Well, after about 2 hours trying to catch something I finally landed a nice ‘truite arc-en-ciel’ or rainbow trout, just near to the bridge at Navarrenx. I tried further downstream where there were more insects than I ever remember seeing hatching out, certainly at this time of the year. Lots of flies, but no trout feeding on them, so I tried further up and used a small streamer. It really was just a perfect day, the sun was shining, the water was crystal clear and even the cold didn’t seem to matter. And then there’s tomorrow…

My first rainbow trout of the year

That’s a huge net by the way

At last after another six month wait the trout and salmon fishing season is open again. You can fish for salmon, sea trout, rainbow and brown trout just down a back path from the back of our house in the beautiful ‘Gave d’Oloron’ river. For the price of a permit (66 euros for trout, 90 for salmon), you can fish here and along hundreds of kilometres of river until the middle of september. Despite it being only the first morning of the ‘ouverture’, this lucky ‘pecheur’ has already caught something…

Fly Fishing in the 'Gave d'Oloron' for trout

In my other guise as an artist, I’ve been lucky enough to sell three paintings over the last few weeks. Not scenes of the landscape around us, but based on water, my favourite painting subject. One is of a swimmer in her pool:

"The Swimmer" Oil on canvas

The other two are both of fish, sold to the same person. One is of two mackerel:

"Two Mackerel" Acrylic on wood

the other is of a yellow fish that I don’t know the real name of:

"Yellow Fish" Acrylic on wood

Both painted in acrylics on pieces of wood. I know the recipient of the swimmer painting was very pleased with it and the other two get posted from here tomorrow morning. I hope he enjoys them too.

A protest sign in a field at Laas

As it was such a sunny (but cold!) afternoon, I just had to go out on my bike (I need to get into shape for a big trip later in the year) so I headed off to Laas and Sauveterre via Andrein, only about 20km away. As you approach Andrein, there is a sign in the field to the left expressing the local farmers’ anger at the amount of restrictive and meddling rules and regulations common in farming here. I’ve not seen another though in all the time we’ve been here.

The sign says so, so it must be true!

In Laas itself, there is a lovely Auberge opposite the church, the ‘Auberge de La Fontaine’ . It’s claim to fame is that Brigitte Bardot once stayed there. Unfortunately the bar wasn’t open as it’s January. It gets very busy during summer, justifiably as it serves very good food and is in a lovely spot.

The Eglise at Narp

Narp is a small village just up the road from Laas, in the direction of Navarrenx. I took a photo of the spring and the church there. The sky was just a perfect blue.

A small bust inset into a wall

As you cycle towards Navarrenx, you pass through Audaux (pronounced ‘Ordox’), which has a beautiful ‘beach’ spot down by the river, the ‘Gave d’Oloron’ where we have spent many hot summer days.

A 'Madonna' at a crossroads in Bugnein

Typically in many french villages there are crucifixes and Madonnas at prominent routes into and out of the village. This is a painted one at a crossroads in ‘Bugnein’.

Méritein with the Pyrénées mountains behind

As you approach Méritein, where our holiday home is situated, there is a wonderful view of the Pyrénées Mountains as a backdrop to the typically ‘Béarnaise’ houses’ rooftops and church spire.

Welcome to our new blog all about our holiday cottage ‘La Conciergerie‘ and our life in general in the surrounding area. We hope to bring you stories and news about up and coming events and introduce you to some of the fascinating guests we have had to stay at ‘La Conciergerie’ in recent months.We also hope to introduce you to some of the local people & personalities that help to make this little corner of France so exhilarating to live in !
We also run a small gallery in nearby Navarrenx, and will post links and stories about some of the artists that exhibit there. We currently have some magnificent photographs by Michael Veerassingham.
We are currently offering a 10 % reduction if you book to stay at ‘ La Conciergerie’ whilst taking part in one of his photography courses in nearby Saint Palais in the Pays Basque. Take a look at his website for more details.

Morning in the Béarn

Cycling fans are already booking ‘La Conciergerie’ for 2010 and one of the most popular periods is in July when the Tour de France comes to the area. There is a stage here in Salies de Béarn on the 18th of July – we’re all looking forward to it!

The Tour de France passing our house in 2008