn van Hoecke

'Lauragais on the Beach'

Photographed in Ovar, Portugal

Stijn wins a bottle of
Champagne Colin.

Second prize

Keith John Taylor

'Lauragais goes to the Dogs'

Photographed in Poole,
United Kingdom

Keith wins a bottle of
Blanquette de Limoux.

To see more reader photos, click here:

My wife does me proud!

29/12/2018

In its January 2019 edition, the US magazine ‘Mules & More’ has published a double page spread about the launch of my book at the Château de Garrevaques.

This is not an obvious media outlet for a book about the history of an undiscovered corner of south-west France, even allowing for the ‘& More’ of the title.

The secret of this unexpected success? An early career in public relations may have helped, but more importantly, Donna has been a regular contributor to the magazine since about 1994.

Thank you Donna!

Win a copy of 'Lauragais' with French Property News

19/11/2018

Just in time for Christmas, French Property News has launched an exciting new competition.

First prize: a copy of 'Lauragais' by Colin Duncan Taylor.

Second prize...well, why change a winning formula? Second prize is a second copy of 'Lauragais' by Colin Duncan Taylor!

So cut down on your Christmas shopping and enter now! You don't even have to buy the magazine. Simply follow this link and answer one challenging question!

french property news

Oh, French Property News has also published a few words about my book in their magazine this month.

The Lauragais remembers

8/11/2018

To mark the centenary of the end of the Great War, the History Society of Revel has published a book called 'Le Lauragais se souvient' which chronicles the experiences of the people of the Lauragais between 1914 and 1918: those who went to fight in the trenches, those who were left behind, and the memorials to the dead that were erected afterwards.

This evening I attended an event entitled 'A Hymn to Peace' which included the launch of the book, an exhibition about the war, a short film made by the local high school, and a play about the ladies of the Lauragais and the letters they received from their loved ones at the front.

The mood was reverential and sombre until one of the book's authors - my friend Jean-Paul Calvet, President of the Revel History Society - made me wear a Tommy helmet and took me for a ride in a taxi. This vehicle was one of 630 Parisian taxis used in September 1914 to transport troops to the Battle of the Marne.

In search of a rhinoceros

29/10/2018

When I first travelled to Africa thirty years ago, I brought back many memories. Among the most indelible were those of Solomon – a gorilla I encountered high up in the Virunga Mountains – and the cattle egrets that loitered around the lowland animals.

But over the last twenty years, the héron garde-bœufs has become a common sight on the plains of the Lauragais, and this morning a flock of them descended on my field in search of a rhinoceros, or at least a horse or donkey.

Another sign of climate change, say our leading ornithologists, but others will no doubt continue to deny it until they bump into Solomon on a dark night.

Interview with Voix du Midi, 25/10/2018

28/10/2018

According to this article, 'I have the ideas and structure for my next book. I hope to start it this winter'.

As the Dalai Lama once said, choose to be optimistic, it feels better!