Montolieu: A Village for Writers in France

By Susan R. Norton

A writers' workshop in the South of France beckoned me to join 12 other writers and our teacher, Terry Wolverton, in the medieval town of Montolieu, an officially designated Historic Book Village.

After four days in Paris, topped off by a Vivaldi concert in the Église de Sainte Chapelle, we headed out for six days in Montolieu. First, we flew to Toulouse, then took a train to Carcassonne, and a traditional black English taxi for the 20-minute ride to Montolieu, passing fields of sunflowers, lavender, and grapes.

Surrounded on three sides by rivers and on the fourth by a château built in 1146, Montolieu is a whimsical mountain-top hideaway left alone by the rest of the world's fevered rush to the millennium.

Our first stop was La Café du Livre, where we would have our workshop meetings twice a day, plus breakfast and dinner. Above the café is hidden The International Inkwell Hotel of Writers, consisting of five small bedrooms, all unique and charming. All you have to do is close your eyes and you can easily imagine someone like Victor Hugo happily cloistered here for solitude, inspiration, and great food.

Montolieu has only 800 citizens but features 10 bookstores plus paper shops, bookbinders, calligraphers, and printers. The village square, adjoining the massive cathedral, has a beguiling fountain and is a marvelous place to read, write, or watch the locals play péntanque. Our last night there we sneaked out at midnight for our own rousing game.

The villagers alone make the town unique. They are warm and welcoming. It must be against the law to fail to greet a passing stranger with a smile and a "Bonjour." Just strolling through the lazy streets calmed my frenetic L.A. soul.

Bells seem to be ringing at all times of the day from the church or a nearby abbey of cloistered nuns. For one who is used to hearing only car horns, it was a meaningful experience.

Twice daily, the Mayor turns on his public sound system, plays music (the week I was there, he was in a marching band mood), then announces what is going on in town--from poetry readings to the book fair in the town square. Stalls are set up and people come from the area to sell, buy, and socialize. Rare and second-hand books are offered, along with honey, cheese, and regional wines from the surrounding Languedoc region.

Hotel Information: The International Inkwell Hotel for Writers, Rue de la Marie, 11170 Montolieu, Aude, France; (011) 33-46824-8117, fax (011) 33-46824-8321. From November through April contact: P.O. Box 477689, Chicago, IL 60647; fax (773) 278-3849; Inlink@compuserve.com.

To learn more about Montolieu contact: Montolieu Information Center (011) 33-4-68-24-80-04, fax (011) 33-4-68-24-80-11 or Anne Block at Take My Mother, Please; (323) 737-2200, fax (323) 737-2229.

SUSAN R. NORTON, who lives in Santa Monica, CA, has had over 40 poems published in journals and anthologies.