A bit about the France I know........

I lived and worked in Paris, France as an English instructor at the Lennen Bilingual School of Paris.

 As an Educator in France, I had around four months of paid vacation, so I  was able to travel to surrounding countries (Spain, Andorra, The Netherlands, Scotland, England, Morocco) .  I also spent holidays and summers in the south of France in St. Michel de Vax, which is a tiny village, next to St. Antonin Noble Val, in the Tarn et Garonne Department (A French department is like an American County, with towns and cities within).

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The Tarn et Garonne area is surrounded by Pigionnaires, or pigeon houses. Pigeons and doves were an important source of food and before telephones, the French had pigeons deliver messages from estate to estate, so they built elaborate pigeon houses (as barns  for the pigeons/doves). Having a pigeon house was also a status of wealth’ more on dovecote or pigeon houses

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Around St. Antonin Noble Val, areas of interests are: Pigeonnaire locations, Cathare religion areas, dolmens, medieval cities and castles. The Occitan language, which is similar to Spanish is still used in the area (road signs are both in French and Occitan).

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Medieval towns surround St. Michel de Vax, all within running distance for me!

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·        7 miles from St. Michel de Vax is St. Antonin Noble Val which is the main town we visit. This village is so preserved, the movie Charlotte Gray, starring Cate Blanchett, was filmed there.

·        2 miles is the Dolmen (medieval burial place, pre-Christian) of Vaour.

·        6 miles is Penne Castle

·        13 miles is Cordes Sur Ciel (I can run half-marathons to this beautiful town)

·        7 miles is Bruniquel Castle

·        26 miles away is , This is one of my favorite cathedrals, St. Cecile Cathedral: Albi Cathedral

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Food and wine:

Fois Gras, a French delicacy, is in this region along with wine from Gaillac and Cahors.