The normal method for getting rid of unwanted scrap metal around here is to put it in a big pile and wait for gypsies to cart it away. Theres no joke here, Thats how its done.

just another brick in the wall

just another part of the machine

Education in ruins

This used to be a commercial farm, housing and employing 50 some odd people. Since then the main house has been maintained but the rest of the structures have been left to the wrath of time, gravity, and vegetation.

At moments like this I'm glad for the advent of digital photography, I could write a description longer than anyone would ever want to read and still never do justice to this place.

There is something distinctively otherworldly about all of these dying buildings.

I asked Daniel how long it had been since this place was a commercial farm and he responded "about 10 years longer than those trees have been growing"

Laaaazy days, I call this cat ghost oscar, the two of us are pretty close.

Brametoute

According to local lore, sometime ago (local lore is regrettable inprecise) one of the dukes or high administrators in the monarchist regime showed a great deal of interest in one of the local noblemens daughters, nepotism being what it is the nobelman was quite keen to see his daughter marrying up in the the social stucture, to ensure that his purposes would ultimately be served best he hid his daughter up in the pidgenry (room common in 11th century structures of this area that where used essentially to trick pidgeons into laying their eggs within to provide a few free calories for the inhabitants).
Apparently the duke's interest wasn't as keen as the the father had banked upon, the duke never came a callin and the daughter died celibate and insane.
Chateau de Brametoute translates as best I comprehend to Castle of Complete Weeping.
How colorful!

The countryside is littered with remarkable little graveyards.

on clear days I can see the Pyrenees from the bluff-garden infront of the chateau

weatherworn madonna

From the hilltop at the end of my walk the sky rained beams of light, on the walk home it just rained rain.

Walking around in the french countryside one is not given occasion to forget how deeply steeped this land is in a heritage of superstition.

(the rest of) The town of Lautrac

(Most of) The town of Lautrac

For any parties curious it turns out that jebus lives atop a hill overlooking the town of Lautrac, population 600.

The clouds

The skies here are manic and rife with indecision, this photograph was taken from the hill near the local town where the view is fantastic, other photographs from there will be forthcoming.

Feral cat

This is the feral cat who lives somewhere abouts the castle and comes to eat the chickens leftovers, he (she?) is pretty skittish and as yet is unnamed.