I am sure that despite my naivety spring is approaching. I was acutely aware of a pair of blackbirds twittering excitedly in the way they do when evenings begin to lengthen. I was on my way back home following a visit to the Ribérac cultural centre to view an exhibition of photographs entitled "Le Ribéracois d'hier et d'aujourdhui". The early 1900s post card scenes were provided by M. Jean Claude Noël from his private collection. M, Noel lives at the nearby village of Vanxains. The Centre Culturel Atelier Photographies de Ribérac provided the up to date mirror image photographs of the ancienne cartes postales which make such a compelling comparison.
A busy scene from the ancienne gare de Ribérac, probably taken in the early 1900s
No passengers, staff or activity. The people have all taken to their cars
You can just make out the station name above the two doors engraved in the stone, Ribérac
Around the walls there were several postcards depicting nearby railway stations including the one here at Ribérac and whilst the building remains, albeit in excellent conditon, the use has changed. People in the UK, of a certain age, bemoan the tactics of Dr Beeching who set about the UK rail network with some gusto when wielding his axe in the early sixties. Well, it is quite apparent that France had its own version of Dr B because driving around the countryside one can evidence many buildings that now stand empty, idle and in a lot of cases sadly overgrown. When passing such buildings I often think that with a little love and attention what amazing dwellings they would make. They all follow an architectural pattern laid down by the French state in days gone by and exude an air of honesty and solidity. I don't think enough people think about converting them into homes for surely for the same amount of money spent on constructing a new 'pavillon' a new lease of life could be given to these buildings that inhabit the roadsides of France.
On the left, a grand café, long gone. On the right the Café des Colonnes, still a favourite haunt for Ribérac locals who wish to pause for a coffee, wine or beer
The local cinema 'Max Linder' as it was when it was the Foyer Municipal
The view that greets cinema goers in 2011
I was in here this morning getting two keys cut
Interesting to note that despite the passage of 100 years the shop remains a Quincaillerie
Ribérac is no museum piece and indeed everything has to serve a practical purpose here. Therefore one can take solace in the fact that the pace of change remains reassuringly slow. One has time to adjust and take stock before being faced with the acceptance of the new. This is the very essence of why many people want to come and live in Ribérac, there is everything you could possibly want on your doorstep from all the different types of building materials to a beautifully baked 'baguette tradition'. It seems Ribérac has struck the balance of looking to the future with investment with, for example, a renewal of its sewage and drinking water systems and small scale industrial estates whilst remaining fiecely proud of its past. Who knows what Ribérac will look like in another 100 years?
At the turn of the last century when it stood as the Sous-Prefecture of the Dordogne, Ribérac's Mairie
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