L’Homme de Tautavel by Basil Howitt A plain man’s introduction to Tautavel man, whose remains are 450,000 years old. He is one of the oldest specimens of homo erectus discovered in Europe. FEBRUARY – NOVEMBER…
La poste - Post offices in France The French village post office is a bit of a national institution. The fact that you can still find one in most small villages is really rather nice,…
Sea Hedgehogs and Prickly Railway Workers in Cerbère by Basil Howitt Whatever will they eat next? My beady gastronomic eye was caught recently by a couple of column inches in L’Indépendant’s second section…
Brotherhoods, Black Puddings, Snails, and Sweet Red Wine by Basil Howitt Basil Howitt was amazed by the number of confréries or brotherhoods throughout France whose raison d’être is to worship food…
“The use of Catalan is repugnant and is contrary to the honour of the French nation.” (decree of Louis XIV, April 2, 1700) “Be clean, wash your hands, speak in French.”
MOUNTAIN MAMA IN LES ANGLES Are you as hot as I am? We are melting up here. It’s going to be of no news to anyone that it is hot, it has been hot and will…
Soul partners Boy meets girl in cool jazz club and, well, the rest is history……. If you live anywhere around the Maureillas/Ceret/St Jean/Le Boulou triangle (okay, so it’s a triangle of four sides – but…
In spite of having a bad national press in recent years, Perpignan has also something to shout about to the rooftops: in 1988, it created and has since nurtured the world-famous festival Visa pour l’Image.…
Boules, Baldies and Bermuda Shorts? Basil Howitt was enthralled by the eccentricities and fanaticism of pétanque players. Une partie de pétanque Une partie de pétanque A game of pétanque Ça fait plaisir Is so much…
The Well by Mike Briley When Peter Bennett is made redundant from his publishing company in the UK he decides he needs a break before starting on a new phase of his career. Influenced…