By Ethan Cotton
“The challenge I made for myself was to get out at different times each day to view different angles and light,” Ethan Cotton.
An old high school friend contacted me to say that they had just bought a farmhouse in the medieval city of Lauzerte, France, and invited me to come for a visit shortly after being informed that my place of employment for the past 32 years was closing. So as one door closes, another opens. I have visited several cities in France previously, Paris and Strasbourg for example but not the southern region.
Seeing as I had not visited with this friend since their wedding in Australia 20 years prior it was no question that I would travel this time. My friend has also asked if I would like to live there in the winter, seeing as I am recently unemployed and with the political climate here in the states, that I might enjoy it. (Still thinking about it).
I love traveling and will admit that I do it mostly for the food, but as an art school graduate major in Graphic Design, minor in Photography, the challenge of trying to capture the true beauty of a place, specifically how the environment makes me feel to exist in it, is a great joy.
All of the photos are within 0.5 meter radius of the property. The house sits on the GR65 a long-distance walking route and is an easy hike to follow. When you find yourself in such a beautiful landscape – Lauzerte, France is a member of Les Plus Beaux Villages de France (The Most Beautiful Villages of France) Association. It feels easy to snap away with your camera so the challenge I made for myself was to get out at different times each day to view different angles and light. I think I could take the offer of living there, do a whole year’s sabbatical and do nothing but photography and still not feel as though I captured it all.
The very best part was visiting with an old friend in a place that is recently new to us both. Helping with the light restoration of cleaning, painting, stacking wood and clearing the land was a great pleasure. Staying in one place while traveling is magnificent. Maybe I am showing my age somewhat, but constantly moving from hotels and catching trains, just too much sightseeing, not feeling like you really got to know a place and its inhabitants can get exhausting.
Then the food. Not just the restaurants–all fantastic especially M’Picurien in the town center–but the opportunity to cook french food (there they just call it food) in France was a great joy. The variety and quality of the cheese is overwhelming. The wine was affordable, 7€ for a bottle that was delicious, and the butter, cannot say enough regarding the quality and taste.
