This is a photo of our village taken from a farm across the valley. There was a chateau here once but all that remains are some ramparts, the tower on the left of the photo and local lore has it that what is now the church was once the orangerie. The tower was built in the 14th century as a lookout point over the valley below (specifically to look out for the English during the Hundred Years War ).
The tower has been deteriorating quietly over the centuries but earlier this month 5 years of hard work - physical (40 skip loads of rubble was removed from the upper floor and a new roof put on) organisational and fundraising came to fruition with the opening of Galerie la Tour Montsales.
This is the president of the association Colette Bessac Lefranc introducing our first exhibitor, graphic novelist Jean Pierre Gibrat.
No event in the Aveyron is complete without sustenance of some kind so after the inauguration of the tower and the private view there was supper for all in the village hall!
This is the first floor which is reached by a metal grille stairs. To reach the second and third floors you have a vertiginous climb up 14th century stones steps (with very high risers) not intended for 21st century accessiblity! Yesterday Warb had to escort a man having an attack of vertigo back down...
This in the underside of the steps.
Bearing in mind that there will be people who aren't able to make the climb there is a slideshow of the exhibition playing on the ground floor. The next exhibition, Charles de Rodat starts this Saturday - private view at 6.30pm - all welcome!
