2012 France
Our normal approach to a leisurely trip around parts of France is to meander our way down south, stay as long as we can, then rush back north in as few days as possible. This time, hoping to see some early spring flowers in the Pyrenees, we reversed our approach and went south pretty quickly before taking a little longer to head back north. Our first week was good, weatherwise, then the jetstream seemed to get stuck over the English Channel and Europe’s weather became at best unsettled. Back in northern France, like England, the weather was dreadful. Given the iffy spring, we seemed to be a little too early for Pyrenean flowers but Carol did add to her haul of wild flowers, including some particularly welcome orchids. We got a few touristy shots, too.
(Trip on Google Maps)
Photographic Fun with Poppies |
![IMG_0287 Poppy field](/photos/2012 France/thumbs/IMG_0287 Poppy field.JPG) |
![_MG_1276 Poppy field](/photos/2012 France/thumbs/_MG_1276 Poppy field.JPG) |
![IMG_0296 Poppy field](/photos/2012 France/thumbs/IMG_0296 Poppy field.JPG) |
![_MG_1253 Poppy field](/photos/2012 France/thumbs/_MG_1253 Poppy field.JPG) |
![IMG_0405 Poppy fly](/photos/2012 France/thumbs/IMG_0405 Poppy fly.JPG) |
![_MG_1484 Field in motion](/photos/2012 France/thumbs/_MG_1484 Field in motion.JPG) |
Playing Tourist from Fanjeaux |
![_MG_1406 Fenouillet-du-Razes](/photos/2012 France/thumbs/_MG_1406 Fenouillet-du-Razes.JPG) |
![_MG_1377 Fennouillet-du-Razes](/photos/2012 France/thumbs/_MG_1377 Fennouillet-du-Razes.JPG) |
![_MG_1569 Soulcem](/photos/2012 France/thumbs/_MG_1569 Soulcem.JPG) |
![P1020350 Gruissan](/photos/2012 France/thumbs/P1020350 Gruissan.JPG) |
![P1020354 Donkey-powered well](/photos/2012 France/thumbs/P1020354 Donkey-powered well.JPG) |
![P1020369 Canal de la Robine](/photos/2012 France/thumbs/P1020369 Canal de la Robine.JPG) |
Distractions Around Arçais |
![_MG_2301 Brouage](/photos/2012 France/thumbs/_MG_2301 Brouage.JPG) |
![_MG_2305 Marsh around Brouage](/photos/2012 France/thumbs/_MG_2305 Marsh around Brouage.JPG) |
![P1020474 Stork nest](/photos/2012 France/thumbs/P1020474 Stork nest.JPG) |
![_MG_2331 White Stork](/photos/2012 France/thumbs/_MG_2331 White Stork.JPG) |
![IMG_1350 Coypu](/photos/2012 France/thumbs/IMG_1350 Coypu.JPG) |
The Wild Flower Collection |
![Common Fleabane _MG_1786](/photos/2012 France/thumbs/Common Fleabane _MG_1786.JPG) |
![Cornflower _MG_1811](/photos/2012 France/thumbs/Cornflower _MG_1811.JPG) |
![Everlasting Pea _MG_1659](/photos/2012 France/thumbs/Everlasting Pea _MG_1659.JPG) |
![Field Scabious _MG_1787](/photos/2012 France/thumbs/Field Scabious _MG_1787.JPG) |
![Spiked Rampion _MG_1435](/photos/2012 France/thumbs/Spiked Rampion _MG_1435.JPG) |
More Specifically: The Orchid Collection |
![_MG_1362 Serapias](/photos/2012 France/thumbs/_MG_1362 Serapias.JPG) |
![_MG_1602 Man Orchid](/photos/2012 France/thumbs/_MG_1602 Man Orchid.JPG) |
![_MG_1609 Lizard Orchid](/photos/2012 France/thumbs/_MG_1609 Lizard Orchid.JPG) |
![_MG_1979 Fragrant Orchid](/photos/2012 France/thumbs/_MG_1979 Fragrant Orchid.JPG) |
![_MG_1992 Lesser Butterfly Orchid](/photos/2012 France/thumbs/_MG_1992 Lesser Butterfly Orchid.JPG) |
![_MG_1854_Broad-leaved Helleborine](/photos/2012 France/thumbs/_MG_1854_Broad-leaved Helleborine.JPG) |
![_MG_1968 Bee Orchid](/photos/2012 France/thumbs/_MG_1968 Bee Orchid.JPG) |
![White Bee Orchid (Ophrys apifera var. clorantha) maybe _MG_1699](/photos/2012 France/thumbs/White Bee Orchid (Ophrys apifera var. clorantha) maybe _MG_1699.JPG) |
… and a Few New Butterflies |
![False Ilex Hairstreak _MG_1813](/photos/2012 France/thumbs/False Ilex Hairstreak _MG_1813.JPG) |
![IMG_0855 Ilex Hairstreak](/photos/2012 France/thumbs/IMG_0855 Ilex Hairstreak.JPG) |
![Large Chequered Skipper _MG_2022](/photos/2012 France/thumbs/Large Chequered Skipper _MG_2022.JPG) |
![Grizzled Skipper _MG_1334](/photos/2012 France/thumbs/Grizzled Skipper _MG_1334.JPG) |
[…] 2012 […]