Francia - France

Canal du Midi, vicino a Béziers. (Fonséranes o Fonserranes) Un battello si appresta a entrare nel complesso delle chiuse che permettono oggi di superare un dislivello di circa 22 metri in un percorso di circa 300 metri. Opera monumentale di Michel e Pierre Medailhes realizzata nella seconda metà del 1600. Do not use any of my images on websites, blogs or other media without my explicit written permission. All rights reserved - Copyright © Nora Caracci

Canal du Midi, voisin a Béziers. (Fonséranes ou Fonserranes) Ici la sortie vers le Pont-Canal. Initialement, l'ensemble des écluses comportait huit bassins de forme ovoïde (spécifique au canal du Midi), et donc 9 portes, qui permettaient de franchir une dénivellation de 21,50 m, sur une longueur de 312 m. Depuis la construction du Pont-Canal, le dernier bassin a été transformé pour permettre aux bateaux de traverser l'Orb grâce à ce pont. On compte donc désormais six bassins (7 portes) Do not use any of my images on websites, blogs or other media without my explicit written permission. All rights reserved - Copyright © Nora Caracci

Canal du Midi, voisin a Béziers. (Fonséranes ou Fonserranes) Ce site est réellement splendide. C'est comme une arrivée triomphale sur la ville de Béziers ! Au delà des considérations techniques, il n'est pas impossible que Riquet ait voulu rendre hommage à sa ville natale en réalisant ce chef d'œuvre. La forme ovoïde des bassins apporte une touche artistique supplémentaire à cet ouvrage magnifique. Du sommet de la colline jusqu'à la rivière d'Orb, le dénivelé est de 25 mètres. Pour le vaincre, il a fallu réaliser huit sas sur une longueur d'environ 315 mètres. C'est un très beau spectacle contempler l'ouverture successive des 9 vannes. Voir la photo dans le commentaire et les autres postées aujourd'hui. Ici nous sommes dans le Canal, avant de entrer dans les écluses. Explored Do not use any of my images on websites, blogs or other media without my explicit written permission. All rights reserved - Copyright © Nora Caracci

Martigues est une ville fleurie et colorée, posée sur l'eau au bord de l'étang de Berre et reliée à la mer par le chenal de Caronte. Le charme de ses canaux, de ses îles et de ses ponts ont donné à Martigues le surnom de Venise provençale... Ici l'église de La Madeleine sur le canal San Sebastien. Explored Do not use any of my images on websites, blogs or other media without my explicit written permission. All rights reserved - Copyright © Nora Caracci

Questa bellissima cittadina della Provenza si affaccia sulle rive dell’Etang de Berre e molte sue case sono costruite sui canali che la attraversano. Si rimane incantati dalla bellezza dei suoi canali e delle isolette con le case dei pescatori dai tenui colori pastello e le barchette ormeggiate che ondeggiano tranquille. Anche Corot, Delacroix, Dufy, ... ne sono stati conquistati. Questo è il "miroir aux oiseaux", un tratto del Canale Saint Sebastien, forse il più pittoresco della città. Ci sono tanti ristorantini, qui si possono assaggiare il poutargue ovvero il caviale provenzale fatto con uova di triglie salate, essiccate e pressate e le melets, le acciughe al finocchio. Do not use any of my images on websites, blogs or other media without my explicit written permission. All rights reserved - Copyright © Nora Caracci

la fine di una tragica guerra mondiale, purtroppo non l'ultima ... Oggi ricordiamo i tanti morti in quel terribile conflitto, ma non possiamo non ricordare anche tutti quelli che lasciarono la vita nel secondo conflitto mondiale e tutti quelli che ancora oggi muoiono in una delle tante "piccole" guerre sparse nel mondo. A difesa della propria gente, a causa della follia umana. Explored

come una pittura ad olio ... Do not use any of my images on websites, blogs or other media without my explicit written permission. All rights reserved - Copyright © Nora Caracci

editata come un acquarello con l'aiuto di PhotoFiltre Do not use any of my images on websites, blogs or other media without my explicit written permission. All rights reserved - Copyright © Nora Caracci

This is one of the sites of the Tariquet's vineyards. The Domaine du Tariquet has a long history as an Armangac producer, likely back to 1683, the same year that some of the buildings also date. But the Artaud/Grassa family only bought the estate in 1912, thus they already celebrated their 100th anniversary. History: Pierre Grassa was born in France to Spanish parents from the Sierra de Guara, just the other side of the Pyrenees. He spent most of his youth outdoors, as a cowherd or manual labourer, and had little formal education; he became a hairdresser. But 1939 marked the end of Pierre’s career, as mobilization for World War II changed the course of his life. Taken prisoner of war with his battalion, captivity was unbearable for this restless character. He escaped and joined the Resistance in South West France, in Éauze to be precise--home to Tariquet, where he met Hélène Artaud. They got married and together brought a new lease of life to Tariquet. The château and property need restoring to their former glory. Soon, thanks to Hélène and Pierre’s efforts, Tariquet’s vineyards are once again producing Bas-Armagnac brandies. They had four children, Maïté, Christiane, Françoise and Yves. Maïté and Yves choose to remain on the property and continue the family tradition. In 1972 they created the first company with their father, boosting sales of Bas-Armagnac brandies produced at the property. In 1982, they started producing white wines—only white wines are grown at Tariquet. A pioneering step for the region, as they became the first Gascon wine bottled at the estate. Previously it was only bulk wines in Gascony. Yves’ sons, Armin and Rémy, are now winemakers themselves and run the estate. Yves now lives in Romania and grows wheat and corn. Domaine du Tariquet today is the largest single family estate within one appellation in France. They have 950 hectares of planted vines. Yves Grassa also made a number of innovations at the estate. He placed presses and tanks in each of his three vineyards, so a truck could move the must without losing freshness; dry ice is used during transport. He also designed a machine harvester that has a destemmer attached. He invented this in order to avoid this operation at the winery, save time and so, to avoid oxidation. He was also among the first in France to put a water treatment facility at his estate, so that water used in the winery could be reused. Domaine du Tariquet’s wines are also imported to the U.S. A. Do not use any of my images on websites, blogs or other media without my explicit written permission. All rights reserved - Copyright © Nora Caracci

La capitale dell'Armagnac, una bella cittadina della Guascogna, qui resa in modo un po' cinematografico. Sulla sinistra la cattedrale il cui interno vi mostro in altre foto (nei commenti un paio di esempi, cliccabili). Do not use any of my images on websites, blogs or other media without my explicit written permission. All rights reserved - Copyright © Nora Caracci

Stained glass windows Do not use any of my images on websites, blogs or other media without my explicit written permission. All rights reserved - Copyright © Nora Caracci

Stained glass window Gers - France Do not use any of my images on websites, blogs or other media without my explicit written permission. All rights reserved - Copyright © Nora Caracci

nella Cattedrale Saint Luperc a Eauze (Gers - France), vetrate con la storia di Gesù. Qui ne riporto alcune, le meglio riuscite, anche se non perfette... Do not use any of my images on websites, blogs or other media without my explicit written permission. All rights reserved - Copyright © Nora Caracci

La luminosità del gotico Eauze Cathedral was built 1467-1521. It is dedicated to Saint Luperculus, who is said to have been a bishop here in the 3rd century before being martyred. Le bâtiment abrite un orgue de tribune réalisé en 1842 par le facteur d'orgue Daublaine-Callinet à buffet néogothique puis augmenté par le facteur d'orgue Magen. Do not use any of my images on websites, blogs or other media without my explicit written permission. All rights reserved - Copyright © Nora Caracci

Construite de 1467 à 1521, par l'évêque Jean Marre de Condom. C'est un vaisseau gothique haut de 22 m, à nef unique, et chapelles basses entre les contreforts, avec un clocher octogonal. Des briques romaines ont été réemployées dans les murs. Ses hautes baies ont des vitraux du XVIe siècle et du XIXe siècle. Le bâtiment abrite un orgue de tribune réalisé en 1842 par le facteur d'orgue Daublaine-Callinet à buffet néogothique puis augmenté par le facteur d'orgue Magen. L'archevêque d'Auch François-Augustin Delamare fait de l'église de nouveau une cathédrale en 1865. Do not use my images on websites, blogs or other media without my explicit written permission. All rights reserved - Copyright © Nora Caracci

Nimes - Gard - Languedoc - France Do not use any of my images on websites, blogs or other media without my explicit written permission. All rights reserved - Copyright © Nora Caracci

Le Miroir aux Oiseaux Molti pittori, tra i quali Raoul Dufy, Félix Ziem, André Derain, Francis Picabia, Émile Beaussier, Louis Bonamici, sono venuti a dipingere in questa deliziosa cittadina, chiamata la Venezia provenzale per i suoi canali costeggiati da case variopinte. Questo particolare angolino è sempre stato molto gettonato ! PS.: ho cancellato la bruttissima selva di antenne che copre questi tetti ... qualcuno non vedrà più la TV ;-))) Do not use any of my images on websites, blogs or other media without my explicit written permission. All rights reserved - Copyright © Nora Caracci

qui finisce la strada percorribile con una vettura normale, più oltre si va a cavallo o con una 4X4 e ci si addentra in uno dei pochi posti ancora incontaminati, un'oasi selvaggia in Provenza. In cartina la posizione è un po' approssimativa poiché sinceramente su di essa non ho riconosciuto le piccole strade che abbiamo percorso... Explored Do not use any of my images on websites, blogs or other media without my explicit written permission. All rights reserved - Copyright © Nora Caracci