Life in The South of France
One of our stunning tables on Canal du Midi where we drink coffee and sketch. Le Somail
It’s getting warmer now in the South of France.
They say it’s slower to warm up this year than it usually is.
There’s also a water shortage although the canals and streams seem to have a good supply at the moment thank goodness.
We’ve been having a great time with the students doing our 5 Day Sketch Tour as well as daily classes with other students. Sketches we love doing are ones that are typical of the region. We learn to pick a view we like wherever we explore and go for it.
Everyone ends up with lovely memories of the different places we’ve been.
People coming want to see the real France while here, and they certainly experience that.
This is Le Somail on Canal du Midi. I’ve always loved taking people here. We go for that table virtually in the water - almost and look towards the ‘hump’ bridge which is great to sketch.
There are several huge ducks - ducks are really big here - in more ways than one - you’d think they were geese - and they are hilarious the way they try to be the boss of everything on the canal.
They are pretty noisy if they don’t want people getting to close, but everyone loves them and the leader often goes up the gangplank to the man who owns it, and they have a cuddle. Brings a tear to your eye.
Oh and the bonus apart from sketching is the biggest bookshop you can imagine. Le Trouve Tout du Livre.
50.000 rare and ancient books. All languages and we usually come home with a new treasure or three.
I should show you a little of Hotel d’Alibert in Caunes - where you stay while on the 5 Day Sketch Tours. A really ancient family owned abbey with modern faciltilities mixed with the ancient.
Frederic is the very friendly and amusing host and owner and does a beautiful breakfast for you each morning in the courtyard or the dining room. He has an espresso machine by the way.
He’s full of local knowledge and will guide you to everything of interest in Caunes.
The roses on the table that day were fabulous and the aroma wafted out to meet you. I was fascinated by the shiny blue beetles that were on the petals. You can see one in the pic.
It’s a lot bigger than our village of Trausse with a choice of restaurants, the popular Bar Fontaine, a terrific Pizza restaurant - yes in France! Plus banks, pharmacies, hair salons - the French love to have their hair done- a supermarket for grabbing a few things to bring back to the Hotel.
There’s the Romanesque abbey dating from the 8th century, with many crafts people working in little studios all round. Of course we can’t forget the world famous pink marble mined right here which features at Versailles among other Chateaux and Buildings of note.
You can buy a pink marble rolling pin at La Marbrerie as seen on ‘Escape to the Chateau.’