Castles, towns and villages

I've written previously that the southern parts of the Massif Central in France must have been a lawless place back in the old days as it seems like every village and town was fortified, many still survive intact today

There is probably no better area to visit than on the Route de Larzac in the Averyon region where we were staying during the summer. The route is world heritage site, a a series of villages which were owned and protected by the Knights Templar during the eleventh and twelfth centuries and the 100 years war.

Right at top is St Jean D'Alcas which was actually an authentic Cistercian village fort, built as a refuge in 1356 and completed in 1443.

Second photo down is the church at La Cavalerie which was, is part of the ramparts

Above La Couvertoirade, the most complete village which has survived without very much subsequent development, apart that is from the buildings being converted into cafe's and gift shops and thewhole place having the feel of a theme part rather than an ancient monument, such is the popularity of such places.

 I forget which village this fabulous residence was in, I just remember thinking what a cool place to live or maybe have as a holiday accommodation.

Storm Ami

 Storm Ami was still raging on Saturday morning when we went for breakfast in Lee on the Solent, the wind and waves coming down the length of the Solent from the west and breaking on the shingle beach, white caps everywhere.

 Apologies for the poor resolution, but there were actually a couple of yachts out off Cowes, which was presumably in a slight lee of the Isle of Wight or possibly they decided to go out and practice for real in the 40 knots guts which were predicted.

 

Tonnant

 Back in 2005 Bursledon Regatta suggested as part of the event a reenactment of the battle of Trafalgar, using dinghies which were made into "fighting ships" with the addition of wrap around hardboard or plywood panels. Actually one of the entries went a little further, it was pretty much a scale model with full rigging based on a mirror dinghy hull.

 My effort was somewhat more modest with masts from PVC pipes and fully armed with plastic buckets and water pistols for full broadside. 

My plywood panels are long gone, can't even remember what I used them for, but along the river is a nice reminder of that battle 20 years ago.

Great set of pics here  in fact pictures of all the recent Burelsdon themed regattas.