Exactly a Year Ago Today, We Were in …

Laon, as we made our way down eastern France towards our daughter’s family in Spain. This is a lovely place. We zig-zagged our way up the steep slopes of a hill straight out of a children’s picture book and found ourselves in a perfect mediaeval town. It used to be quite a place. Important in Roman times; a hub of the Carolingian Empire, it was capital city of this part of France – until 987 CE, when the baton passed to Paris. The 12th century cathedral testifies to the fact that the city remained a religious hub for long after that. These days it’s an administrative centre and modestly-sized industrial hub, and well worth a day of your time as a tourist.

I’m focussing, for today’s Monochrome Madness on some of the more quirky recent features of the town – the mediaeval-style signs above the shops announcing their trade, some street art – some formal, and other more idiosyncratic items. The cathedral barely gets a look in – we weren’t allowed to visit much of it it inside, and it was raining outside. But I’ve given you a glance at it.

A final image from an unloved corner, where ancient buildings had been deserted before they tumbled down an eroding cliff-face.

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Author: margaret21

I'm retired and live in North Yorkshire, where I walk , write, volunteer and travel as often as I can.

39 thoughts on “Exactly a Year Ago Today, We Were in …”

  1. The street art is interesting in black and white, Margaret. Especially the first. We have a small tunnel in Tavira that’s desperate to be livened up. If I could do more than stick men… xx

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    1. I know what you mean, Jo, There’s an underpass in Premia that could do with – shall we say? refreshing. Well done you for dashing up on your white charger when poor Patti became a Damsel in Distress. Not the best way of meeting a fellow-blogger for real, but you sure were of great use to her that day! xx

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  3. Margaret, this is a breathtakingly glorious collection in monochrome. And I thought: I bet we’ve been passing through Laon – and then I checked where it was and sure enough, we must have passed through this medieval place several times while we lived in the UK and in France. We had to go to Amiens, to Reims and other places in the ‘nearer’ vicinity of Paris AND our way from the UK to Switzerland, but your treatments here are nothing short of magnificent! Well done you. Thank you.

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  5. I love those shop signs in monochrome in particular – it really shows off the designs well! And that first piece of street art, with the girl peering out of the tunnel, is especially lovely 🙂

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  9. Brings back memories of Laon, a modestly sized community with perhaps an oversized cathedral, a bit like Ripon. We were travelling to our house at Nimes in 1999 when we decided to use Laon as a base to see the solar eclipse, unfortunately it was cloudy. On the journey back, the water pump broke on the car, thank goodness for the AA. They put us up for a couple of days in Laon while the car was sorted, giving us ample time to see this magnificent City. Mixed, but enjoyable memories, thank you for reminding me.

    Chris, Ripon.

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    1. Thanks for this interesting comment. I’m amused to find that several sites I found commenting on Laon all referred to the poor weather they experienced there. At least there’s plenty to enjoy there, whatever the weather. We’re very big fans of the Walled Garden by the way.

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      1. Hi Margaret,    Thanks for your kind response. My name is Chris Searle. I began what has become known as Ripon Walled Garden whilst working and teaching at what was then Barnardos Springhill School, set in the grounds of the Bishops Palace, to which the Victorian Kitchen Garden was added in 1848. The Boshops moved away after the second world war, and Dr Barnardos (as it was then) took on the estate, to work with vulnerable children. Although it is no longer part of Barnardos, the school continues in the same way. The Walled Garden is now part of the local charity Ripon Community Link.   Due to policy changes, and wanting a change of scenery, I accepted an offer to leave in 2016. We bought a motor home and went travelling for four months in Europe, before the horrors of Brexit would limit our movement. It was whilst staying at my sisters house in Limoux, and looking for a route home, that I came across ‘from Pyrenees to Pennines’, which ironically is more or less what we were doing. I have continued to follow your blogs ever since.   On our return, I looked at supply teaching for special needs, but didn’t fancy theatrics to Middlesbrough, Sheffield and other places on offer. By chance, a friend was wanting to retire from his gardening business, and offered me the opportunity. This I took and have continued since then, in partnership with my wife.   I am also chairman of and active in Ripon in Bloom, we cover areas ofvthe city the parks department does not, such as Temple Gardens, which you have covered in a blog. We are also responsible for a lot of the floral work in Ripon. I also do care work in West Tanfield with a chap who has a learning disability to give his mother some respite.   The cricket I have played at Ripon, including captaining a side has made me familiar with local communities such as North Stainley.   I’m glad you’ve given me the opportunity to ‘touch base’ with you, as reading your blogs has made me realise we have got quite a lot in common.   Kindest regards, Chris Searle.

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  10. Can it really be a year ago?! Love those mediaeval signs, As you say good in black-and-white. Very reminiscent of the ones we saw in Villefranche de Conflent in the pyrenees

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      1. well, we originally went because we wanted to pick up le petit train jaune, but it was out of service due to some issues with the wheels! Anyway, as we were there, we visited the Vauban fort, and had a mooch around the town, lovely pink stone buildings I recall

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  14. Excellent! Love the shop signs, I was obsessed with those in Prague and Switzerland, such a shame we don’t have those here. And the little urchin is great. All good in black and white.

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