Life in a Postcard: Escape to the French Pyrenees

by Rosemary Bailey

In 1988, Rosemary Bailey and her husband were travelling in the French Pyrenees when they fell in love with and bought a ruined medieval monastery. For the next few years the couple visited Corbiac whenever they could, until 1997, they took the plunge and moved from central London to rural France with their six-year-old son. With vision and determination they have restored the monastery to its former glory, testing their relationship and resolve to the limit, and finding unexpected inspiration in the place.

Genres: Travel, Nonfiction

336 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 2002

About the author

Rosemary Bailey is an award-winning travel writer and journalist, born in Halifax, Yorkshire. She has been based in the French Pyrenees for many years, and has written a trilogy of books about a region she has grown to love and know intimately.

Reviews

[Vanessa Couchman · Rating 4 out of 5]

After a slow start, the book eventually takes off. Two writers take on the impossible task of restoring a crumbling monastery in the French Pyrénées. The chronology seems a bit wayward at times and I found myself wishing for some illustrations, but overall it was an interesting read, with snippets about local history and the monastery’s past woven into the modern narrative. I’d give it 3.5 stars.

[Cindy K · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tiny print. Very descriptive, no dialog. Too bad no ebook.

[Janie O · Rating 1 out of 5]

I did not read this book. The writing just did not grab me.

[Lisa · Rating 2 out of 5]

Didn't really get om with this one

[Michael Selvin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very nice story of an English family renovating a small ancient monastery in the Roussillon near Prades, France. Lots of information on the region and the international population of a small rural village. Not sure how much of both the region and the architecture finally gets through to someone unfamiliar with the region.

[jools · Rating 1 out of 5]

Turns out I hadn't read this (it's just been sitting on the shelf all this time!) - Some of her renovating experiences resonated, but I didn't enjoy the book because it was too long and detailed. Got bored halfway and lost interest but ploughed on and finished.

[IB · Rating 3 out of 5]

For it to be written way before I was born, it was so interesting to read about life in rural France, especially being a foreigner. I think Bailey's life and interactions with the villagers there interested me alongside her progress with the monastery.

[Laura · Rating 2 out of 5]

i weirdly think about this book often.

[Michele · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book gets off to an incredibly slow start and doesn't really ever sufficiently pick up the pace. It felt as if it could have been a lot better than it was.