On the Road is a weekday feature spotlighting reader photo submissions.
From the exotic to the familiar, whether you’re traveling or in your own backyard, we would love to see the world through your eyes.
Steve from Mendocino
Sauguis was the home of Bonne Maman and her kids and they would gather at her house during summer vacations. They had their own vacation houses in the Basque country, but would meet often at her house for meals and cards and just hanging out.
The Sauguis church with its typical three crosses.
Rear view of the church.
Interior of the church taken from the women’s balcony. The men gather below for services.
Sauguis is a tiny agricultural village just down the road from the city of Mauleon, the capitol of the easternmost province, Soule, of the French Basque country. Here we have sunset light on a building in Sauguis.
Sunset light on a gate.
A stream ran through the center of the village and people just dropped their trash in the stream and waited for rain to take it away.
Farmhouse in downtown Sauguis.
A stormy sunset in Sauguis.
The graveyard in front of the Sauguis church at sunset.
I had the notion that I wanted to someday build a house in this valley a couple of miles from Sauguis.
Layer8Problem
Thanks again for these!
NotMax
Presumably more than a single door in the buildings.
Because it’s unlucky to put all your Basques in one exit.
:)
Amir Khalid
@NotMax:
A NotMaxian masterpiece of a pun. Bravo.
pieceofpeace
The place looks inviting, peaceful, and love the valley. I appreciate your framing and use of light, and have never seen a more inviting photo of a church with it’s attendant cemetery.
WaterGirl
The light in the stormy sunset photo, and the graveyard. Spectacular.
Betty
Seems like a journey into long ago.
stinger
Beautiful photos, and so nostalgic especially with the accompanying text. That last image — Basque kiss!
The Castle
More Basque in which to bask! The light on the graveyard pic is quite fetching, as is that cluster of roofs all jumbled together.
I guffawed when I saw the “downtown” picture, where it appears the village inhabitants are a hen and some geese.
In that pic, there appears to be a ramp of some kind that twists on top of one of the outbuildings. What is that?
WaterGirl
@The Castle:
That made me laugh.
HinTN
I can see why you had that notion; that is a most excellently evocative photograph.
Thanks for sharing this part of the world (and your life).
Lapassionara
That valley is lovely. Thanks for sharing these.
Albatrossity
Love that mountain valley and wildflowers. ‘Twould indeed be a great place for a house.
thanks!
WaterGirl
Several of these photos belong next to charming in the dictionary.
Steve from Mendocino
@The Castle: Hayloft, I would assume. That house was not directly associated with the family, and because I only hung with them, I don’t know. This farmhouse was probably 50 yards away, so a long journey for a single day.
mvr
The whole is greater than the sum of its parts with this set.
Thanks!
J R in WV
Reminds me of rural WV somewhat, although the old buildings in Basque country seem to be built to last longer. But dumping trash in the creek, that’s pure shiftless hillbilly right there, for sure. Now people are required to have trash pickup service, OR show a receipt from the landfill. Right… Sure.
It’s mostly successful, really. Neighbor once came upon people dumping their truckload of trash on her property, made them gather it up back into their truck. She is a powerful woman!
Great photos of beautiful country, even the barnyard… thanks for sharing.
JanieM
Having grown up Catholic, I find the inside of the church in #3 surprisingly plain.
Overall, the scenes, and especially the light, take me to a place of “long ago and far away.” The valley picture is especially haunting.
BigJimSlade
I love this series – travel + time travel!