Looking up 7: Contrast

Montepellier, 2006. I thought I was taking a picture of the buildings, but they turned out dark and almost gloomy compared to the splendid sky.

As I do this "looking up" theme for NaBloPoMo, I have been going through a lot of my photo files from trips and outings.

Generally here at La France Profonde I post about Aveyron; or if I travel, I just write up a post or two and never look back at the photos.

The result is that I have plenty of shots lurking around that will probably get online only if I get more involved in Flickr...but who really needs another social network?

Montpellier under a different light

While many families are off skiing, my daughters and I often take advantage of a day or two of their two-week February holiday to enjoy shopping, sun and cinema in Montpellier.

It is exhilarating to cross the Millau viaduct, sense the dreary isolation of the Larzac plateau, descend the precipitous and infamous pas de l'Esacalette, and suddenly find ourselves surrounded by vinyards and glorious warmth.

This year was the first time that the weather didn't play the game, which allowed us to discover Montpellier under a new light:

We hadn't come for shades of black and beige, but the tones left us with a new impression of the city.