Tag Archives: Aude

inondations

Posted on January 23, 2020 by coteetcampagne

Terrifying here in the village. I never thought we would have to barricade ourselves against floods in our street. The river Aude is now 20 feet away from our door, with a strong possibility of water levels rising a further … Continue reading →

Posted in Renovation and restoration diary- France | Tagged , , | 15 Comments

The beach is back!

Posted on August 9, 2018 by coteetcampagne

So, following the “canicule”, the beach is back in it’s full sand and pebble glory. To be frank, although one hears comments about the heat of the last few weeks here, it’s not at all unusual to have these temperatures … Continue reading →

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Où est la plage?

Posted on February 5, 2018 by coteetcampagne

With last month’s storms and some further grey and rainy days. the river Aude was almost up to the bank and quite thunderously swollen in places over the rocks. It’s calmed down a bit this week. The ducks are no … Continue reading →

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First fantastic find of 2018- local landscape

Posted on January 13, 2018 by coteetcampagne

On the subject of finding shocking bargains in various charity and junk shops; I present what may well be The Find of 2018. Hidden behind various rubbish prints on the bottom shelf in a dark corner of Parchemin Limoux was … Continue reading →

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Joyeux Noël et bonne année à tous

Posted on December 25, 2017 by coteetcampagne

My daughter is  not sure about this particular Christmas design statement. She is accustomed to seeing the Family Baubles draped o’er a big green traditional tree. This is the tree branch Bronte and I dragged home from the riverbank. It’s … Continue reading →

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Twenty four hours in Occitanie

Posted on December 2, 2017 by coteetcampagne

Here is yesterday’s sunset over the Pyrenees. Cold but dry. Today we drove back from Argeles-sur-Mer along the D117 to Campagne and saw the wintry colours of the vines, set out in their rows against a darkening sky. Still  no … Continue reading →

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The “Roman Bridge” the coldest morning yet and Bronte takes a big step

Posted on November 27, 2017 by coteetcampagne

We have been told that this partly collapsed walkway over the river is a Roman bridge. I have now incorporated it into the first book of a series that I am writing, based around our house and Campagne-sur-Aude’s ancient, rich  … Continue reading →

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Friday night out at the Café de Fa

Posted on October 28, 2017 by coteetcampagne

Highly recommended if you are in the Aude. Last Friday night every month at the cafe de fa Very good fish and chips and chocolate moelleux plus Anne de Joyeuse house wine. Music by the Zap Jazz Trio; who last … Continue reading →

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Knock Knock- Qui est là?

Posted on September 12, 2017 by coteetcampagne

After 11 years of not having a clue who is outside the front door; unless we are hanging out of a front window; we have finally mounted the door knocker. In deference mainly to friends who stand outside shouting up … Continue reading →

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Wedding of the decade

Posted on September 6, 2017 by coteetcampagne

No, not mine. I have had the privilege of being involved in the beautifully conceived and elegantly styled design and production of my friend Beverly Lambert’s French Rustique Vintage Chic wedding. A ceremony at Esperaza Mairie on Friday will be followed … Continue reading →

Posted in Antique and Vintage finds, Art, design and inspiration blog | Tagged , , , , , , | 10 Comments

Episode 154- The Big One

Posted on May 15, 2017 by coteetcampagne

I am on the terrace with a large glass of Gamay. Trev is in the shower; I can hear the groans as he unfold the kinks in his back from the long drive. It would have been a much more … Continue reading →

Posted in Renovation and restoration diary- France | Tagged , , , | 12 Comments

I have been awarded – Blog sur Aude in top 100 renovation blog list

Posted on March 31, 2017 by coteetcampagne

Gosh. Blog-sur-Aude has been included in a list of the top 100 renovation blogs. Number 91, but hey….. I have no idea how we managed this, but thanks anyway! Click on medal link right for the others. Thank you Dan (my … Continue reading →

Posted in Renovation and restoration diary- France | Tagged , , , , | 13 Comments

Episode 152- To Hull And Back

Posted on March 11, 2017 by coteetcampagne

Most of my biggest decisions are taken on a Thursday. I was born on a Thursday so maybe it’s connected? Anyway, I had a high pressure, high preparation, contentious and stressful work commitment in Hull on Wednesday. I have nothing … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, design and inspiration blog, Renovation and restoration diary- France | Tagged , | 19 Comments

Restore, recycle, reuse, relook it, relove it

Posted on January 30, 2017 by coteetcampagne

I have been blog-chatting with JP at https://husifrankrike.com/ where he and his wife have been musing on restoring features at their medieval village house ( also in the Aude) and perhaps commissioning replacement features. JP has what looks like a … Continue reading →

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Friday French Fix- Old and Bold spaces – Chambres anciennes et audacieuses

Posted on November 25, 2016 by coteetcampagne

When engaged in old French property rescue, we should be bold and daring Yes? Let’s be Aude-acious in the Aude! http://www.weranda.pl/domy-i-mieszkania/rezydencje/rezydencja-w-kolorach-piasku-i-oceanu http://decoholic.org/2014/12/17/fireplace-styles-100-design-ideas/ http://wingsviewathome.tumblr.com/?og=1                

Posted in Antique and Vintage finds, Renovation and restoration diary- France | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 15 Comments

Episode 145- A retrospective. Renovation, restoration and reconstruction in the Aude

Posted on September 17, 2016 by coteetcampagne

I think it’s time to look back and take stock. Quite a few new folk have started following this  epic saga of ours and must be wondering what kind of blog they have stumbled onto here. Some art, some antiques, … Continue reading →

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Episode 144 – In which we muse upon time and chaos and order and how long it takes for paint to go out of date

Posted on September 3, 2016 by coteetcampagne

So, a few of you might recall that, although we thought the roof was fixed, there was evidence of water ingress earlier this year , mainly in the form of some small damp patches on the ceiling lambris in the … Continue reading →

Posted in Renovation and restoration diary- France, What we did, how we did it and what we used | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Making part medieval French village houses work

Posted on July 12, 2016 by coteetcampagne

For those of you interested in the Demolition Derby clearly in operation on the last post, I present two earlier posts which explain. To clarify- the photo top left of first post below (with the weird wardrobes)  shows FRONT of … Continue reading →

Posted in Renovation and restoration diary- France, What we did, how we did it and what we used | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 17 Comments

Signs and symbols- traditional decorative motifs in the Languedoc #1

Posted on June 13, 2016 by coteetcampagne

I had every intention of featuring some of the decorative motifs on this beautiful town house in Carcassonne, but Poshbirdy beat me to it, and with a proper camera, unlike my phone; So see her great photos here, thanks P!- … Continue reading →

Posted in Antique and Vintage finds, Art, design and inspiration blog, Renovation and restoration diary- France | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 14 Comments

Buying Property in France- A cautionary tale

Posted on May 13, 2016 by coteetcampagne

Just to let you know, I now take requests.See “Taste of France” blog- https://wordpress.com/read/feeds/37172339/posts/1025435832 The area around Puivert is mentioned. Very pretty, has a chateau & museum, too cold for me. It took a while for us to find out … Continue reading →

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Use it or lose it – Best restaurant between Perpignan and Lapradelle-Puilarens

Posted on April 28, 2016 by coteetcampagne

You may recall that we visited Restaurant l’Egrappoir last year on our run down from the Aude valleys to the Mediterranean coast where the apartment is located . We met the new owner, Muriel, who hails from the Alsace, and … Continue reading →

Posted in Food and wine | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Oh Well !

Posted on March 20, 2016 by coteetcampagne

Here is the official well, situated  behind the Templar church of Saint Sébastien. A very knowledgeable local who has an encyclopedic knowledge of the oral history of Campagne-sur-Aude has been digging out and restoring this well- check out page 12 … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, design and inspiration blog, Renovation and restoration diary- France | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 14 Comments

A new viewpoint 2016 – Leafless

Posted on February 4, 2016 by coteetcampagne

Prompted by Osyth’s leafless trees- https://wordpress.com/read/post/feed/14545532/920764829 I have posted some shots from our January trip to France; the first time we have  been here at this time of year. We have to check out the river. It pulls us like … Continue reading →

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How green are these valleys?

Posted on November 26, 2015 by coteetcampagne

I feel like a tranquil post today. I love how the layers of the last foothills of the Pyrenees change colour as we drive away from the Pyrenees-Orientales up toward the greens and blues of the beautiful Aude valleys. The … Continue reading →

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Emotional rescue

Posted on August 26, 2015 by coteetcampagne

The Languedoc is dotted with quirky properties in various stages of benign and active neglect: just waiting for some mad and optimistic adventurer to spot and save them. Properly save them I mean. Not get someone else in to board … Continue reading →

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The pen is mightier than the sword- and considerably easier to write with

Posted on July 14, 2015 by coteetcampagne

Thus said Marty Feldman, and he was right. When I write my little story on Campagne sur Aude, our French village of choice, I will be doing so as an incomer, but with the most honourable of intentions. I have … Continue reading →

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Why water is key for me

Posted on June 7, 2015 by coteetcampagne

I like to watch water, even if it isn’t doing a lot. I have always felt a strong affinity with rivers and lakes particularly . We are a long way from the sea here in the UK, the furthest “inland” … Continue reading →

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Four images of the Aude region, South of France

Posted on May 27, 2015 by coteetcampagne

A selection of shots of our area; each one quintessential Aude Below left- A shutter in Campagne -sur- Aude village -Right little house by the old bridge in Campagne (is that an external interrogation chair??) the two little huts are … Continue reading →

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March Road Trip – Foothills of the Eastern Pyrenees to the High Valleys of the Aude

Posted on May 7, 2015 by coteetcampagne
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Bonus Post- Le Tour de France , traversée de la Manche!

Posted on July 7, 2014 by coteetcampagne

As the major logistical nightmare of getting a bunch of cyclists and their entourage across the channel kicks off, I thought I would share something from  my treasured photo collection . This shows Le tour de France flying through the … Continue reading →

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