Tolosa

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Romanesque architecture in Toulouse, southern France.

Couvent des Jacobins

Cathedrale de Saint Étienne

Gothic interior

Basilique de Saint Sernin.

Musée des Augustins

Knights Templar facade, Rue de la Dalbade: l'hotel Molinier.

Basilique de Limoux

The Master of Animals, Pagan God self icons

 Photo slideshow with Troubadour musical accompaniment!

12th Century Troubadour Poetry.

Anonymous: A l’entrada del temps clar (Occitan)

A l’entrada del temps clar, eya

Per jòia recomençar, eya

E per jelós irritar, eya

Vòl la regina mostrar

Qu’el’es si amorosa

A la vi’, a la via, jelós,

Laissatz nos, laissatz nos

Balar entre nos, entre nos. 

El’ a fait pertot mandar, eya

Non sia jusqu’à la mar, eya

Piucela ni bachalar, eya

Que tuit non vengan dançar

En la dansa joiosa.

A la vi’, a la via, jelós,

Laissatz nos, laissatz nos

Balar entre nos, entre nos. 

Lo reis i ven d’autra part, eya

Per la dança destorbar, eya

Que el es en cremetar, eya

Que òm no li vòlh emblar

La regin’ aurilhosa.

A la vi’, a la via, jelós,

Laissatz nos, laissatz nos

Balar entre nos, entre nos. 

Mais per nïent lo vòl far, eya

Qu’ela n’a sonh de vielhart, eya

Mais d’un leugièr bachalar, eya

Qui ben sapcha solaçar

La dòmna saborosa.

A la vi’, a la via, jelós,

Laissatz nos, laissatz nos

Balar entre nos, entre nos. 

Qui donc la vezés dançar, eya

E son gent còrs deportar, eya

Ben pògra dir de vertat, eya

Qu’el mont non aja sa par

La regina joiosa.

A la vi’, a la via, jelós,

Laissatz nos, laissatz nos

Balar entre nos, entre nos

When Spring Comes (English translation)

When the clear days come, eya

To be joyful again, eya

And to annoy the jealous ones, eya

The queen wants to show

That she’s so amorous.

Go away, go away, you jealous ones,

Let us, let us,

Dance together, together.

She had a message sent everywhere, eya

That as far as the sea, eya

Let there be neither maiden nor young man, eya

Who shall not come to dance,

The joyous dance.

Go away, go away, you jealous ones,

Let us, let us,

Dance together, together.

The king comes, eya

To disturb the dance, eya

For he is very afraid, eya

That someone will want to steal,

The April Queen.

Go away, go away, you jealous ones.

Let us, let us,

Dance together, together.

But she wouldn’t let him do it, eya

For she needs not an old man, eya

But a graceful young one, eya

Who would well know how to comfort,

The delightful lady.

Go away, go away, you jealous ones,

Let us, let us,

Dance together, together.

Whoever would see her dance, eya

And her pretty body move, eya

Could well say, in truth, eya

That in all the world she has no equal,

The joyous queen.

Go away, go away, you jealous ones,

Let us, let us,

Dance together, together.

Rambaut de Vaquieras: Kalenda Maia (Occitan)

Kalenda maia

Ni fueills de faia

Ni chans d'auzell ni flors de glaia

Non es qe.m plaia,

Pros dona gaia,

Tro q'un isnell messagier aia

Del vostre bell cors, qi.m retraia

Plazer novell q'amors m'atraia

E jaia,

E.m traia

Vas vos, donna veraia,

E chaia

De plaia

.l gelos, anz qe.m n'estraia.

Ma bell' amia,

Per Dieu non sia

Qe ja.l gelos de mon dan ria,

Qe car vendria

Sa gelozia,

Si aitals dos amantz partia;

Q'ieu ja joios mais non seria,

Ni jois ses vos pro no.m tenria;

Tal via

Faria

Q'oms ja mais no.m veiria;

Cell dia

Morria,

Donna pros, q'ie.us perdria.

Con er perduda

Ni m'er renduda

Donna, s'enanz non l'ai aguda

Qe drutz ni druda

Non es per cuda;

Mas qant amantz en drut si muda,

L'onors es granz qe.l n'es creguda,

E.l bels semblanz fai far tal bruda;

Qe nuda

Tenguda

No.us ai, ni d'als vencuda;

Volguda,

Cresuda

Vos ai, ses autr'ajuda.

Tart m'esjauzira,

Pos ja.m partira,

Bells Cavalhiers, de vos ab ira,

Q'ailhors no.s vira

Mos cors, ni.m tira

Mos deziriers, q'als non dezira;

Q'a lauzengiers sai q'abellira,

Donna, q'estiers non lur garira:

Tals vira,

Sentira

Mos danz, qi.lls vos grazira,

Qe.us mira,

Cossira

Cuidanz, don cors sospira.

Tant gent comensa,

Part totas gensa,

Na Beatritz, e pren creissensa

Vostra valensa;

Per ma credensa,

De pretz garnitz vostra tenensa

E de bels ditz, senes failhensa;

De faitz grazitz tenetz semensa;

Siensa,

Sufrensa

Avetz e coneissensa;

Valensa

Ses tensa

Vistetz ab benvolensa.

Donna grazida,

Qecs lauz' e crida

Vostra valor q'es abellida,

E qi.us oblida,

Pauc li val vida,

Per q'ie.us azor, donn' eissernida;

Qar per gencor vos ai chauzida

E per meilhor, de prez complida,

Blandida,

Servida

Genses q'Erecs Enida.

Bastida,

Finida,

N'Engles, ai l’estampida.

The First of May (English Translation)

Neither calends of May,

nor leaves of beech

nor songs of bird, nor gladiolus flowers

are of my liking,

o noble and merry lady,

until I have a fleet messenger

of your beautiful person to tell me

of new pleasures love and joy

are bringing;

and I repair

to you, true lady;

and let me crush

and strike

the jealous, before I depart from here.

My beautiful friend

by God, this never be:

that out of jealousy one scoffs at my harm,

he'd command a dear price

for his jealousy

if it were such as to part two lovers;

Since never again I'd be happy

nor would I know happiness, without you;

I'd take

such a way

that I'd never be seen by men again;

that day

I'll die,

brave lady, in which I lose you.

How could I lose

or retrieve

a lady, before I have had her?

neither leman nor lover

is such by imagination alone;

but when a suitor turns into a lover

great is the honour he has accrued,

such is the fame produced by a sweet glance;

yet naked

held

you I have never, nor others have won you;

longed for,

obeyed

you I have, without any meed.

I'd hardly rejoice

should I part from you,

my Beautiful Knight, in sorrow,

since it doesn't turn anywhere else

my hart, nor drags me

my desire, since it desires naught else.

The slanderers, I know, would be pleased,

lady, as otherwise they'd find no peace.

Such one would see

and listen to

my loss, who would be indebted to you for it

as he looks at you

and considers

in his presumption, for which my heart sighs.

So kindly blossoms,

shining above all,

noble Beatriz, and so kindly grows

your valour;

in my opinion

your dominion is adorned with worth

and of fair speech, without doubt.

You are the source of gracious deeds;

learning

and mercy

you have, along with knowledge;

valour

beyond all dispute

you clothe in kindness.

Gracious lady,

everyone praises and proclaims

your worth, which gives such pleasure;

and he who forgets you,

prizes life but a trifle

and so I adore you, distinguished lady;

since I have chosen you as the kindest

and as the best, laden with worth,

I have flattered

and served

you more kindly than Eric did Enid.

Composed,

and ended,

Dame Engles, I have the estampida.