Banner
The weather was warm and the snow artificial, but Christmas 2015 was full of memorable surprises and delcious foods. Click HERE to see photos from Christmas 2014 in Paris.
Collage 12 a
Above: Cake decorating while watching Bewitched box set, the local Christmas market and George as Herod

Bar

Collage 12 b2
We stayed for two weeks in the Gers area of France, enjoying festive decorations and a variety of cheese.
Collage 12 c
Our first stop was Agen, home of the famously luscious prunes.
Collage 12 d
We stayed in a rennovated 13th century chapel and visited the farmers' market in Fleurance on our first day.
Collage 12 e2
The grand staircase in Auch was one of our bingo card sights.
Collage 12 f
This is D'Artagnan country and the cathedral is famous for its carved wooden choir stalls.
Collage 12 g
Above: more Auch, Fontaine Diane in Lectoure, and photographing shadows with my scarf
Collage 12 h
Lectoure was our nearest town and has an amazing, huge antiques market. We also found some disturbing Little Red Ridinghood mannequins in the park.
Collage 12 i
Collage 12 j
We bought our black truffle at a butcher shop in Condom. I wonder how long you have to live here to get used to this town's name.
Collage 12 k
La Romieu, home of Collégiale St. Pierre and the legendary Angeline and her cats
Collage 12 l
Back home, Nick prepares carrots for the soup stock.
Collage 12 m
The doorway of the Moissac cathedral is described in The Name of the Rose. I liked the selection of possible Chrismtas Day additions to the crèche.
Collage 12 n
Montauban merited return visits, not least because it has an Eden Park store. We bought vanilla pods at a gourmet shop.
Collage 12 o
It was in Montauban where I saw my first Space Invader! We saw lots more last Christmas in Paris.
Collage 12 p
Montauban and scrambled eggs with black truffle
Collage 12 q
We saw some enchanting cartoon characters come to life in Fleurance, as well as a wonderful market, including a British ex-pat stall.
Collage 12 r
Collage 12 s
Collage 12 t
Agen's Musée des Beaux Arts had some nice things, including an ancient mosaic swastika.
Collage 12 u
Some of my favourite artwork, including a fantasy painting by Goya with floating livestock.
 Collage 12 v
The baker in Agen provided us with a tasty lunchtime panino.
Collage 12 w
Sunrise over Lectoure and moon over Larressingle.
Collage 12 x
We went to Toulouse to see Giselle and enjoyed the Christmas market.
Collage 12 y
We discovered a posh restaurant, an album I had as a child, and some wonderful Art Nouveau buildings. Click HERE to see some of Budapest's Art Nouveau.
Collage 12 z
Collage 12 za
The warm weather let us play Labyrinth outside in shorts. The Ronde des Crèches gave us a focus for our days out and some were enchanting and very elaborate. Opening presents on Christmas Day.
Collage 12zb
Return visits to Condom and Auch
Collage 12 zb
The museum in Auch had some important Mexican art - some of the first Christian imagery from that part of the world, and rendered, our guidebook said, in feathers.
Collage 12 zc
We heard a brother and sister cello duo on Mirande, where the warm weather caused this man to shed layer after layer of clothing. This is how we left him.
Collage 12 zd
The new Star Wars film had just been released, and we wanted to see it, but there were no showings in English, so we waited until we got home.
 Collage 12 ze
Collage 12 zf2
The Pyrenees in the distance speak of holidays yet to come.
Collage 12 zg
Lectoure
Collage 12 zh
The Ingres Museum in Montauban was well worth the visit.
Collage 12 zi
Collage 12 zk
We drove a long way to visit Bruniquel and Penne at sunset.
Collage 12 zl2
{short description of image}
The Best restaurant we found was the Auberge des Bouviers in Lectoure. I would definitely go back!
Collage 12 zn
Albi was home to Toulouse-Lautrec, and it was thrilling to see all those iconic posters close-up.
Collage 12 zo
The cathedrail in Albi was beautifully decorated, with prominent scenes of afterlife for the naughty.
Collage 12 zp
Collage 12 zq
We only had a single hotplate to cook on for two weeks, but we managed meals such as brioche French toast and pasta with truffles. The smoking Don Quixote windmill was our favourite from the Ronde des Crèches
Collage 12 zr
Our final days in the Gers, looking forward to 2016.

georgenick.co.uk

Free Guestbook from Bravenet Free Guestbook from Bravenet