La Selve is an old sandstone farmhouse, and just outside the kitchen door is the bell, a ship’s bell. The bell was bought in June 2000 at a chandler’s in England. Several bells were tried, several times, for this was a serious matter …

The rich history and heritage of this beautiful region of France was shaped by a simple colour – blue.

During the Renaissance, the Dyer’s Woad plant was cultivated in Lauragais, and its blue pigment was traded at the price of gold throughout Europe. This brought wealth to the whole region, which became known as the Pays de Cocagne; the Land of Plenty.

Each spring, the meadows around our French home are thick with wild orchids. Though not as large and showy as their tropical cousins, they are fascinating to find and to photograph.