Released: 28/03/2019
ISBN: 9781789016901
eISBN: 9781789019346
Format: Paperback/eBook
An exploration of the English community in a remote corner of France.
A book which looks beyond the stereotype of the English living abroad.
No other travel narratives have focused on the Ariège Pyrenees region of France.
Intrigued by the endless accounts of English incomers ‘living the dream’ in France, Michelle Lawson set out to find out what it’s all about beneath that romantic veneer. Travelling around the Ariège Pyrenees she captured stories and observed the online interactions of a scattered English community, as well as frank conversations with new arrivals, old-timers and those packing up to return to England. We hear stories of meticulous preparation as well as buying on a whim, and from those who describe themselves as village celebrities, along with couples living in social isolation.
The book is a long way from the usual ‘we moved to France’ accounts. Instead it casts aside the romantic lens as the author travels among English settlers to hear their reasons for ending up in this remote corner of France. Readers will feel a mix of admiration, envy and sympathy, and perhaps even irritation with the incomers, as they sometimes contradict themselves in order to avoid the well-worn stereotype of the English abroad. The book is also a gentle reminder that such stereotypes present an unbalanced picture, and that if incomers do stick to some of their old ways, the reasons why might be understandable.
The author weaves her relationship with the landscape into the stories of the incomers in this wild and depopulated corner of the Pyrenees. Stories open up comment on local issues relating to conservation and re-wilding, as well as the continuing shadow of wartime events, in this much less well known part of France.
The Bookseller
What a treat! Enhanced by knowing both Michelle and the Ariege...but still a thoughtful and interesting treatise on 'living the dream' and of identity...what does it mean to be a Brit? How comfortable can one feel living in a different language? Some of the things she says really resonated with me....I really enjoyed it and it will be thinking about it for a while!
by Mary Hope
Michelle Lawson
Born in the Midlands, Michelle now divides her time between Devon and the French Pyrenees.
Michelle has always been fascinated by the idea of moving abroad for a new life, and this led her to gain a PhD in Applied Linguistics from her study of British migration to a little-known corner of the French Pyrenees.
Her first book with Matador, A House at the End of the Track, combines those stories of the English incomers with a travel narrative exploring the landscapes of the Couserans region of the Ariege.
Michelle is an associate lecturer in Applied Linguistics and she also works as a consultant in English language assessment. In her spare time she loves to explore landscapes with a mixture of walking, cycling, photography and painting. For taster articles and photographs, visit www.michelle-lawson.com.
Buy as an ebook
- £4.99
- Find this ebook at your favourite retailer
Also by Michelle Lawson / Related Books
Travel
A House at the End of the Track
by Michelle Lawson
Travel
Kibbutz Virgin
by Jonathan Nicholas
Travel
Remote Stations
by Peter Caton
Travel
London to Magadan
by Ian Rogers
Travel
Last Tango in Buenos Aires
by David Marsh
Travel
Brian on the Brahmaputra
by David Fletcher
Travel
Travels with Morris
by Mo Rudling
Travel
Mamma Mia... That's Life!
by Valerie Barona
Travel
The Tragic Romance of Africa
by Dennis Hubbard with Jonathan Nicholas
Travel
Crystal Balls and Moroccan Walls
by David Fletcher
Travel
Schooner to the Southern Oceans
by Gordon Cook
Travel
Hidey Holes
by Robin Whitcomb
Keep in touch
Stay connected with Troubador on our social media feeds. Keep up to date with Troubador news and our latest author news.