Tag Archives: languedoc

More lovely French doors- The Thursday Three from the Languedoc

Posted on November 3, 2016 by coteetcampagne

Three more fabulous doors. I wonder what secrets lie behind these? I particulary love the grey doors below, and note that two newer carved wooden panels have been added to support the brass knobs. Entirely in keeping with the orginal … Continue reading →

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Le petit voleur or “Carpe Panem”

Posted on July 23, 2016 by coteetcampagne

I have no idea how good these photos are as they were taken and posted on a mobile phone. What is clear is that opportunism is alive and well in the Languedoc. Not only did this cheeky chappie make off … Continue reading →

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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 →

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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 →

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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 Thursday Three- Maps, whales, butterflies

Posted on July 22, 2015 by coteetcampagne

#1-Here is my antique map of the Languedoc. Posted before but it is so precious and beautiful & evocative that I thought I would share it with newer followers. I can date it to somewhere between 1648 and 1659, when … Continue reading →

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Episode 112- Compact and bijou, a little pied–à–terre, part 1

Posted on April 27, 2015 by coteetcampagne

I don’t post much about the seaside apartment, as the village house tends to be all-consuming, but to save you wading back through this INTERMINABLE diary of mine, here are a few facts and a few photos.   Our apartment … Continue reading →

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Episode 105 – Quelle couleurs?

Posted on March 21, 2015 by coteetcampagne

The question of colours and finishes has bugged me right from the start of our extended project. How do you bring one sad village house in the lovely Languedoc back to life without spoiling it’s character, particularly as much of … Continue reading →

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Stone Love – A little village in the South of France

Posted on January 18, 2015 by coteetcampagne

Renovation, Restoration, Triangulation Ok, so here we have the village of Campagne-sur-Aude. Unique in it’s central 11th century fort, housing the church, the Templar Knights’ quarters, Masters House, smithy, armoury and stables. Around this circular structure, what is now the … Continue reading →

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Old Guys Rule- La règle de vieux mecs

Posted on December 31, 2014 by coteetcampagne

My old guy has just gone off to his last computer trouble shoot of 2014. On his way home tonight he will pick up some logs (it’s very, very cold here) and try and track down a bottle of Blanquette … Continue reading →

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Why buy in the Languedoc Roussillon?- Part two,living by the sea

Posted on October 25, 2014 by coteetcampagne

Ten true reasons why we bought a little piece of seaside life in the Pyrenées Orientales in Southern France. 1) Because the dramatic mix of snow topped mountains, lush greenery, turquoise sea and sunshine  never fails to make us smile. … Continue reading →

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Why buy in the Languedoc Roussillon? Part one-country village life?

Posted on October 12, 2014 by coteetcampagne

Ten true reasons why we bought a village house here in the Aude region of Southern France 1) For a small price we can live in an ancient village steeped in history and local culture 2) We can live simply … Continue reading →

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Episode 87- French street names in a little village in the Languedoc

Posted on September 6, 2014 by coteetcampagne

renovation, restoration, appellation We have a number of ancient street names here in Campagne-sur-Aude. Perhaps because this is a backwater frozen in time, we seem to have avoided the mass renaming of streets that occurred following the French Revolution. The … Continue reading →

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Episode 85- Loving the Languedoc, crazy for Campagne

Posted on August 22, 2014 by coteetcampagne

renovation, restoration, realisation Sometime I need to remind myself why we started this big adventure to rescue a sad village house and why this is, in a very literal way, rescuing us. Time I think  to focus on the many … Continue reading →

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French Doors – a few more from a little village in the Languedoc

Posted on August 16, 2014 by coteetcampagne

Renovation, restoration, prime location in France-As my readers seem to love photos of wonderful old doors, I have been out and about around Campagne-sur-Aude and today I bring you a new selection. Left- This is the side door of the … Continue reading →

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Episode 78- “Always live in the ugliest house on the street”…

Posted on July 12, 2014 by coteetcampagne

….”then you don’t have to look at it”. Apparently the artist David Hockney  said this. I can vouch for the veracity of this sentiment as our French village house is unspeakably ugly outside by anyone’s criteria. For the sake of … Continue reading →

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The Thursday three- carved wood furniture

Posted on May 29, 2014 by coteetcampagne

Today’s three are two furniture treasures unearthed in the Languedoc region in the South of France and one little gem from my most frequented hunting grounds, Black Country charity shops. Left-my only photo showing most of my “buffet de cuisine”or … Continue reading →

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Episode 62- A wake up call…………..

Posted on April 20, 2014 by coteetcampagne

renovation, restoration, much trepidation…………….2013 The old part of the village is wired, via a set of loudspeakers, to the Mayor’s office. This is common, apparently. We hadn’t even noticed this until our second season at Maison Priest when I was … Continue reading →

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The Thursday Three- Treasure post today instead!

Posted on February 11, 2014 by coteetcampagne

Yes I know it’s only Tuesday, but 1) I have my Intermediate French class tomorrow ( for which I confess I haven’t done my homework yet- don’t tell Professeur Dora!) and.. 2) I have to put on my special outfit … Continue reading →

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Episode 41- La cave

Posted on January 30, 2014 by coteetcampagne

renovation, restoration, drastic intervention! This was the cave, or at least about a third of it, when we first bought our village house in the Languedoc Roussillon. In French, a cave may be loosely translated as a cellar (as in … Continue reading →

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Episode 40- A brief recap …………from the Lang(our)doc

Posted on January 27, 2014 by coteetcampagne

renovation, restoration, explanation….. A number of questions have continued to vex us since we started working on our less-than-lovely French house/hovel in the lovely Languedoc. Some have been answered,  and some remain a mystery 1) What exactly is FCVT (French … Continue reading →

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Episode 20- I can’t help falling in love with old things

Posted on December 4, 2013 by coteetcampagne

renovation, restoration, anticipation-2009 In order to stay sane and remind myself that at the end of this project we will have the best village house in the Languedoc Roussillon, I need to keep a focus on my ever evolving vision … Continue reading →

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Gallery- village house & views of area

Posted on November 25, 2013 by coteetcampagne
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Episode 9-Hideous woman in holiday home horror!…

Posted on October 2, 2013 by coteetcampagne

renovation, restoration, reflection Winter 2007 Things seemed finally to be on the up, or so I thought. I seemed to have recovered pretty well from my surgery (the new saggy granny-belly apart) we had sold our house and had some … Continue reading →

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Episode 7 STRANGE DAYS INDEED……………..

Posted on October 2, 2013 by coteetcampagne

renovation, restoration, recession INDEED…………………………… Autumn 2006 Fabulous, my major surgery meant lots of lovely time off work and enjoying the weather which for once was pretty good for the UK I indulged myself with all this unexpected free time, buying … Continue reading →

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Episode 6 – The Big Wormy Beam

Posted on May 14, 2013 by coteetcampagne

renovation restoration restrictions July 2006 “I shouldn’t be agreeing to this…(deep resigned sigh)…………………………. …………………………………………….  but if I don’t you will still go and do it anyway!” Thus said my doctor, and of course he was right- Come hell or high … Continue reading →

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Episode 5: Le Camping…Roof optional

Posted on May 11, 2011 by coteetcampagne

renovation, restoration, relations………… April 2006 A visit to the Mairie ( Mayor’s office)confirmed that there was no number 8 Rue de la Plage and never had been. Yes, we had bought a house but it was now number 5. Apparently, … Continue reading →

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Episode 4: Did we buy THIS house?

Posted on September 5, 2010 by coteetcampagne

renovation, restoration, realisation..     May 2006 The French do not seem to have any sense of urgency….This is one of the qualities I most admire about them, and one of the reasons we are planning to re-locate to France, but the … Continue reading →

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Episode 3: Dream Villa with Pool

Posted on June 24, 2010 by coteetcampagne

renovation, restoration, ramifications! April 2006…………………S**t! What have we done? As you may now know, we had flown out in April 2005 to look at property in the Aude region of Southern France. During our mad six-day viewing trip, we saw … Continue reading →

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Episode 2: FRENCH HOUSE BUYER IN PROPERTY CHAIN SHOCK

Posted on June 6, 2010 by coteetcampagne

renovation, restoration, reservations April 2005:……………. Backtracking The map we bought at Perpignan airport seemed ideal. It just about included Perpignan to the east & the village where we had booked our B&B accommodation was marked to the north west, about … Continue reading →

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Episode 1: Haunted Hovel funds French Folly

Posted on June 1, 2010 by coteetcampagne

renovation, restoration, recollection May 2005…………… Aftermath When  we first embarked on our adventures in French property renovation we were living a relatively “normal” life (well, as normal as I, who have always danced to a different drum , could sustain..) … Continue reading →

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