Hi all

Hi everyone, My name is Chris and I'm new to this site. I have seen some of your names on the S&D forums. I live in the South of France, in a small village near Toulouse. I look forward to joining in the discussions.

Chris, thank you for joining my forum. I really hope you enjoy chatting to S & D members on here as well as on S & D. Hope you find info on SQ interesting and if you'd like any other info adding just let me know.

Look forward to chatting to you soon.

Hi Chris, welcome!

I am soo excited to meet you, what is Toulouse like? Do you know anything about the Cathars and thier relation to Mary Magdalene... have you been to Renne-le-Chateaux (spelling??!!) - so many questions! Will stop there so I dont overwhelm you!

C xxx

Hi Cherry,

Have you read Arthur Guirdham's book about the Cathars? Also did you see that documentary Tony Robinson did recently that was partly filmed in Toulouse, when he spoke to two ladies who felt they'd been Cathars in a past life? I'd definitely love to hear more about Toulouse if Chris would tell us, as I do believe in reincarnation and I'm fascinated by all religious history (including Magdelene theories).

Hope you've had a lovely day.

Hello Pat & Chris

No, I didnt see that documentary, will look out for it if they re-run it! Have not read the book either, am busy reading one by Sean Martin called Cathars THe Perfect Heresy but must admit I am battling a bit with it lol!!!!!

Chris would love to hear your take as well!

cherrybug wrote:

Hello Pat & Chris

No, I didnt see that documentary, will look out for it if they re-run it! Have not read the book either, am busy reading one by Sean Martin called Cathars THe Perfect Heresy but must admit I am battling a bit with it lol!!!!!

Chris would love to hear your take as well!

Hi Pat and Cherry,

Good to hear from you both. I haven't seen the Tony Robinson documentary either but will look out for it.

I struggled with Sean Martin's book too but keep going with it Cherry. I have visited Montsegur, Narbonne, Carcasonne and Mirepoix - all Cathar country. I think Narbonne was the most pleasant of those. Carcasonne is really just the castle and once you've been round it a couple of times you don't feel inclined to go again. Mirepoix is really just a small square with shops and small restaurants - ok when the sun is shining but dire out of season. The buikdings around the square are quite tall to shut out the sun !! Montsegur is very pretty. I don't know much about the connection with Mary Magdalene but will try and investigate more and see what I can dig up. The Cathars are very interesting and I do have a particular interest in Mary Magdalene although haven't undertaken too much research - yes, I know, it's the time!!!

What's Toulouse like??? It's not as good as I thought it would be. It's called the pink city - it's not really pink so I don't know why. It's a typical French city really, dirty, shabby, smelly and very run down in places, so apart from the history it doesn't have too much to offer. There is a market in the Place du Capitole but it's not up to much. To be honest, I don't go into the town centre very often although it only takes 30 mins on the train. Well, it should take 30 mins on the train - that's when they actually run!! The last time I went by train it took two and a half hours and was VERY traumatic so I vowed never to go back - that was last October!! I haven't ventured into town by car as I'd be taking my life in my hands and I've too much to live for - ha ha !! My local town is expanding and has everything I need so I don't think travelling to Toulouse is really worth the bother of it all. Yes, I am a bit disappointed with it to be truthful but I find that a lot of things associated with France tend to be 'urban myths', probably dreamed up by the tourist board. The countryside is very pleasant though.

Spak soon

Hi Chris
What a pity! Mind you any place is really a 'tourist myth' so I can understand your disappointment! When I came to the UK I thought there were still knights and the queen on parade and certainly was not ready for what I saw lol!!!! We live and grow dont we ??!!!

I will now try push through Sean Martin at all costs now... please do keep me posted on your tours and trials, it all sounds absolutely fantastic and will make for a great autobiography

C xxx

Morning Cherry,

No, I haven't visited this place - but will try and make the effort to. We visited a place called Lavardenes not long ago. There is a nice old chateau there. In fact the whole place is very old. It's very small, just a couple of streets really. We had a walk around and I was stunned when we got to the end of one street - I turned to look back and if you ignored the modern cars, the place looked like a set from a WW2 movie. Nothing had changed at all. The houses were all shuttered up (it was lunchtime), just a solitary cat wandering down the street and I half expected to see a tank come round the corner at any minute. Very quaint.

We had some lovely sunshine here yesterday but it was surprisingly cool in the shade. Things are just beginning to stir here now, the sun is out and the birds are singing. Let's hope it stays that way. Wishing you lots of sunshine in your life today. Speak soon.

Hi Chris and Cherry,

for telling us about the area where you live, Chris. Never been to Southern France, but toured around a lot of Northern France and I absolutely adore Laon in Picardy and Compiegne (Glades of Compiegne are beautiful and interesting as that's where WW1 and WW2 Armistice was signed in a railway carriage). I absolutely adore Lisieux as I visited the Shrine of St Terese of the Roses and the Basilica about 6 - 7 years ago (this trip fulfilled a prophecy made to me 20 years prior to my visit). Must admit Rheims didn't do very much for me, didn't find Rheims Cathedral as interesting as many others I'd seen despite French kings and queens once being crowned there) but we visited Verdun on that same trip too and went to Fort Duoumont. We retraced La Voie Sacree (Sacred Way) pathway from Rheims to Verdum that French soldiers once trod. They marched to Verdun in their hundreds, but returned in handfuls and while we were there we visited French war graves. This was a very moving experience. While we were in Laon I went to see remains of an old Knights Templar chapel and Laon Cathedral dates back to Emperor Charlemagne's time so that was really nice. If I can ever afford it, I want to visit West Central France to see Oradour sur Glane one day, site of a famous WW2 massacre. I always pray for the souls of all those who died when I visit war sites or graves. My partner and future son-in-law are very interested in WW1 and WW2 history. Hope you have a lovely day and look forward to chatting again.

Morning Pat,

Oradour sur Glane is on our 'to do' list too. Unfortunately, the weather has been pretty ropey at weekends so far. We can only get out to explore and visit places every other weekend due to my husband's flying commitments. I shall move Oradour to the top of the list and see if we can get there sooner rather than later and then I can give you a report. 30 May will be the earliest so I'll diary it now.

Weather here has remained sunny but it is windy outside and I've had to put on a cardigan.

I had a tarot reading over the phone on Monday from an English lady living in France and I'm still pondering some of the points she made. I'm also trying to set aside time to get my own cards out and work through them. I'm going to start by drawing one a day to get the feel of them.

Have a brilliant day. Speak soon.

Hi Chris,
Great news that you want to visit Oradour, I look forward to hearing what you think of Oradour sur Glane. It's amazing you live near Toulouse, and we've met through this forum. I've been thinking about placing an advert in the local Toulouse newspaper to see if anyone knows if my son is still living there and if he is, if they'd let him know his family's been searching for him for a very long time. S & D's Fonar's brother kindly translated an email for me to send to the newspaper. I've not done it as yet, as at the moment, I've been trying to find Gary through using my 'Searching for my son Gary' Facebook group page and a French genealogist called Kath contacted me via that group. Gary changed his name shortly after he left his flat in Wakefield in 1989, and I've no idea what surname he uses. I've tried Salvation Army, Traceline, Trace 4 U, searched through hundreds of electoral rolls and missing persons websites but no-one's been able to find him. Recently Fate & Fortune mag published a reading Colin Fry did for me when I asked if he could help me find Gary. The reading wasn't very helpful as it was too general, but F & F did include photos of me and Gary with the article so I hoped someone, somewhere would see those who knew where Gary was and be able to tell him his family dearly want to know that he's alive and well. I asked S & D members if they bought F & F if they'd leave their copies (after they'd read them) in public places like a hairdressers, doctor or dentist surgery so it wouldn't be thrown away and could be seen for months to come. Many forum members (who don't normally buy F & F) bought copies especially to help me and left them in places throughout the UK. Some members even sent them to friends in Spain, one member took her copy to France, and Tracey left copies in Corfu in the hope someone visiting or living in those places might recognise Gary and so be able to help me. One S & D member suggested I set up a Gary Facebook page which I did and 740 members joined this (I was overwhelmed by people's kindness). Though I've heard nothing as yet, Kath in France did say her friend knew a private investigator and she'd ask him to do a search for me. No fee if he can't find Gary and £112 if he does. It's been 8 weeks now but I've not heard anything back. Last time I heard anything regarding my son was when family received a phone call (about 9 years ago), from a caller who told us Gary was alive and well and living in Toulouse. Caller said he was helping to run a small guest house there The caller wouldn't divulge anything further as he felt that would betray Gary's trust. I don't even know if Gary's still living in Toulouse, but if I could find his last known address the Salvation Army could look for him again, but without knowing surname he now uses (he uses Kyle as his first name) and his last known address, no agencies can find him. A spirit helper gave me a message shortly after Gary went missing, part of this message said, when the man takes the place of the boy, then I would have the relationship I desire with my son' as everything else given to me at that time came off exactly as predicted, I've always believed one day Gary and I will be reconciled and I pray for that day. He will be 40 in November, his sister hasn't seen him since she was 4 and she's now 24. It's a long story, but if you're interested you'll find it on Facebook. Just thought I'd mention this to you, as you live near a place I long to visit so I could try and find my son, but there's not much chance I will be able to do that now I've been made redundant.

Hope you get lots of sunshine and it's lovely hearing what it's like over there. Look forward to chatting again.

Hi Pat,
Do you know roughly whereabouts in Toulouse he lives? Is it in the centre or in a village outside? I don't know that many people over here but I'll certainly keep my eyes and ears open when I'm looking at the local press etc. Toulouse is a big place and people tend to say they live in Toulouse when in fact they live in a place with a different name. Take us for example, we live in a village called Pibrac, the nearest town is approximately 10 minutes away and that is called Blagnac, it's where the airport is. Toulouse is the nearest city - about 30 minutes away - and that is the place that people have heard of so they tend to say they live in Toulouse. It's a bit like saying you live in London when you actually live in High Wycombe. If you get any more information, let me know and I'll see what I can find anything out for you.

Keep smiling - I'm sure it will happen

Hello Chris and Pat

Glad the weather is getting better (at least in the sunshine!) Hugs all round!

I am sooo excited, finally my UK passport has arrived so I will be heading to paris to visit a friend and finally get to see St Sulpice - not quite Toulose or West France, but a start none-the less!

Had a really horrid day at work but feel so much better chatting here

C xxx