Life in a Postcard: Escape to the French Pyrenees [Paperback]

Rosemary Bailey (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 2002

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.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

In 1988, journalist Rosemary Bailey and her husband were traveling in the French Pyrenees when they fell in love with, and subsequently bought, a ruined medieval monastery, surrounded by peach orchards and snow–capped peaks. Traces of the monks were everywhere—in the frescoed 13th–century chapel, the buried crypt, and the stone arches of the cloister—and gradually these fragments revealed the spirit of the place. For the next few years, the couple visited Corbiac whenever they could, until in 1997, the Baileys took the plunge and moved there with their young son. With vision and determination, they have restored the monastery to its former glory, testing their relationship and resolve to the limit, and finding inspiration in the small mountain community that welcomed them.

About the Author

Rosemary Bailey is the editor of three Insight guides to France and the project editor for the Dorling Kindersley Eyewitness guide to France. SCARLET RIBBONS, her book about her brother - an Anglican priest who died from AIDS in 1996 - was published by Serpent's Tail in 1997. She lives at Corbiac in the French Pyrenees with her partner, the biographer Barry Miles and their young son, Theo.

Product Details

• Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Transworld Publishers (September 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0553813412
• ISBN-13: 978-0553813418
• Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 5 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,563,777 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Once upon a monastery: "Time traveling" in France, November 18, 2003

By 

The Bronte Sisters (New York City) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Life in a Postcard: Escape to the French Pyrenees (Paperback)

I was charmed by this book. Author Bailey has a gift for drawing the reader in, from the opening pages, as she shares her experience (along with that of her husband and young son)of moving into a medieval monastery--in need of vast repair--in the south of France. Whether one is looking to buy a home in Europe, an enthusiast for all things French, or an armchair traveler game for a good trip, LIFE IN A POSTCARD opens a rich and memorable excursion. It's an excursion described with zest, frankness,love of language,humility, and welcome humor.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Disappointing, October 9, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Life in a Postcard: Escape to the French Pyrenees (Paperback)

After reading many books about French Provence. I tried to find books about other parts of France so I bought this book. However, Ms. Bailey's limited French resulted in her life in the French Pyrenees mostly among the expat. To the end of the book, I still did not feel or learn something much about the French Pyrenees. Might be good for reader who like the story of the ancient monk, but not me.