QUALITY FRENCH

QUALITY FRENCH MANUFACTURED Saint-Corneille Church, Puycelsi © Gillian Thornton of the Grésigne Forest, another strategic base fortified by you-know-who from Toulouse. Perched high on a hilltop with commanding views of the Vère valley, this Plus Beau Village also retains sections of fortification, more than 800 metres of ramparts encircling a maze of narrow streets. Don’t miss the interior of Saint- Corneille Church, the ceiling lavishly painted in bright blue and gold reminiscent of Sainte- Cécile Cathedral in Albi. Last stop on my Tarn village tour is Penne, not so much for the village itself, but for the ruined medieval chateau that stands on a narrow ridge high above the river Aveyron. Equally extraordinary is the story of the castle’s 21 st century renaissance. At the age of 10, heritage architect Axel Letellier vowed during a family visit that he would one day buy the Forteresse de Penne, an episode captured on a home video clip that features in the excellent introductory film about the project. Occupied since the 11 th century, this medieval marvel changed hands many times during the Cathar crusade and the Hundred Years War, belonging to everyone from Cathar supporters and the Counts of Toulouse, to the kingdoms of Aragon, France and England. And in 2006, Penne Castle entered a new phase when it was bought by Axel and his wife Sophie. After three years of essential restoration, La Forteresse de Penne opened to the public in 2010. Conservation and archaeological work are ongoing, bit by bit, with many of the artefacts discovered now displayed in a fascinating interpretation centre that opened in 2024. Whenever you visit, make sure to wear sturdy, comfortable shoes as the steep path Forteresse du Penne © Gillian Thornton View over Penne from the Forteresse © Gillian Thornton from the reception desk is stony and uneven. But there is no rush. Just let the views unfold as you climb steadily to the entrance gate. Once inside the castle wall, I find myself stopping frequently to enjoy the 360-degree view, take yet another photo, and simply marvel at this extraordinary feat of medieval military engineering. Axel and Sophie Letellier are determined to open up Penne’s history to the widest possible audience, so it is good to see a school group enjoying demonstrations by costumed characters. Throughout July and August, visitors can watch ‘medieval’ stonemasons at work; see demonstrations of construction and combat skills; and even enjoy nocturnal visits. As I walk back down the cobbled path, I exchange pleasantries with a gentleman carrying a large bundle of souvenir cotton bags. Bound for the castle shop, he turns out to be Axel Letellier himself. Still as passionate about Penne as he was as a 10-year-old and clearly still very hands-on. FIBREGLASS SWIMMING POOLS OPERATING THROUGHOUT FRANCE 5 STAR REVIEWS 1 WEEK INSTALLATION OVER 40 POOL MODELS 10 YEAR GUARANTEE (+33) 6 42 50 04 31 www.poolsdirect.online contact@poolsdirect.online www.facebook.com/poolsdirect S I R E T : 9 0 4 9 5 3 9 5 7 0 0 0 1 9 40 | The Good Life France The Good Life France | 41