Fiona Alderman: The Baker's Son

Home » Fiona Alderman blogging from The Salignac Foundation France » Fiona Alderman: The Baker’s Son

Fiona Alderman: The Baker’s Son

I have lived here in Salignac for 26 years but didn’t realize something until recently. The time has flown by which hasn’t helped with another birthday in August! I went to a local exhibition in the Mairie recently where a young man, who is an artist, was promoting his father’s bakery here in Salignac. I have known him since he was a baby and his whole family all these years. In two years his father will retire and the bakery will close. In his exhibition Mathias has done a magnificent job of portraying the family business and brought fresh

eyes to his paintings for the past and also the future.

He is a student at Les Beaux Arts in Bordeaux – he presented a touching tribute to his family through paint, fabric and film. He used bread baskets and trolleys in “rough” sculptures to show modernity.

He doesn’t want to be a baker, rather choosing to pursue his artistic career. Although, he grew up with the bread ovens that were huge, hot and even a bit frightening.

The ovens never stopped as his father said he was afraid he couldn’t light them again each day. That, plus the constant whirring of the fridges, made it all a bit overwhelming for a young boy.

He and his family lived up above the bakery in a house that is now used to store stock. It is in Rue Saint Croix, where all the commerce was at the turn of the century. Bars, shops, baker, hotel and a cattle market in la Halle. The family later moved into the centre of the village and main street where we all go for our daily baguette.

This young man was charming and passionate about his work and his lovely family.

The Stone People

river montignac

I was recently in Montignac with a friend for lunch and we walked around enjoying the view and the lively atmosphere as it was market day. We looked at the view over the River Vezere, where it can easily flood in the rainy season. Restaurants and houses line this river and they are often flooded. You can see the lines on the walls where the river has reached.

I like Montignac for its charming winding streets and pretty houses. I noticed on one of the walls a little face etched into the stone. Smiling and mysterious it had huge expressive eyes so I asked Anne Marie about it. She told me they are called Grottiz. Fairy like figures inspired by the coloured stone of the region, and the forests and grottos within.

Created by Beth O’Reilly, who lives and works in Montignac and is known for her work on the facsimiles of Lascaux IV. Her precise reconstructions of the early cave paintings are remarkable.

Her unique little stone people are presented in local markets and events and can be bought to live in gardens or interiors as quirky deco .

My little man was winking at me to take him home !

A Very Quick Cycle Race

cycle race salignac

Yes it happened last weekend. Le Tour du Limousin and Salignac was the departure village. One minute everything was calm and sleepy here, rural France at its very best, then all hell let loose.

The square was filled with promotional tents and a podium set up by the Marie with a live radio broadcast announcing all the teams. I think there were over a 100 cyclists. All very young and fit looking. The race was 184 kilometres long through steep valleys and going North to Lanouaille to finish. This was the first time Salignac had hosted the event, now in it’s 59th year.

Our Mayoress was proud to host the event and gave an enthusiastic speech before it began. The place was crowded and I had trouble finding a spot in the shade to listen to the announcements

At just about midday they set off for a warm up run through the village passing by the Chateau then coming up the hill to begin again. With horns blaring they were off. So quick I couldn’t believe it

In less than a minute they had gone – straight down the steep winding hill and disappeared out of sight

Just before this all the tents and promotion teams had packed up and already it was over

At the end of the day when I returned, it was as if it had never happened. Strange!

Fifi’s stories from rural France

August 2026

This section: Fiona Alderman blogging from The Salignac Foundation France

Filed under: Fiona Alderman blogging from The Salignac Foundation France

Prevous page or post

Written by : Pat Byrne

Publisher of Pat's Guide to Glasgow West End; the community guide to the West End of Glasgow. Fiction and non-fiction writer.

Comments are closed.