A wednesday walk around my village
A walk around Laprade Basse
I walked around the village where my family has lived since 1812 (or perhaps even earlier). It is located in the south of France, about 30 km north of Carcassonne. The village has 12 inhabitants, a lake, and is surrounded by forest. It lies at an altitude of 750 meters. The walk goes around the lake, following a path of almost 6 km. It’s easy, as it is almost flat and well maintained. It is always shaded by the forest, and offers views over the lake.
With a bit of luck, you might spot some wildlife during the walk. The hardest to see – and especially to photograph – is the roe deer. It is very wary and bolts as soon as it hears a walker. Being very curious, once it feels far enough away it will turn back to see who is passing. That’s the moment to be ready and quick with your camera. Birds, butterflies and dragonflies are plentiful. There are also many wild boar, but they tend to come out at night.
The lake is artificial, built in 1985 to store water. Two years ago, a watersports centre was built to make the most of the water-based activities that are set to develop.
The forest holds a few surprises if you venture a little way off the path. Old farms, which must have seen their heyday, stand in unlikely spots, bearing witness to a bygone splendour. The forest is rich in mushrooms, though it’s not the season for them at the moment.
A few pictures of the village, which is in fact a hamlet, with the main village 11 km away. The houses are old, and in winter it gets cold here. The church is very small and holds a service twice a year. In one of the photos, you can see, behind the church, the old school, closed in the early 1980s due to a lack of pupils, and now bought and renovated by the son of the last schoolteacher. The last photo shows the village’s small cemetery, perfectly shaded and ready for climate change. It is located about 300 metres from the houses, reflecting old beliefs or fears that preferred to keep a little distance between the living and the dead.
What a beautiful walk you have taken us today. 12 inhabitants!! They are so lucky to have this on their doorstep to themselves, they must like it here. The houses in the main village look so well maintained, the owner has done a great job in renovating it, I think it would make a great holiday rental, with the lush surroundings and water centre.
A word of friendly advice, if I may. I notice you are upvoting yourself on your post. Every upvote you make takes a little from the reward pool, that's why most people don't upvote their own post, and prefer to upvote other people instead. Imagine if all the whales upvote their own post, they will take all the rewards for themselves leaving little for everyone else. Of course, you are free to do as you please, but I just wanted to point out the community views in case you are not aware of it.
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Thank you for your message and your advice about self-voting, I will follow it. Someone had advised me to do it, but it didn’t seem very logical to me. I enjoy writing and publishing; it helps me to recall and organise my memories. Votes are nice, it’s true, but I have no stress about that – I just want to enjoy myself and share.