Gone but not forgotten in Rodez...

It was odd to go through my photos of Rodez this evening and find these traces of the old Foirail area. The first photo was taken in 2006, and the two others in 2007.

A visit yesterday to the Musée Soulages made me think about what used to be.

Remember the old skybridge to the Amphithéâtre?

A few glimpses of Rodez: new and old

Striking view from the inside of the new Musée Soulages

Last weekend I got to play the tour guide to a friend of ours from Montpellier who barely knows Rodez. 

I'm proud to say that despite the glacial winds, she was duly impressed. 

I wish I had taken more photos, but I didn't want to slow her down with that. 

Other than in the museum, I also didn't want to take my gloves off.

We did two full afternoons of full-mode Rodez exploration, starting on Saturday with the Musée Soulages and tea at Café Bras. Even though "Soulages," as it is fondly called here, will soon have been open for a year, I still can't quite believe, even when I just walk past it, that Rodez is home to such a splendid modern art museum.

The cathedral bell tower in all its splendor

We moved on from the museum to the cathedral. Going up the stairway of the évêché is one of those things I only do if accompanied by a visitor, so the above is a view of the cathedral I had rather forgotten about. 

My friend was surprised that we could just wander into the Bishop's palace courtyard as we pleased, and it struck me that the cathedral has absolutely no surveillance either, at least at this time of year. 

Also, it never ceases to amaze me how few tourists one finds in Notre Dame de Rodez, despite its undeniable grandeur. We ran into only four other people inside -- quite a contrast to the teeming museum galleries.

I hope the many tourists coming into town to visit the Soulages museum aren't missing out on the city's huge and somewhat eerie cathedral. 

Train Tripping out of Rodez

Gare de Rodez, 6:15

Brive-la-Gaillarde is about a two and a half hour drive from Rodez, and when I had to go there for work recently, my manager was surprised that I requested to travel by train. 

She assured me there would be a work car available for me. But between driving alone for five hours and -- for once --  being able to take a train with schedules that actually worked out with my professional obligations, the choice was easy.

First, I could read or work on the train, which I told her.

Second, I'm not that crazy about driving five hours alone, mainly in the dark, in the dead of winter, which I also mentioned.

Finally, I'm a secret train/train station geek...which got left out of the conversation.

In motion in Corrèze

A lot of my American friends imagine that in this very specific place they call "Europe," people are always taking trains and that you can get about anywhere on them. This is not necessarily true in France, and certainly not true in much of the South of France.

From Rodez, you can take the train to Toulouse via Albi; you can take it to Paris by way of Brive-la-Gaillarde; and there are a few stray trains to Millau that I have never heard of anyone taking.  And that is about it. 

The trains stop in various towns and villages along the way, but these aren't necessarily places tourists or inhabitants regularly go.

Of course from Toulouse, Brive, or Paris you can move on to other cities, but that often means pretty long trips -- so most of my friends and acquaintances are in the habit of driving or, if routes and finances permit, flying around France.

Just a weird shot of the sort of weird place you can only see from a train

I often read articles about cutbacks in train services from French town X to French city Y, and I know the cherished Rodez-Paris/Paris-Rodez night train, which allows us to optimize our weekends in la Capitale, is under recurring threats -- although it is usually packed when I'm on it.

But the SNCF seems to be making efforts to combine services to make more cities accessible. For example, when I first moved here, it was nearly impossible to get from Rodez to Lyon -- a 4-hour drive -- by train. 

Now, by taking a regional train to Millau, a bus to Montpellier, and then hopping on the TGV, it can be done in 6 hours -- something I actually might consider.

At any rate, I hope I continue to have chances to take the train in France: for the photo opportunities, and also to kindle my memories of Europass days.

  

Rodez marches against terrorism

The crowd assembles on the Place d'Armes

My husband and I were determined to participate in the "Marche Républicaine" in Rodez today. Although it was announced as a "silent gathering," it turned out to be a march around the city, under sunny skies and through biting glacial winds.

"De Damas à Paris, le terrorisme, c'est le même"

On the Place d'Armes, we waited near this quiet yet visible group reminding us that "from Damas to Paris, terrorism is the same thing." 

Nobody I was with was able to recognize their flag, which I have now identified: Kurdistan, or at least Southern Kurdistan, not a country but a roughly-defined region where Kurds are the majority population, and have often been victims of violence.

They made a highly relevant point. While the recent acts in France are appalling and merit strong condemnation, we mustn't forget that most terrorist acts do not take place in Western nations.

Just yesterday, a "girl-bomber," estimated to be 10 years old, killed 19 people in a market in Nigeria by penetrating the area, her own body covered with explosives. 

That act of terrorism will be quickly forgotten as the press covers the march in Paris.

The first wave leaves Place d'Armes

Unthinkable violent acts take place pretty much daily all over the world: a sobering, even depressing, a thought that I had trouble kicking while waiting for the march to start.

As the march ends: a ray of light; a ray of hope

Yet, in Rodez, a town of 25,000 in la France Profonde, 17,000 people left their quiet Sunday routines to show their support for peace and tolerance.

The experience left me invigorated and hopeful.

May the terrible Charlie Hebdo/Montrouge/Hyper Kacher attacks in France pave the way for an enhanced awareness of the ravages of terrorism all over the world.

Late Autumn Stroll in Bourran, Rodez, Aveyron

Most Ruthénois would not recognize this park in the Bourran business district

We have had a return of warm weather -- to my taste, a bit too warm for November. But it did allow me to get out on a late autumn walk during one of my lunch breaks last week. 

Getting away from it all only a few blocks from my workplace

I work in Bourran, the "new" business district of Rodez. It's actually not that new anymore, as I think construction started there about 20 years ago, right before I first moved to Aveyron. But at that time, it only had a few buildings. Now it is covered with businesses and apartments, and somehow more seem to crop up all the time.

There is a little haven of peace in this area that I only discovered last spring. A bit below the hospital, somebody had the wherewithal to create a nice little park. Most of my colleagues don't even know it exists. I don't know if it has a name or even when it was built, but it is a lovely place for a picnic or just to clear one's mind.

The cathedral appears as a distant detail

This view of Rodez, taken from the park,  will surely never be used on a tourists' brochure!. But it gives an interesting perspective on a city that can't be reduced to its historic sites and the new Soulages museum.

I actually quite enjoy working in Bourran, which has quite a few decent to excellent restaurants, as well as really friendly shopkeepers.

Back to work....

On. Vacation. Happy. Holidays.

Rodez's little Champs-Elysées, decked out for Christmas 2007

First, HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL!

I know many people work through the 24th of December, and even on the 25th.

But as a teacher, I have been sorely spoiled -- and working until 6pm this evening has made things seem, somehow, un-Christmasy to me.

I'm sure that will change tomorrow as I rush into gear to prepare a Christmas Eve meal...or as all four of us leave in a panic to approach an airport in a warmer climate.

One thing is sure: our Christmas will be atypical.

We are flying off on Christmas morning for a surprise European destination; the trip is the girls' -- and the family's -- main Christmas present.

Hopefully the weather will cooperate. For the moment, things are looking quite good, even if Aveyron is under an "alerte orange" for snow tomorrow.

To be continued, after the facts.

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Good-bye to a weird corner of Rodez

I must admit, and likely have admitted on this blog, that I'm one of those people who loves to stick her nose into derelict buildings, and who is quite fascinated by weird places like the one above.

If they're in the center of town, so much the better.

This little rundown yard right across from La Maison du Livre, Rodez's most popular bookstore, has intrigued me for years.

Are those rabbit cages in the back? Doors to an old W.C. on the left? Or were they?

Because yes, I am sad to say that this certainly hot piece of real estate is gone and being transformed into something...perhaps a clothes shop or a tea salon, both of which Rodez seems to abound in.

Why should I be sad? The place was an eyesore, and probably impossible to salvage. If I owned it or had inherited it, I certainly wouldn't have the energy to oversee the work necesarry to turn it into a charming town center house avec jardin.

I will miss pondering what it used to be, though.

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(Photo courtesy of Thierry Jouanneteau)

Rodez really is a happening place!

Rodez was buzzing last week with plans, gossip and Facebook discussions about the "Apéro Géant des Aveyronnais" that was held Thursday evening in the town center's Jardin du Foirail.

I won't attempt to report on the whole story with its political ins and outs, nor will I tell about the event because I decided not to go!

This was all for a good cause: I wanted to have plenty of energy to attend some of the forty-odd events organized on Friday and Saturday by the Conservatoire de musique for the 24 Heures Chopin.

My daughters went to the Apéro Géant, though, and thought it was just peachy. And I ended up attending about 7 of the "24 hours of Chopin," and was impressed by the turn-out and the organization involved.

Both events were huge successes, despite Midi Libre's attempt to turn a DWI arrest that took place hours after the Apéro (which finished at midnight) into some sort of news.

I like the fact that both happenings drew a wide range of age groups. Sure, the Chopin concerts weren't overrun with teenagers, but I would say there were at least some young people at all of the venues I went to.

To conclude, I really hate it when people say "nothing goes on in Rodez." Sure, if you want to go to jazz clubs every weekend or a new modern art exhibit every month, Rodez may not provide what you are looking for. But I sure can't keep up with everything that happens in our little capital city.

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Looking back at looking up 1

If I'm going to get through NaBloPoMo, I think I will have to mine all available material. And lo and behold, I already have a few posts on this blog that correspond perfectly to the theme of "looking up."

For example, in December 2008 I was looking up at Notre Dame de Rodez and reflecting on how the weather at the top of her towers can actually be different than what pedestrians are walking through down below.

The title of that post -- and perhaps several others I've done -- was "Looking Up, Things Are." And that is something I have learned from blogging and carrying my camera around.

There is a whole world above my head that I had frankly never taken the time to examine before creating La France Profonde.

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(Photo courtesy of Thierry Jouanneteau)

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Chez Cécile et Aimé

Friday evening atmosphere at Chez Cécile et Aimé
8 rue Oustry, Rodez/ 05-65-69-57-97

Back when I was writing my cooking blog, I imagined posting about local restaurants, either on Cuisine Quotidienne or here. I even toyed with the idea of trying to write real "restaurant reviews," but since Aveyron is a small place, I didn't want to get anybody's nose out of joint.

The result is a pile of untagged, but categorized, photos of local eateries. Since I don't plan to be writing anything resembling restaurant reviews in the near future, I thought I'd just share some of my favorite local restaurants with you in an informal, non-exhaustive fashion.

A spring "assiette" with smoked salmon, asparagus, and other goodies

There's not a lot on the Web about this funky and creative restaurant/salon de thé which has now been open for seven years in the Rodez town center. I did find a press article about its opening, and can say that the owners, sisters Florence and Isabelle Sabin, have been true to their ideals. Everything is homemade, and the menus change nicely with the seasons.

The restaurant is located in an old house, which is cozy and creatively decorated. You can eat in three rooms, and in the summer, on two different terrasses.

Okay, no one was dining outside on the day I took this picture, but at least it gives you an idea.

Chez Cécile et Aimé features homemade quiches, salads, desserts, and other dishes depending on the season and the inspiration of the chef who has worked for them for five years now. Prices are reasonable and "la maison" is open non-stop from 10:00 am until 6pm, serving late breakfast, lunch and mouth-watering goûters.

For a special dining experience, go on Friday evening -- the only day they are open for dinner. We often do.

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A night at the opera

I've always heard a lot about Mozart's The Magic Flute, and of course know the Queen of the Night's famous aria from the second act. But although I enjoy opera, and would like to enjoy it more through knowing more about it -- isn't that the only way?

I had never actually seen a production of La Flûte Enchantée, so I was attracted by the colorful posters all over Rodez for the production by l'Opéra Eclaté, and decided to buy a ticket at the door.

Although the show was far from sold out, I was quite impressed by the number of people willing to go to the Rodez Amphithéâtre to see an opera during the week.

The necessarily pared-down staging didn't make for an all-out spectacle, but the musical quality was quite strong, and I am happy to say I indulged in a "night at the opera" in my home town.

Alerte orange

Will my village look like this tomorrow morning...

...or like this?

With an "alerte orange" announced for a whole lot of French départements, I'm expecting plenty of snowy blogs this weekend. According to Météo France, the orange part of France below needs to be "very vigilant" about snow and black ice for at least the next 24 hours:


That's an awful lot of France, despite the tiny picture that I don't feel like resizing.

Say no more, say no more! If I'm lucky, I can blog about the snow all weekend!

The lights come down in Rodez -- mais pas chez moi!

(Christmas lights on the Avenue Victor Hugo, Rodez)

This evening my eldest daughter announced to me, quite morosely, that the Christmas lights in Rodez were being taken down.

Mais bien sûr! The French are pretty quick about removing their holiday decorations, although perhaps not as swift as Americans or the British who, from what I've been reading, seem to feel that "everything must go" no later than January the 2nd.

The situation is different in our house. We have made a conscious decision to keep the Christmas tree and other holiday decorations up until...late January.

Of course this means having an artificial tree -- something that, as a Pacific Northwesterner, I was originally loath to do. But the desire to keep Christmas cheer in our home after la rentrée de janvier won out a few years back.

Since the whole family loves Christmas lighting, I think we were right in our choice. This year, I was struck by all the Facebook updates and tweets from friends who were sad, even "depressed," about taking down their Christmas decorations.

At least we have found our solution to that problem. By the time we finally pack ours away, we are actually pretty sick of them!