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Curious tales |
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A tale of buried treasure and marketing genius
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The mysteries of Rennes-le-Château have inspired enough books to open a bookshop. At the root of this phenomenol success was a master of creative marketing who had a brainwave in 1956. a-tale-of-buried-treasure-and-marketing-genius.html
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The pig farmer, the Roman tilemaker and Napoleon’s companion in exile
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Most people visiting Las Cases barely glance at the château. Instead, they dive straight inside the farm shop to buy dried hams, sausages or fresh pork. But before the Malinge family started making charcuterie, Las Cases had enjoyed a curious succession of occupants. the-pig-farmer-the-roman-tilemaker-and-napoleons-companion-in-exile.html
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How Wellington laid his hands on Napoleon’s greatest general
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Soult and Wellington never met face-to-face during all the years they spent fighting each other in Portugal, Spain, France and Belgium. But according to a tale I was told during a visit to the Château de Soult-Berg, this long-overdue encounter took place at the coronation of Queen Victoria in London. how-wellington-finally-laid-his-hands-on-napoleons-greatest-general.html
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The legends and history of Naurouze
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Naurouze is one of those places that seems to attract legends and history, as well as being notable from a geological and geographic perspective. It is located south-east of Toulouse, conveniently close to the main road between Villefranche-de-Lauragais and Castelnaudary. so-many-reasons-to-visit-naurouze-not-far-from-toulouse.html
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A shaggy dog story: how a few bears rescued the Pyrenean Mountain dog
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Traditionally they were trained to defend flocks of sheep from bears and wolves, but during the second half of the 20th century the Pyrenean Mountain dog all but disappeared from its home range, along with the predators it used to confront. With a little help from Slovenia, this iconic dog has made a come back in recent years. a-shaggy-dog-story-how-a-few-bears-rescued-the-pyrenean-mountain-dog.html
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How did Lautrec get its pink garlic?
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Exactly when pink garlic took root in Lautrec is unknown, and its miraculous appearance is, perhaps inevitably, the subject of a legend. how-did-lautrec-get-its-pink-garlic.html
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What makes Roquefort cheese blue (or green)?
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Cheese is often associated with bread, either in a sandwich, on a croque monsieur, or during the cheese course at the end of a meal. With Roquefort, this connection is made long before the cheese reaches the gourmet’s plate, and the origin of this fortuitous alliance is the subject of another legend. what-makes-roquefort-cheese-blue-or-green.html
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Why are the Pyrenees called the Pyrenees?
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This question has been debated since Classical times, and there is still no clear answer today. Back in the 16th century, the future King Henri IV of France thought he knew why. These mountains were called the Pyrenees because one of his ancestors had ravished a princess. Earlier this summer, I explored the story by following Henri’s footsteps deep inside the cave of Lombrives. why-are-the-pyrenees-called-the-pyrenees.html
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