Photos, videos and docs of Martin M. Miles, with the keywords: "81"

Castres - Theatre Municipal

nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) — Wed, 29 Oct 2025 21:27:11 +0000

The theater was built near the bishop's palace according to a plan by Toulouse architect Joseph Galinier. The plans were approved in 1898. Construction lasted until 1904.

In 1931, it was converted for film screenings and fell into disuse after World War II. In 1982, it was renovated and subsequently reopened.

Castres - Pierre de Fermat

nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) — Wed, 29 Oct 2025 21:22:26 +0000

Martin M. Miles has posted:

What me brought to Castres the first time, many years ago, was Fermat's Last Theorem.

Pierre de Fermat died in Castres in 1665. Here he scribbled his "Last Theorem" into a book, he was just reading. He stated, that no three positive integers a, b, and c can satisfy the equation an + bn = cn for any integer value of n greater than two. Then (probably with a big grin!) he added "Cuius rei demonstrationem mirabilem sane detexi. Hanc marginis exiguitas non caperet" - claiming, that he had a wonderful proof that was too large to fit in the margin.

For 358 years the theorem was a nut too hard to crack. In 1995 Andrew Wiles and Richard Taylor finally published a proof. Fermat was right. The print out of the proof needed 98 pages of paper.

Castres

nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) — Wed, 29 Oct 2025 21:09:46 +0000

Martin M. Miles has posted:

Colourful houses by the Agout River in the center of Castres. Tanners and dyers have lived and worked here some centuries ago.

Castres has a long history with some very interesting backgrounds and stories. It was even an independent (protestant) republic for a short time (1560). This was the hometown of Jean Jaurès. The local rugby team, was french champion three times (1949, 1950, 1993),

Montagne Noire

nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) — Wed, 29 Oct 2025 18:41:45 +0000

Martin M. Miles has posted:

The route to Castres leads through the “Montagne Noire,” a mountainous region that is obviously ideal for cyclists.

Gaillac - Le Manège Gaillacois

nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) — Thu, 20 Apr 2023 22:20:44 +0000

Martin M. Miles has posted:

Gaillac - Marché de Gaillac

nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) — Thu, 20 Apr 2023 22:08:06 +0000

Martin M. Miles has posted:

Gaillac - Saint-Pierre

nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) — Thu, 20 Apr 2023 21:44:43 +0000

Martin M. Miles has posted:

The town's origins date back to the 10th century when the Benedictine Abbey of St Michel was founded on the banks of the Tarn. Located on the Way of St. James, the abbey existed until the French Revolution.

The city itself benefited from its favorable location: the trade route from the Rouergue to Toulouse crossed the navigable Tarn here, which in turn formed the most important trade route to Bordeaux on the Atlantic coast. Viticulture and the cultivation of woad also contributed to the prosperity of Gaillac.

The Hundred Years' War and then the Black Death epidemic ruined Gaillac: it lost half its population and the wine trade ceased. These disasters were not the last, however, because between 1562 and 1572 , during the Wars of Religion , the city saw repeated fighting between Catholics and Protestants. The Catholics were chased out of the town by Protestants. After their return and the St. Bartholomew's Day massacre on 24 August 1572, in Paris, the Catholic Gaillacois massacred 74 out of the 90 Huguenots in the town.
Gaillac is mainly known for its wine "Gaillac AOC". The region makes claims to be among the earliest viticultural centers of ancient Gaul, though possibly after those of Languedoc around Narbonne. Roman merchants transported wine to Bordeaux and Northern Europe down the Tarn.

A church dedicated to Saint-Pierre already existed in 972, when the Bishop of Albi donated it to the new Abbey of Saint-Michel de Gaillac. It then returned fairly quickly to the dependency of the bishops of Albi. In 1185 Bishop Guillaume V de Pierre donated to the commandant of the hospital. The residents of Gaillac took care of the equipment of the hospital.

The church was rebuilt in the Gothic style from 1271 on, retaining some Romanesque elements. This work ended around 1330 with the construction of the nave and the installation of a western portal. During the Wars of Religion in 1562, the Protestants occupied and used the church for a time. After the massacre of the Huguenots the Protestant troops managed to conquer Gaillac. During the two-year occupation, the church was looted and partially destroyed. The church was immediately rebuilt at the end of this period

Gaillac - Saint-Pierre

nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) — Thu, 20 Apr 2023 19:45:13 +0000

Martin M. Miles has posted:

Gaillac - Saint-Pierre

nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) — Wed, 19 Apr 2023 21:57:08 +0000

Martin M. Miles has posted:

Gaillac - Saint-Michel

nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) — Wed, 19 Apr 2023 21:25:57 +0000

Martin M. Miles has posted:

The town's origins date back to the 10th century when the Benedictine Abbey of St Michel was founded on the banks of the Tarn. Located on the Way of St. James, the abbey existed until the French Revolution.

The city itself benefited from its favorable location: the trade route from the Rouergue to Toulouse crossed the navigable Tarn here, which in turn formed the most important trade route to Bordeaux on the Atlantic coast. Viticulture and the cultivation of woad also contributed to the prosperity of Gaillac.

The Hundred Years' War and then the Black Death epidemic ruined Gaillac: it lost half its population and the wine trade ceased. These disasters were not the last, however, because between 1562 and 1572, during the Wars of Religion, the city saw repeated fighting between Catholics and Protestants. The Catholics were chased out of the town by Protestants. After their return and the St. Bartholomew's Day massacre on 24 August 1572, in Paris, the Catholic Gaillacois massacred 74 out of the 90 Huguenots in the town.
Gaillac is mainly known for its wine "Gaillac AOC". The region makes claims to be among the earliest viticultural centers of ancient Gaul, though possibly after those of Languedoc around Narbonne. Roman merchants transported wine to Bordeaux and Northern Europe down the Tarn.

The Abbey of Saint-Michel was founded in 972 when the Bishop of Albi entrusted a domain to the Benedictine order to found an abbey there. The abbey was built on the banks of the Tarn on a site once occupied by a Gallo-Roman villa. Viticulture was "restarted" where the Romans already had significant agricultural development. A port was built which allowed the wine to be exported to Bordeaux.

The church was built as an abbey church.

From the 12th century, Gaillac had become an important town and was seeing an influx of new residents. So the monks partially converted their church into a parish church and kept the choir for themselves.
After the religious wars ended, the building was restored over the next two centuries. During the French Revolution, the church was plundered, then confiscated and used as a warehouse and saltpeter factory. New repairs were made during the restoration, during which the nave adopted a neoclassical style, which lasted until 1849 when a neo-Romanesque portal was added to the west.

Gaillac - Saint-Michel

nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) — Wed, 19 Apr 2023 21:11:50 +0000

Martin M. Miles has posted:

The town's origins date back to the 10th century when the Benedictine Abbey of St Michel was founded on the banks of the Tarn. Located on the Way of St. James, the abbey existed until the French Revolution.

The city itself benefited from its favorable location: the trade route from the Rouergue to Toulouse crossed the navigable Tarn here, which in turn formed the most important trade route to Bordeaux on the Atlantic coast. Viticulture and the cultivation of woad also contributed to the prosperity of Gaillac.

The Hundred Years' War and then the Black Death epidemic ruined Gaillac: it lost half its population and the wine trade ceased. These disasters were not the last, however, because between 1562 and 1572 , during the Wars of Religion , the city saw repeated fighting between Catholics and Protestants. The Catholics were chased out of the town by Protestants. After their return and the St. Bartholomew's Day massacre on 24 August 1572, in Paris, the Catholic Gaillacois massacred 74 out of the 90 Huguenots in the town.
Gaillac is mainly known for its wine "Gaillac AOC". The region makes claims to be among the earliest viticultural centers of ancient Gaul, though possibly after those of Languedoc around Narbonne. Roman merchants transported wine to Bordeaux and Northern Europe down the Tarn.

The Abbey of Saint-Michel was founded in 972 when the Bishop of Albi entrusted a domain to the Benedictine order to found an abbey there. The abbey was built on the banks of the Tarn on a site once occupied by a Gallo-Roman villa. Viticulture was "restarted" where the Romans already had significant agricultural development. A port was built which allowed the wine to be exported to Bordeaux.

The church was built as an abbey church.

From the 12th century, Gaillac had become an important town and was seeing an influx of new residents. So the monks partially converted their church into a parish church and kept the choir for themselves.
After the religious wars ended, the building was restored over the next two centuries. During the French Revolution, the church was plundered, then confiscated and used as a warehouse and saltpetre factory. New repairs were made during the restoration, during which the nave adopted a neoclassical style, which lasted until 1849, when a neo-Romanesque portal was added to the west.

Gaillac - Abbaye Saint-Michel

nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) — Wed, 19 Apr 2023 18:04:20 +0000

Martin M. Miles has posted:

The town's origins date back to the 10th century when the Benedictine Abbey of St Michel was founded on the banks of the Tarn. Located on the Way of St. James, the abbey existed until the French Revolution.

The city itself benefited from its favorable location: the trade route from the Rouergue to Toulouse crossed the navigable Tarn here, which in turn formed the most important trade route to Bordeaux on the Atlantic coast. Viticulture and the cultivation of woad also contributed to the prosperity of Gaillac.

The Hundred Years' War and then the Black Death epidemic ruined Gaillac: it lost half its population and the wine trade ceased. These disasters were not the last, however, because between 1562 and 1572 , during the Wars of Religion , the city saw repeated fighting between Catholics and Protestants. The Catholics were chased out of the town by Protestants. After their return and the St. Bartholomew's Day massacre on 24 August 1572, in Paris, the Catholic Gaillacois massacred 74 out of the 90 Huguenots in the town.
Gaillac is mainly known for its wine "Gaillac AOC". The region makes claims to be among the earliest viticultural centers of ancient Gaul, though possibly after those of Languedoc around Narbonne. Roman merchants transported wine to Bordeaux and Northern Europe down the Tarn.

The Abbey of Saint-Michel was founded in 972 when the Bishop of Albi entrusted a domain to the Benedictine order to found an abbey there. The abbey was built on the banks of the Tarn on a site once occupied by a Gallo-Roman villa. Viticulture was "restarted" where the Romans already had significant agricultural development. A port was built which allowed the wine to be exported to Bordeaux.

This abbey is initially under the influence of the Cluniac Abbey of Saint-Pierre de Moissac. However, in 1079 it was annexed to the Abbey of La Chaise-Dieu. The monastic domain was relatively spared from the scorched earth policy of the Albigensian Crusade. As soon as peace returned, the wine trade was resumed. In 1273 their income enabled a partial reconstruction of the abbey. In 1524 it was secularized, a canon's monastery replaced the parish, the abbey title was retained.

After the destruction attributed to the Huguenots, the abbey was rebuilt and redecorated between 1570 and 1620. The Abbey prospered again with the wine trade.
During the French Revolution, the Saint-Michel Abbey and its domain were sold as national property by the revolutionaries.

The remaining buildings of the old abbey were restored in 1997. They now house a museum and a wine-tasting cellar .

Lisle-sur-Tarn - Notre-Dame de la Jonquière

nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) — Wed, 19 Apr 2023 12:35:37 +0000

Martin M. Miles has posted:

The history of Lisle-sur-Tarn begins with the destruction of the fortified village of Montaigu by Simon de Montfort's troops during the Albigensian Crusade.

After 1229, with the approval and support of Raymond VII de Toulouse, a new "bastide" was created to house the former inhabitants of Montaigut and to respond to the increase in population.

A bull of Pope Nicholas IV from 1291 grants an indulgence of 405 days to those who visit the Church of Notre-Dame de Lisle on certain feast days.

Notre-Dame de la Jonquière is a 13th and14th-centuryy Tolosan Gothic-style brick building with three naves. The high - initially square, then octagonal - west tower with a pointed helmet does not correspond to the building traditions of the Midi, in which crossing towers and not west towers are in the foreground. After 1271, the year in which the former county of Toulouse was incorporated into the French crown domain, building ideas from the north were also adopted in the south of France.

Lisle-sur-Tarn - Notre-Dame de la Jonquière

nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) — Tue, 18 Apr 2023 21:50:40 +0000

Martin M. Miles has posted:

Lisle-sur-Tarn - Notre-Dame de la Jonquière

nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) — Tue, 18 Apr 2023 21:34:27 +0000

Martin M. Miles has posted:

Rabastens - Quincaillerie

nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) — Tue, 18 Apr 2023 20:45:06 +0000

Martin M. Miles has posted:

Rabastens - Notre-Dame du Bourg

nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) — Tue, 18 Apr 2023 13:50:54 +0000

Martin M. Miles has posted:

The remains of a Gallo-Roman settlement were discovered as early as 1840. This settlement was replaced by the Visigoths. Their fortifications here controlled the route from Toulouse to Lyon, as there was a ford to cross the river.

At the end of the 12th century, the beginning of the 13th century, the town was a stronghold of the Cathars. During the Albigensian Crusade, Rabastens was loyal to Raymond VII of Toulouse, who lost - and so the town had to demolish its walls in 1229.

As in Castelsarrasin, the "shepherds" (Crusade of the Shepherds, Croisade des pastoureaux) attacked the Jewish communities. In 1337, during the Hundred Years War, the troops of Gaston Febus, Count of Foix and Béarn, massacred more than a thousand men inside the city walls.

The Notre-Dame du Bourg church was built between 1230 and 1260 on the initiative of the Benedictine monks of Moissac, who were present at the priory in the 12th century. It has a large, rectangular, single-nave nave and is made entirely of brick modeled on the Saint-Étienne Cathedral in Toulouse. In the 14th century, Prior Bernard Latour decided to add a polygonal chancel to the nave.

In July 2022 the church was under renovation and closed.

Rabastens - Notre-Dame du Bourg

nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) — Tue, 18 Apr 2023 13:38:19 +0000

Martin M. Miles has posted:

Albi - Millinery

nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) — Wed, 24 Mar 2021 21:54:20 +0000

Martin M. Miles has posted:

After a bottle of wine, I was slowly walking home through Albi. It was pretty dark. I was remembering the movie "Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb" when I saw this glowing millinery shop. So the title changed to "Night in Albi: Secret of the Milliner". But that is another movie.

Cordes-sur-Ciel

nobody@ipernity.com (Martin M. Miles) — Wed, 24 Mar 2021 21:27:10 +0000

Martin M. Miles has posted:

Cordes-sur-Ciel lies high above the banks of the Cérou river. So in 1993, when tourism got more important. So in 1993, it got the surname "sur-Ciel".

The village was founded as a bastide in 1222 by Raymond VII, Count of Toulouse, a strong opponent of the infamous Simon de Montfort during the Albigensian Crusade. It was built, to protect the scattered population of the area from conflict.

By the 1229 Treaty of Paris, Raymond conceded defeat to Louis IX of France. When in 1241, Jeanne, the Countess of Toulouse, married the brother of Louis IX Cordes became a part of France in 1271 without having been militarily conquered.

During the "golden age", when Cordes was a centre of the leather and wool trade, the merchants could afford houses with Gothic facades. The facades are populated by little monkeys.