Nîmes20 mins a way
Montpellier20 mins a way
Les Cévennes40 mins a way
Sommières5 mins a way
I spent the day in Montpellier yesterday. I go there most weekends, or to Nimes, it depends. However, yesterday it felt different.
I have lived in or around Montpellier for the past 23 years, longer than I lived in England. Last week I realised how much I took my life here for granted, how I'd stopped admiring, taking photos and generally gasping at all things French. I realised how lucky I am to live in the South of France, in such beautiful light, such a beautiful place.
Why the change? Mary Gaudin.
Mary is a photographer / life book maker from New Zealand currently living in Montpellier. I stumbled upon her blog last week and so enjoy her posts, especially those about our region, and London, where she travels to frequently. Browsing her photos, such as those shown above, I realised how I'd stopped "really seeing" things. Montpellier and Nimes are both wonderful, very different cities, the Cévennes mountains are breathtakingly beautiful, - my husband grew up in this region and we used to have a second home there - and Sommières , a small Medieval town, where Dylan goes to school, is just down the road.
So, yesterday, while shopping for Miles' 5th birthday, I opened my eyes, and soaked up the atmosphere. I stopped for a while to look at all the old book stalls along the Esplanade, enjoyed un café outside under the Plane trees, walked through the windy narrow streets in the old part of the city and felt thankful to be living in France.
Mary and I plan to meet after Easter. I think we're both looking forward to it. I can't wait to find out about her busy, globetrotting life, discover what brought her here and say thank you... Merci Mary!
Mary's Flickr photostream
Mary's portfolio
Mary's images via Getty
All images copyright: Mary Gaudin.
I have lived in or around Montpellier for the past 23 years, longer than I lived in England. Last week I realised how much I took my life here for granted, how I'd stopped admiring, taking photos and generally gasping at all things French. I realised how lucky I am to live in the South of France, in such beautiful light, such a beautiful place.
Why the change? Mary Gaudin.
Mary is a photographer / life book maker from New Zealand currently living in Montpellier. I stumbled upon her blog last week and so enjoy her posts, especially those about our region, and London, where she travels to frequently. Browsing her photos, such as those shown above, I realised how I'd stopped "really seeing" things. Montpellier and Nimes are both wonderful, very different cities, the Cévennes mountains are breathtakingly beautiful, - my husband grew up in this region and we used to have a second home there - and Sommières , a small Medieval town, where Dylan goes to school, is just down the road.
So, yesterday, while shopping for Miles' 5th birthday, I opened my eyes, and soaked up the atmosphere. I stopped for a while to look at all the old book stalls along the Esplanade, enjoyed un café outside under the Plane trees, walked through the windy narrow streets in the old part of the city and felt thankful to be living in France.
Mary and I plan to meet after Easter. I think we're both looking forward to it. I can't wait to find out about her busy, globetrotting life, discover what brought her here and say thank you... Merci Mary!
Mary's Flickr photostream
Mary's portfolio
Mary's images via Getty
All images copyright: Mary Gaudin.
oh mary! how nice you're posting about her. i'm a fan of her too. the life books are such a great idea!
ReplyDeleteand you're so right about taking the surroundings for granted. that's so true. i should think about it...
Fantastic
ReplyDeleteYou are so lucky living where you live. Had to check out her blog, can't get enough of images from France.
ReplyDeletebeautiful photographs and great post - we know what you mean about taking where you live for granted, we sometimes forget it too, especially when we are so wrapped up in work.
ReplyDeleteit does look stunning where you live.
Have a wonderful time and I must say - I'm off to read her blog. You're right Deb, wherever we are in the world we should always stop to look, REALLY see where we are. The world is an amazing place. Thanks for the beautiful images...
ReplyDelete