You’d have to have been following me a long time to know why I call my blog ‘From Pyrenees to Pennines‘. I began writing it in 2007, to record our big adventure in moving to the foothills of the French Pyrenees, to a small town, Laroque d’Olmes whose glory days as a textile manufacturing centre were long over, and where we were (almost) the only English . There we stayed till 2014, involving ourselves in local life from politics to choirs to walking groups, and falling ever deeper in love with the Pyrenees which formed the background to our lives.
Through the walking groups we came to know the mountains in every season. The abundance of meadow flowers and orchids in the spring: the relief from lowland heat in the summer: rich autumn colours that could compete with any on the planet, and deep snow in winter. We welcomed the physical challenge of yomping upwards to some high peak or plateau, and earning our panoramic picnic, and learnt to respect the mountains’ moods.
Here’s a selection of virtual postcards, which may help explain why the Pyrenees will always remain for us our Special Place.

















And finally …

For Karina’s Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #188: A Special Place
Heavenly comes to mind, Margaret. Was there a blog to follow back then? I’m curious as to why that particular village and I’d like to have followed your early journey.
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oh Margaret can totally see why you fell in love with this glorious place. It is a long time since I walked in the Pyrenees, but the memories of their beauty have never faded
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Ah, Becky, I’d love to do some Pyrenean walks with you. I’ve just sent you some English walking photos to make you laugh 😉
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oh wouldn’t that be marvellous 🙂
Are you sure you were on a walking path, looks more like you should have borrowed a boat from someone!!!
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We should. My trousers and boots are mud-slicked (understatement). Can you feel a blog post coming on?
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Well that’s a positive if only boots and trousers 🤣
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So lovely. I read Marcus Sedwick’s ‘Snow’ quite recently, written from his base in the French Alps. There’s something about high places. And France…
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Indeed. And it’s strange that the Alps and Pyrenees each have their own special character, as does every region of France. As of course we do too here. Might you join 6 Degrees this month? I’ve struggled, but I think I’m nearly there.
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Really a special place. Great photos!
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Truly special, Thank you!
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The midi Pyrenees was an area I was keen on when I had the idea of going to live in France. It was never going to happen though. The OH wasn’t going to leave his elderly mother or his teenage daughter and now it is too late. It’s a beautiful place and the blue of those flowers is astonishing.
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I ought to have shared more of the flowers. Just for you. Just imagine, some 60+ varieties of orchid grew locally – not that I spotted them all, but Maytime was magical.
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You own personal Shangri La! Thank you for sharing this now. We all need a little bit of heaven to uplift us.
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And we certainly had it there.
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What a beautiful place in all seasons.
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Always. We were very lucky.
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So very beautiful and something extra special about these geological features that have become national borders. I feel they have an almost fluid quality as in-between spaces which adds to their mystic. It must have been breathtaking living there.
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I never tired of the skyline of the nearby mountains, and the country lore which governed the seasons gave me a much deeper appreciation of the area.
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What beautiful images – I can easily see why you loved this area and why it remains special to you! I’m curious though why you chose to live there? Did you know and love it already? Or did you have any connections to the area?
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It was Malcolm who always wanted to retire to France, and an invitation to spend a week or so in that area sealed the deal, and we’ve never regretted it. We made friends for life whilst there, and had opportunities we couldn’t have had back here in the UK. And mountains … Always special. Always put you firmly in your place.
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So true about mountains, and for me deserts too!
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I’ve been following since 2012 and have enjoyed your tales of waling and enjoying the local fare. your photographs of the land whether it be France or England have been magnificent. Keep going, you’ve been an inspiration during the past two years and more. Peace.
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Clay, you’re special because you have indeed followed and supported me almost from the beginning. You’re one of a very small and select band. Thank you!
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How wonderful to have had a wash line in such a picture perfect place. How inspiring to know a place because you walked it. A glorious privilege to have these memories.👏
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These are special, and indelible memories.
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Oh my my, Margaret. I had no idea. Thank you.
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My little secret shared!
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Oh what a lovely place to live and spend some time. I don’t imagine handing laundry was a chore 😀 😀
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Really a special place …beautiful vistas
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It’s special indeed.
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Enjoy walkig through this fabulous place through you photos. All are beautifully captured. Special, indeed!
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Stunning flowers and stunning scenery. Thank you for sharing your special place
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And as it’s enabled me to discover your blog … job done!
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🙂
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Beautiful collection of fine photographs. Your love comes through.
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It’ll always be my Special Place.
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Fantastic region, great images…
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I know you know some of the region well. Mainly the eastern end I think, whereas our back yard was more western-leaning
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What a heavenly place, Margaret. What a wrench it must have been to leave it.
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Indeed it was. But it’s always there, and the friends we left behind.
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Beautiful photos! Thanks for sharing them, Margaret.
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Happy memories …
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Wonderful!
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Beautiful. Any regrets about returning to the UK, Margaret.
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Often. We’re happy in our daily lives of course, and it’s nice to be nearer more of the family (though further away from Team Spain). But watching British attitudes harden against Johnny Foreigner as Brexit took hold has been hard to bear. Though recent horrifying events seem to have modified that stance.
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Wow! A wonderful place so excellent photos thanks for sharing 😊💕👌
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Thanks Priti. It’s an easy area to like.
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You are welcome 💕👌stay blessed 😊❤
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Really beautiful area, great photos.
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Glory be! You really had it lucky. What a fantastic location! So very envious, especially of having to do the washing every day. And I am glad to see some of the landscape from the famous poem of my young years.
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Ah, those fleas that tease in the High Pyrenees? Midges and mosquitos more like! Hanging out the washing definitely had its moments.
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Yes the fleas and the wine that tasted of the tar, Miranda!
Were the midges bad? I somehow imagine that there are none at high altitude. Perhaps I am wrong?
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We weren’t at a particularly high altitude, so mosquitos were a ‘thing’. My personal bugbear was horseflies: https://margaret21.com/2013/08/04/whats-the-point-of-horse-flies/
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Horseflies! They sound awful. Australia is the land of flies, but you can at least brush them away. I am far more intolerant of flies as I get older. I have screened windows and patio areas, so I can enjoy the outside air without some biting thing sucking my blood or crawling on my skin. If someone has left the screen door open you are apt to see me, swat in hand, batting away the blighter, madly shouting, “piss off.”
You asked what is their point? I guess in our style of agricultural nature, the insects have opportunities to flourish that they might not if it was underdeveloped land without the number of farm animals that are present.
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I’m not having you make excuses for horseflies 😉 !
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Lol….
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Ah, the pyrenees – how gorgeous memories! We spent some walking there as well, I think it was in 2009. Unforgettable. You must return some day…
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Definitely. We have too many friends there (and some of them are mountains…) to think of never going again.
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♥
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Loved these images when you posted them, they reminded me of watching the Belle & Sebastian cartoons- do you know them? Looked it up to show the kids and found pretty much all the episodes on You Tube. So I’ve spent a bit of time doing nothing useful but watching old cartoons and day dreaming about moving to the mountains. I’ve also discovered there’s a French movie remake, so I’ll be looking that up. Feeling quite cosy and nostalgic, thanks for sharing Margaret!
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No, I’ve not come across Belle & Sebastian. Now I’ve looked them up it’ll be to do with our not having TV back in the ’60s. I’ll have to amuse myself on YouTube in a few quite moments. Thanks for the hint!
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