Sud Ouest France Sights: Bocce, Warning, Pigeoniers, Homeless

I spotted these gentlemen playing bocce one afternoon. I think it may have been in Castelginest. It was on one of the routes we traversed frequently (even when we weren't lost.)

Took this photo in Toulouse, but it could have been anywhere (except the little bit of litter we saw - not like in the US - was mostly around larger cities.) American cigarettes, French warning.

Pigeoniers are interesting structures that dotted the landscape in our area. A lovely artist in Cordes-sur-Ciel (see post on my Letterlady's Letters blog) had done a series of drawings and paintings of them and answered many questions for me about them. Read more by clicking on highlighted words here. In the early days before chemical fertilizers, piegeons were prized for both their guano (for fertilizing crops) and as food. Farmers and landowners had sometimes ornate pigeonniers built to attract and house them. Many times they were elaborate structures whose architecture matched the main home. Some of these remain, and according to some things I have read, some have been turned into mini-rentals for travelers.

And, not to end on a sad note, but Toulouse is not immune to the big city aspect of homeless people. I snapped this photo of apparently homeless men and their dogs one day in Toulouse.