Category: Music

Marion writes: Chopin in Duras and Art in Nerac.

Here are two events which might interest members :

1.  Sunday 14th September, at 17h30, Château de Duras, a Chopin concert “Chopin, l’âme slave du piano” concert with the Symphonistes d’Aquitaine and soloist Alexey Chernov. On-line reservation possible at helloasso.com/associations/duras-association-du-chateau/evenements/les-ducales

2. A fantastic exhibition at Nérac in the former sous-préfecture (a grand building) “Art d’Asie et les influences sur l’Occident”. really interesting and beautiful exhibits, well presented. Open until 26th September (longer than first stated). Tuesday – Friday 14h – 19h, Saturday and Sunday 10h – 19h. Entrance 10€. Address : 2 Avenue du Maréchal Foch, easy parking. While in Nérac, don’t miss a visit to the château. Great fun.  Among the exhibits there I was taken with the medieval beauty treatments described. While, at a pinch, I suppose I could try sleeping with raw veal escalopes covering my face, the one which requires marrow from the bones in a wolf’s paw is a bit more tricky.

I would add that there is also Chopin to be heard in Prayssas on the same date https://www.institutmarcderanse.com.

August Truffles and July Madrigals

France Truffes (Penne d’Agenais), Wednesday 6 August 2025

This is our fourth visit of 2025: https://www.acheterdestruffes.com/truffe-lot-et-garonne.

The visit starts at 10:00.

We have booked a guided tour of just over the hour with Bernard Rosa, one of the two partners involved in the enterprise. A trufficulteur for some 25 years, he will also tell us a little about the history of truffle growing. 

Members should book with Nigel no later than Wednesday 31st July.

As recorded in this post, the Queens College choir perform on July 28th: Madrigals by Queens, Monday 28 July

Madrigals by Queens, Monday 28 July

The Queen College choir will be singing madrigals at Saint Sernin in Toulouse starting at 7 p.m. Entrance is free with a retiring collection. The concert is open to all and should be an exceptional opportunity to hear these Renaissance part-songs, typically unaccompanied and arranged in elaborate counterpoint.

Here is the poster for their French visit this month:

La Halle aux Grains – a great venue

Last Friday we had the joy of hearing a top orchestra – the Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse – at the magnificent Halle aux Grains in Toulouse; with Sibelius and Richard Strauss, two of my favourites, as well. If you haven’t been to an event there, do make an effort to do so = it’s a great venue and the acoustics are surprisingly good for a building which wasn’t purpose built. There’s a designer-type hotel literally next door, Les Bains Douches, on the site of the old Toulouse public baths I believe; it’s a bit bizarre but it has some secure parking and there are plenty of good restaurants close by (and the Irish pub if you like Guinness and boisterous patrons).

http://onct.toulouse.fr/halle-aux-grains
http://www.hotel-bainsdouches.com/

Pip