Carsac, France

I drove by this small town on the bus on my way to Sarlat. There was just something charming about it in that it looked pretty non-descript. Nothing extraordinary and no tourist traps. I spent a day near the end of my Sarlat time and was pleasantly surprised. There was one church that was open to visitors, but I saw not a soul. The graveyard was pretty and the roads winding and never-ending. I just walked and walked and enjoyed the beautiful scenery. What I loved the most were the houses built almost right up against the cliffs, like it was no big deal. A really charming town with absolutely no interest in being charming.

Photo: A house built beside the cliff and a remnant of a building on the cliff

Sarlat, France

Sarlat is a pretty city, with very well maintained buildings and lovely facades. Unfortunately, it's a bit touristy for my taste. Lots of tourist shops, lots of people, you get the picture. It's too bad, as the city itself has a lot of history. My tip is to look on the map: it’s split pretty evenly into a north half and a south half, with a main street down the middle where the big market is held. The south half is filled with the tourist sites, so you’ll spend a lot of time there, but the northern half is almost all residential. It’s a great way to peak into the lifestyles of this part of the region and get away from the crowds. The outskirts of the city are also lovely. They have a whole other feel to them and are necessary to having a true sense of the area.

Photo: A picturesque street in Sarlat

Saint Cirq Lapopie, France

This was one of my favourite villages in France. I spent the day here in heaven, literally hanging around and wandering. It’s so small that it probably would take half an hour to walk through every street and path, but it’s worth it to just take your time and enjoy the atmosphere. It’s got an artsy feel to it, as most of the residents are artists or trades people, living off of selling their wares from small storefronts or their homes. It’s perched up on a very high hill, so the views over the Lot river and countryside below are breathtaking. It can either be taken as a side trip from Cahors, or a quiet retreat in one of the few hotels that are actually there. Ah, just remembering the languishing day makes me smile…

Photo: Saint Cirq Lapopie

Cahors, France

Cahors is the principle town in the Lot Department that I found quite un-touristy. Although I arrived during a major construction project downtown, I still enjoyed wandering through the streets without feeling too much like a “tourist.” There wasn’t really a star attraction, other than the lovely churches and buildings, which made the town unspectacular. But in a good way. It was a nice break from rushing to all of the monuments found in places like Paris or Toulouse, and easy to just relax into the atmosphere and people of Cahors. The weekend market was huge and I caught it on my last day there. This is a nice and tranquil stop along the sightseeing frenzy that France can become.

Photo: The magificent Pont Valentré

Lautrec, France

I fell in love with this bastide instantly. The architecture was gorgeous, the people charming and the streets quaint. It’s classified as “one of the most beautiful villages in France” and it lives up to its reputation. Just down the hill from the centre is the most amazing little bed and breakfast. You do need a car to get from here back up to Lautrec centre, but it’s well worth it. The woman who owns and runs the place, a converted house, is precious. She makes all of the meals and adds such magic to the house. The rooms are all decorated in matching colours and themes and there’s a huge dining area and library. Outside is surrounded by yellow fields, an old chapel and an old pigeon’s house. The name of the B&B is “Chambres d’Hotes de Cadalen.” To be honest, I’m not sure if the woman speaks English or not but it’s worth looking up if you want to stay in this lovely area. She serves the most amazing lavender juice that I can’t seem to find anywhere and she might even give you some pink garlic that the area is famous for!
Above Photo: Architecture in Lautrec


Photo: One of the salons at the "Chambres d'hotes de Cadalen"

Castres, France

This lovely small city was pleasant and charming. The city centre is cut in two by the Agout River and the old tanner and weaver’s houses line up along it. The big ticket attraction here is the Musée Goya, the largest collection of Spanish paintings other than the Louvre. It’s fairly large and contains an extensive and remarkable variety of pieces.

Photo: Castres city centre along the Agout River

Castelnau de Montmiral, France

Another small village in the same area (near Albi). This one was mostly closed down when I went, not many people out and about and the weather pretty dismal. It’s too bad, as the commune had beautiful architecture and a real village-y feel. I don’t have much more to say about it other than it looked like it would be a lovely place with a touch of sunshine and people bustling about.

Photo: Main square of Castelnau de Montmiral

Puycelsi, France

This is classified as “one of the most beautiful villages of France.” Created around the year 1000 by monks, it overlooks the Vère Valley and has retained some of its medieval streets. They snake around and lead you to beautiful houses and buildings. A charming small village.

Photo: A house in Puycelsi

Château de Mauriac, France

Located in tiny Senouillac, the Château has been lovingly restored for more than 45 years. The place is huge and each room is decorated in a theme: the baroque room, the oriental room, etc. Gorgeous detailing and exquisite furnishings (see photo). It feels like a big castle out in the middle of nowhere to wander around in and get lost. They also rent it out for functions, holding up to 500 people. How divine would that be?

Photo: The Baroque Room

Cordes-sur-Ciel, France

This tiny commune is a lovely flash back to days gone by. Built in 1222, it’s now famous for its outdoor market. Tourists love spending the day here, although because of the rainy day that I went on, there was hardly a soul in the streets. There’s nothing better than walking the ancient streets alone (well, with my guide), as if transformed back to the 13th century. Lots of gothic architecture survives from the 13th and 14th centuries and the storefronts are so quaint. As Albert Camus said: “In Cordes, everything is beautiful, even regret”.

Photo: Quaint shopfront in Cordes-sur-Ciel

Gaillac, France

This small commune in the Tarn Department is a short drive west of Albi. I didn’t stay long but fell in love with the wine. I was at Labastide de Levis, the largest producer in the area, and had a tour of the facilities. It was neat to see how wine is made, the machines and the charming staff, as well as taste some superb varieties. The gentleman who took me around decided that I needed to take a couple of bottles home as a gift (I was on a writing assignment, so free stuff is the norm!). I wasn’t sure how easy it would be to transport it on the flight back home so I decided to accept only one. I went with an award winning red, the 2004 Rouge, which received the Médaille d’Or in 2006. When I got home and opened the bottle with a girlfriend, I was instantly "amoureuse". The best bottle I had ever had in my life. Of course, I can’t find any wine from Gaillac in Vancouver, so I know I’ll have to go back. Hey, it’s as good an excuse as any!

Photo: Labastide de Levis

Toulouse, France

My first impression of Toulouse was experienced through frustration and lack of sleep. I had taken the overnight train from Paris and, unlike any other trains I’ve taken in France, this ride was horrible. I couldn’t sleep because I had to go to the washroom, but most were out of order and the others were in such a gross state, I couldn’t bring myself to actually use them. The ride lasted over 7 hours of excruciating hell. I arrived in Toulouse in the very early morning while it was still waking up. After checking in at the hotel, which of course wasn’t ready for me until the afternoon, I was refreshed with some tea and breakfast in their lounge. The rest of my few days here were much better, visiting the St-Sernin church, Le Pont Neuf, Place de Capitole (where all of the action takes place) and all of the exquisite hôtels particuliers. The city has a young vibe, as it’s filled with university students. The buildings are typical of the area, with wrought iron balconies in all different colours. I highly recommend the Hôtel Mermoz, who kindly hosted me for my stay.

Photo: St-Sernin Church at night

Read my article about the city here.

Back Home to Vancouver

That was the end of my second trip to France. I would not return until 5 years later (this April). Each time has changed my life in some significant way and I can’t wait to be back again next spring. What is it about France that makes me swoon so? After I’ve finished moving at the end of August, I’ll recount my latest trip to Europe, which I spent the majority of time in France, but also visited London, Haworth (England, where the Bronte sisters grew up) and Sweden. What fun!

The Beginning: Dreaming of Paris

Le Château de Longchamps at Bois de Vincennes, Paris (who would have thought this would exist in Paris?!)

My fascination with France came to me sporadically in the summer of 2001. I had just finished my theatre acting program and was working at Tony Roma’s as a hostess. I was living down by the beach in the west end of Vancouver and, while marvelling at the beauty of this city, began daydreaming of all the other beautiful places in the world. I had been to many cities in the States, throughout Canada, even to China and Korea, but never to Europe. Like a flash of lightening Paris sparkled in my mind and I knew I was hooked. I had no more than my high school French (which I almost failed in grade 12) and didn’t know any more about the city than it hosted the Eiffel Tower, nothing more to differentiate it from any other major European city. But Paris I had chosen and Paris it would be. I saved up for the next few months and booked a flight to spend the next April in Paris. It was a trip that would change my life.