Occitan culture in the south of France

Proud to be writing for Yale University Press

Please be indulgent and allow me to share a wonderful piece of publishing news! It's another good reason for me to love the Pyrenees. proud-to-be-writing-for-yale-university-press.html

A dramatic tomb for a forgotten playwright

With a poet’s eye for drama, Henry Bataille knew exactly how he wanted to be buried. Although his dramatic output has passed into oblivion, his tomb is unforgettable. It may even give you nightmares. a-dramatic-tomb-for-a-forgotten-playwright.html

From brigand to metal-basher: explore the copper industry of Durfort

At the foot of the Montagne Noire, the village of Durfort devoted itself to copper for six centuries. Today, one or two shops still offer traditional wares, a copper vessel hangs outside nearly every house, and the village council has recently signposted a 3.5km walk along the river where trip hammers once thumped lumps of copper into shape. from-brigand-to-metal-basher.html

Occitan gastronomy on the grandest scale

I have often written about the gastronomy of southern France, particularly from a historical angle, but never before have I devoted an entire article to a single restaurant. I am making an exception for Les Grands Buffets in Narbonne because it is an exceptional eatery in so many ways. occitan-gastronomy-on-the-grandest-scale.html

In the footsteps of Dom Robert

Dom Robert’s tapestries were inspired by nature in general and the Montagne Noire in particular. This country hike visits 11 viewpoints associated with his work. in-the-footsteps-of-dom-robert.html

Limoux, where the carnival goes with a fizz

The town of Limoux lies on the river Aude 25 kilometres upstream from Carcassonne. It has two claims to international fame: its carnival and its sparkling wine. limoux-where-the-carnival-goes-with-a-fizz-and-its-on-now.html

Equal opportunities on the Canal du Midi in 1669

Pierre-Paul Riquet offered his workers sick pay, holiday pay, monthly pay, equal pay, and he expressed a preference for employing females. Why did he make such a generous and enlightened offer? equal-opportunities-in-1669.html

Raimon de Miraval – the trials and tribulations of a 12th century troubadour

Raimon de Miraval was a troubadour who truly lived his art. This poor knight fell hopelessly in love with the wives of the two brothers who owned the bigger château next door, and in his old age he was tempted to come out of retirement in a bid to save the world, the Cathar world, from destruction by Simon de Montfort and his crusaders. raimon-de-miraval-the-trials-and-tribulations-of-a-12th-century-troubadour.html

Poetry since 1324: the oldest literary institution in the western world

If you visit the parliament building of Toulouse – Le Capitole – you can enjoy many fine and extremely large paintings in the public rooms on its first floor. But on your way up the main staircase, take a moment to admire the painting in front of you. It depicts the first edition of the Floral Games, held in 1324. the-oldest-literary-institution-in-the-western-world.html

Transhumance: the long walk home

The word transhumance derives from two Latin words meaning across (trans) the ground (humus), and more precisely, it refers to a form of mobile livestock husbandry in which herders move their flocks regularly and repeatedly between defined seasonal grazing areas. transhumance-the-long-walk-home.html

Louisa Paulin, Occitan poet, 1888-1944

Her work won several prizes, including an award from the oldest literary institution in the western world – the Acadèmia dels Jòcs Florals, or the Academy of the Floral Games, founded in 1323 by seven troubadour-citizens of Toulouse. in-honour-of-louisa-paulin-1888-1944.html

The French concept of laïcité: the story of a village cross

I live close to one of Europe’s most-travelled pilgrimage routes – the road to Saint-Jacques-de-Compostelle. This proximity has often made me toy with the idea of making a pilgrimage of my own, but frankly, it’s a long, long way to the wild western coast of Spain. Last weekend I had the opportunity of making a much shorter pilgrimage – less than three hundred metres from my front door. How could I resist such an easy alternative? the-french-concept-of-laicite.html

How the Protestants of Revel stole a market from their Catholic neighbours

Most Saturday mornings, I go to the market in Revel, a royal bastide founded in 1342. This is one of the busiest weekly events in the Lauragais, and it is the main reason the town has spent over a decade in the Michelin guide to ‘Les 100 Plus Beaux Détours de France’. But few visitors, be they tourists or locals, know that this popular market was stolen from the neighbouring town of Sorèze 440 years ago during the Wars of Religion. Before that, Revel held its market on a Thursday in accordance with its founding charter. how-the-protestants-of-revel-stole-a-market-from-their-catholic-neighbours.html

Keys to the Château - becoming a writer in France

Writing is rarely a route to riches, but when Colin Duncan Taylor moved to France, he found it was a key that opened the door to many a château (this is an article I wrote for the magazine French Property News). keys-to-the-chateau.html

Occitan culture & industry