Today’s outing on foot took me along quiet roads in a rural part of France’s Aude region in the foothills of the Pyrenees. The area is gorgeous in the winter sun. This would make great cycling country. Walking, it would be too far for most people. It’s a nice drive, especially if you’re not confident on French roads – almost zero traffic – but take it slow, as the roads are narrow. I jogged it and loved it. At 19 km, it’s a long run for me – further than my jet lag-busting trail run a few weeks ago.
Continue reading A 19 km road circuit in the Aude: Laval, St Julia, St Just, Granes, and St FerriolTag Archives: Aude
It’s been three months since we returned from Quillan. We’ve now been back as long as we were there, and although the time has gone fast, paradoxically our experience already feels like a lifetime ago.
In fact, it feels like another whole life time. It’s quite surreal to think that, only three months ago, we were living in France, the boys attending school, operating completely in another language.
I’ve recently been reading a book written by an Australian woman who took her young family to live in France, initially for several months. Now they spend six months of every year in France, with the other half back in Australia.
I love these books and will never tire of reading them because they remind me that such a life is possible – if you want it enough. This is the life I would love. It’s just a question of whether I want it enough to make it happen.
I’ve been contemplating for some time that we are already living our lives in parallel. On the one hand, we are very much present in our lives in New Zealand – and yet we always have half a mind thousands of kilometres away in a French village. We find ourselves randomly rambling in French at odd times of the day. We dream of baguette and croissants – fresh, warm and crusty from the boulangerie.
So imagine my surprise when I realised that we really ARE living our lives in parallel – on the 42nd parallel to be precise. The Aude is on the 42nd parallel North. Wellington is on the 42nd parallel South.
Karma.
A week ago we finished our three-month-long stint in France. Leaving Quillan felt like a significant ending. I left with questions that cannot yet be answered with certainty. Will we ever return to Quillan? Years from now will we carry regrets about what we did or did not do while we had the chance? Will our children thank us or curse us for it?
After two hot days in Barcelona we woke on Monday morning to rain and thunder. The rain continued for the duration of our drive home, north through Figueres, across the border to Perpignan, and west to Quillan. The storm was apparently very widespread. We heard a rumour that Madrid had hail. After arriving home in Quillan we learned from friends that the storm was severe in the Aude region, including large hail stones in places.
This afternoon I put on my running shoes and explored a few kilometres east along the Aude river. Here are the photos I took, plus a few notes. Continue reading A jog beside the Aude river
