I have always battled with France and the French. I don't know what it is. I have this horrible mindset against them. I don't think it is the country itself so much, because I love it there. Maybe what it could have potentially been is one or two bad experiences with people that just flicked a switch in my mind. I pride myself on the fact that I am not narrow-minded and that I am pretty accepting and easy going of people and their choices/backgrounds/preferences/differences. And so, with this in mind, I promised to get over this ridiculous "Fear of the French" before this year of travelling of mine was up. And I think this trip may have cured me...
On my most recent little travelling stint I found myself in France visiting some old family friends of mine. Vicky and her family used to live in Durban and then emigrated to Dubai when we were still kids, and have bought a house about 2 hours outside of Toulouse. St Andre de Najac is probably one of the most serene places I have been to. It is in the countryside and not particularly big at all. But I think it is this that gives the village its charm. It reminded me a lot of the Midlands and Drakensberg back home, and so it didn't take me long to slot into the relaxed atmosphere of the place. The days were spent in the pool or walking, and one day we even managed to sneak a horse ride in through the woods nearby. I'm also pretty sure I ate myself into oblivion. I couldn't stop eating...
On the Sunday we went to a little market in nearby Saint-Antonin-Noble-Val, the village where the film Charlotte Gray was filmed. The market sold everything from hats to macarons to shoes to aligot (mashed potato stuff with cheese in it, you have to do one).
All in all the trip was amazing. Super relaxed, but exactly what I needed before starting the wine harvest season at the end of this month. I can't thank Rob, Liz, Vicky and Al enough for such a fantastic and comfortable stay. I hope it isn't the last time I see that special place...
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| Me in my hammock |
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| Spices at the market in St Antonin |
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| War memorial to the soldiers from the town lost in both World Wars and Algeria |
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| The old stone steps leading to the upstairs of the house |
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| An old chestnut tree on the walk next to the river |
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| The last sunset |
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