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The Bloody Revolution, & the Bloody Weather

A few years before Marie Antoinette lost her head over promises of cake, the revolutionary forces that toppled the French aristocracy were brewing. However, these forces weren't only sapient. They were also climatic. And a contentious debate among some historians has been about which of three significant weather factors contributed most significantly to the French Revolution of 1789.

The most dramatic meteorological theory revolves around the Icelandic volcano eruption of 1783, a terrifying eight-month darkening of Europe, whose consequences in the disruption of farm husbandry and food supply lasted years.

Another group of weather historians argues in support of the “Little Ice Age” theory of revolutionary causality. This was a weather event that lasted from 1560 to 1850 in which the expansion and recession of northern glaciers altered the levels of atmospheric moisture and caused flooding across Europe.

However, it is the third hypothesis that has gained most currency, and is best supported by research data. Beginning around 1788 there occurred one of the most cataclysmic El Nino events ever recorded. Characterized by long winters, wet springs, and hot, dry summers, this meteorological catastrophe was economically devastating to France.

A largely agrarian society, France’s economy largely depended on the export of food. But years of weather extremes had been devastating to crop yields, culminating in the crippling droughts of the late1780s. Food shortages were not merely an economic problem, they were a social issue as well. Grain prices rose 50%, making the purchase of daily bread an economic hardship for the majority of French people. Farmers too, who relied on their crops for daily subsistence, were under extreme economic distress, unable to feed their families.

The ‘Bread Riots’ of the late 1780s led to armed conflict against those suspected of hoarding bread. Thus, hunger, arms, and anger were intertwined, leading eventually to the storming of the Bastille in Paris.

Of course, many factors contributed to inciting the bloody violence against the French aristocracy. The French Revolution was a dramatic expression of the needs and extremes of human nature. But, as we may be learning too late, it would be foolish to discount the power that Mother Nature exerts over human foibles and strivings.

 

On a more practical note, if you happen to be visiting our area of southern France, the Quercy, during periods of rain, here are some bloody good ideas:

1) Visit the prehistoric caves at Pech Merle-- arrange in advance for an English-speaking tour, or enjoy the odd and humorous translations on the hand-out sheet for the French-speaking tour.

Apprendre à danser sous la pluie

2) Visit the renaissance castle Chateau Cenevieres-- with luck you may run into the 80+ year old owner who will regale you with wonderful stories (in French), or his charming son who speaks perfect English.

3) Take a day trip to Albi-- a lovely city, the home of Toulouse-Lautrec, and with the most amazing cathedral interior this side of Chartres.

4) The outdoor markets run rain or shine-- take your bag and your umbrella, and schedule yourself for a lunch break at one of the nearby cafes. There are markets nearly every day, all worth going to.

5) Watch a movie in the lounge upstairs—carry up some snacks and drinks and hang out. Click ‘pause’ once in a while and gather at the window for amazing views across the village and valley.

6) Drive to Conques or Cordes sur Ciel-- or any of the other famously beautiful towns within less than a two hour drive. Check out the Reviews section of our website to read where others have travelled.

7) Spend a few hours at a French spa or salon--- there's Alain at the Salon Siz-O in Limogne; and there are salons in Cahors. And just across our bridge is a lovely spa at the Hotel St. Cirq Lapopie.

8) Take the wine tour of the great Wines of Cahors-- the tourist office has a map for this-- you can spend the day visiting half a dozen vineyards-- bring a designated driver!

9) On a Thursday, make the drive to the morning market in Villefranche de Rouergue (leave early, you'll need some time to find a parking place). The market is in the square, with lots of covered spaces to escape any drenching rain. Make a reservation at the Cote de Saveur restaurant for a delicious lunch.

10) Walk the tow paths by the river--- use an umbrella until you get to the limestone caves, which you will then walk beneath, temporarily free of drizzle.

11) Visit museums on subjects that may interest you-- for instance, the Resistance Museum in Cahors. Or the Toulouse-Lautrec museum in Albi. (And there's a small and interesting historic museum in St. Cirq Lapopie.)

12) Visit the excellent butcher shop in Limogne in the morning, then bring back food (if you aren't already stocked up) and spend the day cooking meals, drinking wine, enjoying our beautiful house.

13) Do everything you'd do if it were sunny-- just wear slickers, carry an umbrella, and bring a change of socks.

This is just a partial list of things to do, but remember: you don't even need to leave the village. The shops, the restaurants, the museums, the ruins, the vistas, the alleyways, the houses, all are there to explore. And if you are staying at our house in the village, you can always duck back in to dry off.


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