Monday, October 29, 2007

Canoeing

Canoeing

The river that Le Pont du Gard traverses is not the river Gard, but the Gardon.

It's a great area for lots of leisure activities including canoeing and this photograph was taken as the canoeists were directly below 'Le Pont'

More on the River Gardon

Saturday, October 27, 2007

Roman Aqueduct

Le Pont du Gard 02

Nearly finished with photographs taken around Le Pont du Gard and the town of Uzés in the south of France - there are a few more though!

The ancient Roman Aqueduct of Le Pont du Gard is worthy of another posting. It took me a long time to go and see this magnificent piece of engineering, after nearly 15 years of living in France, and it was more than worth it. It took three climbs up the hill at the side to get the right light and that was also worth it.

Sitting watching the sun slowly set and the light changing on the stones that have stood the test of time for nearly 2000 years is another memory that will last.

La Pont du Gard was made a World Heritage site in 1985 more info here.

Tuesday, October 23, 2007

Bath Time

Bath Time

Charlie, our baby pigeon, had his first bath in the sink! I had put down a little bowl of water and after seeing him trying to get in the bowl I filled the bottom of the sink with a little water he jumped in, (just like a duck to water!!!) and had a lovely time splashing about, and afterwards lots of flapping of wings to get dried off. Of course Charlie is not sure if he is a duck, pigeon or human.

Some time soon we are hoping he will take his inaugural outside flight, another update will be posted when this happens.

Sunday, October 21, 2007

Artisan Savonnerier

Artisan Savonnerier

Nature et Senteurs is the shop Uzés where my wife bought lots of lovely smelling products. This is one of the two ladies who hand make all the products that are for sale.

M & B Créations, Artisan Savonnier produces 'cosmétiques à base d'huiles naturelles et biologiques' and durinng the summer season you can make reservations to assist in the making of these products.

If you want to find out more about this beautiful town check out Wikipedia

Nature et Senteurs c’est le magasin d’Uzés où mon épouse a acheté un bon nombre de beaux produits de toilette. La photo est l'une des deux personnes qui font tous les produits naturels qui sont en vente.
M et B Créations, artisan Savonnier de produits naturels d'huiles de base et de cosmétiques biologiques et durant la saison d'été vous pouvez faire des réservations pour aider à la fabrication de ces produits.

Si vous voulez en découvrir plus sur ce sujet de cette belle ville cliquez sur Wikipedia (en englais)

Saturday, October 20, 2007

Savonnerie

Savonnerie

The interior of the lovely smelling shop in Uzés. Lots and lots of soaps and other products, a blaze of colour and my wife buying all sorts of different stuff.

Thursday, October 18, 2007

Nature et Senteurs

Nature et Senteurs

Perhaps with a pigeon on my head I'd better make sure I have enough nice smelling soap!

Back to our holiday trip in France and we have yet to leave the lovely town of Uzés which oozes great images and is steeped in history.

This little shop which for the summer season is situated next to the Château de la Duc d'Uzés is owned and run by two ladies who make their own soap and other nice smelling products.

Monday, October 15, 2007

Charlie Pigeon

charlie

Just over two weeks ago a lost little pigeon was following behind anybody trying to find its Mum. What to do? It had fallen out of its nest somewhere and by the time we picked it up it was starving. We phoned the local Bird center who said boil up some cat crockets, liquidize them and feed every hour with a syringe.

We got into a good system of feeding and the little bundle of feathers it now nearly grown.

Now we have a flying pigeon that we hope will be ready soon to fly off into the big wide world instead of onto my head.

Sunday, October 14, 2007

Cordes Climb

Cordes climb

The hill top Bastide village of Cordes sur Ciel is exactly that! It's a tough climb up full of twists and turns and delights to discover. Although dotted with tourists type shops this is a living village with village life going on around the tourist.

Visiting off season is a certainly a more pleasant experience than in the middle of the high season

For a bit of history of the village check here.

Friday, October 12, 2007

Serge Raynal

Serge Raynal

An artist of stature and also a kindly man of great gentleness. We talked for while with this lovely man, enjoyed his art and enjoyed his knowledge.

Someone who has displayed and sold his creations in the beautiful village of Cordes sur Ciel a hill top village in the Tarn, southern France

Wednesday, October 10, 2007

Cordes Cat

Cordes Cat

A little break from our holiday pics, but there will be more.

Last Saturday we had a walk round one of the lovely villages in the Tarn and this lovable creature posed for the camera, or was she watching the birdie?

Cordes sur Ciel in one of the very beautiful hill top Bastide villages situated in the Tarn. This lovely cat is a habitant of the village - I think!

Tuesday, October 09, 2007

Sud étoffe

Sun Etoffe

This is the shop that I had great difficulty getting my wife to leave. She loves materiel and the particular materiel that comes from this region of France called 'Boutis.' I think the credit card took a bit of hit here, but that's what holidays are all about.

We are still in the town of Uzés in Southern France and this shop is called Sud étoffe, La maison de Provence, 15 place aux herbes, Uzés.

Monday, October 08, 2007

Menu du Jour

Menu du Jour

A very tasty menu for lunch time - just what's needed to satisfy the tourists who have have had a hard morning wandering about enjoying themselves.

Taken in the town of Uzés southern France

Sunday, October 07, 2007

Late Summer Coffee

Late Summer Coffee

What pleasure to sit have and have a coffee or cool drink in the late afternoon sun and watch the world go by.

Place aux Herbes, Uzés, southern France.

Saturday, October 06, 2007

Fountain View

Fountain View

Still in the lovely town of Uzés, wandering around, watching people take it easy and enjoying themselves. Sitting by a fountain and thinking - or just sitting.

Place aux Herbes Uzés, southern France.

Friday, October 05, 2007

Soaring Church

Church Tower

The cathedral of Saint Théodorit in Uzés with its famous Fenestrelle Tower. Blue sky warm sunshine and it was only a few weeks ago, now summer seems at an end.

Our holiday goes on with memories in images which I will be posting over the next few weeks.

Thursday, October 04, 2007

Sugar Baby Love

Sugar Baby Love

"La Cure Gourmande" Is a little bit over the top (for me). I dared not enter this shop because it is filled with all those lovely tasty sugary things I love, and as the shop name suggests it is a cure for those that need a sugar hit!

Like lots of other photo opportunities around the beautiful old town of Uzés the colour and light was just right in the late afternoon as the sun was slowly bringing the day to evening time.

Wednesday, October 03, 2007

Football Arch

Football Arch

Playing football in the Place aux Herbes, Uzés France.

Uzés is one of those beautiful French villages that is a must to visit. It is situated in the region of the Languedoc-Roussillon close to Nîmes and the famous Pont du Gard in the department of the Gard.

Wandering round, as I love to do in the late afternoon sunshine, and watching a couple of kids play football under arches constructed centuries ago I wondered if they were aware of their beautiful surrounding, or did that come later in life. What mattered was seeing their joy playing in such a magnificent setting.

Tuesday, October 02, 2007

Daily Bread

Boulangerie

The Boulangerie in the Place aux Herbes in the town of Uzés. A lovely town to vist in the south of France.

More details to follow with an account of our recent vacation.

Monday, October 01, 2007

Pont du Gard

Le Pont du Gard

We are back from our vacation visiting various parts of France and doing the tourist thing.

I have always wanted to visit Le Pont du Gard, the Roman Viaduct in the Gard département of southern France. Three trips in one day to get the right light and a photograph that I was happy with.

If you would like to read more about this amazing structure that has stood for over 2000 years check out this link - Wikipedia.