France, Laurel and Eline                     

    Around 1998 in the USA. (left me and on the right Laurel)                               Youghiogheny river in Ohiopyle state park, white water rafting. We were a lot younger, around 1998-1999?     

Our enthusiasm it nicely divided; Laurel greatly appreciated the acting talent of Jeremy Clyde and I do appreciate Will Lyman's. ;) We were longing to see Crossbow back again. When talking about the episodes we found out that we had not seen all the episodes, it created a kind of curiosity. We decided to make a site about it. Later my husband joined us. The thought was: maybe there were others who loved it just as much as we did and we like to hear from them. And besides we think Crossbow should not be forgotten. I visited here in the USA. A lot of fun and adventure. The photo on the right: I remember the rafting trip like yesterday ... A wild white river and beautiful butterflies everywhere. A nice experience and a great state park! I remember our tough mate fell out of the boat. It was during a rough stretch of the river and there were many of them! All the girls, who were still in the boat, had a tough job to get him back in ; he was built like Schwarzenegger and pretty heavy ;) see the photo :) We did overnight camping in old tents in the forest with a whole group of stargazing and the tension of the bears that lived in this forest, luckily not encountered.

  My Youth 

Introduction to the series of Crossbow

My friend                                                  Me and my friend, he was import to me. Our parents were close friends. I'm glad I got to know him. Unfortunately it ended very badly. I lost him in 1985, due to cancer. After this hard situation, I found out Crossbow was a nice escape. 20 minutes a week seemed to cheer me up after this big loss ;) It gave me something to dream of. The beautiful horses of Luraschi and the castles. Holland is quite flat and has no unspoilt nature. The story of Tell grabbed me. Perhaps I recognized the sadness that hung around Tell during the first season, combined by the music of Syrewicz).

Horses

Mario Luraschi

Collaboration

    The story Laurel likes to share with you, will certainly come. :) Here some pictures of her and out trips.     Laurel and me in Williamsburg                             

Below: during the millenium, London. New years eve. 

Early in the morning at the twin towers, two years before they fell 1999                                                              Time Square

Out with the girls

Going out in Washington

Relaxing and chatting at the porch of Laurel's house. Baron, the dog wants also some attention.

Although I had fever during that week, it was as always a fun day together with Laurel!

While seeing thise picture I always get a deya-vu of a previous visit to a theme parc. That was almost like the Lampoon's vacation. Drove 4 hour and found

out it was closed because of a special reason. A total drive of 8 hours! But we've had a lot of fun.

We jumped together! Fun! I was in charge pulling the cord to jump..but where was the cord?

On the horses of Laurel's neighbours. We made a very cool trail aside an old railway and through the forest and rocky fields. I think it was around 1998.

                                                                                                                                      Hiking at the rocky riverside                

Laurel did a good job! The brand looks pretty familiar to me. Almost could smell the brewery when I was young.

A city ride with the Clydedale horse

Going out in Philadelphia

Philadelphia, Rocky steps

                              Liberty Bell                                               

Laurel and...

Laurel, Chad Stuart, Jeremy Clyde, Peter Asher and David Prowse

Laurel and David Prowse (in Crossbow in episode 'Lost City' and also 'Darth Vader' in Starwars)

Eline's first horse 'Funsy.' With this horse you noticed that you are alive.

   2004 What a privilege to ride such a beautiful horse

                        Me on Friesian gelding Melle at Vlieland, 2004                                                    

Work with horses

Vacation job. I used to guide ponycamps, children swimming with horses, this one wanted to go out of the sea :)

Together we met the sunrise on the beach on the most beautiful Unesco Wadden island Terschelling.

Below: Meeting up in Harlingen, the Netherlands, Wadden

 

Our horse in 2017

 Lipizzan horses

Coincidently those Lipizzan horses came on my way. I was allowed to ride 3 beautiful mares from a Dutch breeder. This breed is used in 'The Spanish riding school' and comes from Slovenia, Lipica.

These mares were mainly used for breeding and were in the country. They were ridden rarely. I would have liked to have stayed longer than two years but I got too busy and taveling was long.

They have a nice movement, they ride well, are not that big and they are beautiful. Tell's horse is also of this breed. If the name of Tell's horse 'Napolitano' is also the bloodline name,

then these horses happen to be related somehow.

The Andalusian

This white mare I used to ride a few years ago. Do I look happy?

Enough about magical horses for now...;)

Always interested in ruins and hiking trips. Me in the south of Spain '98 with my friend Jacqueline More about the French hikes down this site.

Will Lyman

Me and Patrick met Will in the summer of 2003. It was in the year 1997, I received my first letter of Will. I still remember that moment. The years before internet became popular. Me and my husband finally met Will in 2003. His motto probably was "If you do it, then do it well." And he did. We really loved it! In our youth hostel we got a bunch of 'welcome' flowers. What a pleasant surprise, how nice! Will picked us up and invited us for lunch. These days were so great. We combined the interview with a short city trip. Visit the places around and went whale watching. Will advised us where to take the boat and told us about his experience to be close to the whales. We didn't get that close as he got because of the stormy weather that day, but it was a great experience. We saw a mother and baby whale swimming together. Also Laurel came to visit for a day by train (from NY). It was very nice! Will picked us up and we were invited for lunch. He took all the time to answer the questions and the questions brought many beautiful stories! It was very nice talking to him. Before we even knew we were hours further...We were amazed how much he remembered from so long ago and so much fun to listen to all those stories! We had a very nice day and this day became a lot longer than we thought). A very pleasant and fun experience to remember very well. It was about everything, not only Crossbow. I think this was the best way to get to know Will, to hear what else he has done in his profession, his view on things, how much fun he has in theater. Nice! I would liked to see him in King Lear a few years ago. But it is a bit far for me ;)

Will, a man we respect much because he stays so ordinary, never puts himself into the spotlight, except on stage or as a chairman, dares to look at situations from different sides

and is highly appreciated by many. And above all, he always seems friendly and very respectful to everyone.

Jeremy Clyde

Dominique Hulin

'The gentle giant'

He got role in Highlander The series, Napoleon and Josephine The Lovestory and Moonraker with Anne Lonnberg (Tell's wife).

Around 1986 he and Anne Lonnberg met again in Crossbow in episode 'Santuary.'

For more click here

Painting

I would like to pick it up painting soon and am curious what will happen. Who knows, maybe I will start with French villages and perhaps I will illustrate a book. I'm Painting since I was 10. I like to paint

in different style and discover different materials. I got excited again to pick up painting and use new insights. There is always something to improve. One day I hope to illustrate seriously.

A selection of my work as a teenager. Most are from '91 to '95. The rose is an exception and most recently painted.

                             Left: Aquarel  second one my first oil painting. I never took classes for this technique and ran into certain things. They are reduced in size.

I remember I painted this on thin scrap paper within 5 minutes (on an internship). A freehand drawing (some way I always like it)

    Andalusian Grace                                           Welsh pony                                                                       Friesians          

All from  1992  1993   1994

                              Diane, the woman with the beautiful glance      Cher (from a magazin, I can't suppress saying: no fan of her who cutting off her ribs for beauty ideal)

A birth announcement cards

First drawing of aquarel '91                                                                                  I never had the chance to finish these two below                                  

Sketches

                                                                                                             Phil Collins '92     

My youngest                          From a magazine 1990                                      

Crossbow related work

                                         Tell and Napolitano, Oil paint                  Gessler, '94 I've chosen a style with hard lines and only two colors

The only portrait I ever made of Tell. Drawn from a scene in episode 10, The Stallion. Scene: Tell catched by

Eléanor's men at the riverside. Made in '98 and later this year I finished it (2019). I enjoyed finishing it after 20 years, I think I need to pick

this up again, it was fun! Around 1998 I sent it to Will Lyman, I had made it as good as I could then. Now I have completed the same watercolor

(from the same time) with the technique I have now learned. But there is always something to learn.

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Beau France

The other half of this site is about the pictures of beautiful places we've discovered in 'beau France.'

(in many cases pretty close to Crossbow locations)

Carcassonne

(not Crossbow) Biggest castle of Europe. And the beautiful old bridge in front.

After Paris and Mont-Saint-Michel, it is the largest tourist attraction in France. The most famous attraction is the fully restored fortified old town, La Cité de Carcassonne.

This Ville fortifiée historique de Carcassonne has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1997.

It is an exceptional example of a medieval city in Europe, almost completely preserved, and the largest preserved fortress from the Middle Ages.

We have been here several times. Last time at night suring a concert in the amphiteatre of the chateau.

The old castle is full of life in summer nights! And so beautifully illuminated.

The Basilica of Saint-Nazaire in the Cité. (Carcassonne)

Walking around this impressive church in the middle of the night is impressive! It has gothic and romanesque elements in it.

Some candles were burning at night. I've been in Carcassonne three times. Always nice to return. The last time I visited it, was at the amfitheater for a concert.

Then we walked through the castle for a while and then you are busy! 90 towers! Many terraces were open, very cozy atmosphere.

Always highly recommended, especially in the evening and night.

Las Tours

                                                                                                I like the towers in combination with the Cypresses (No Crossbow location)                                                                               

Just a break during a long hike to the ruins of Las Tours (close to Carcassonne).

A walk to the misty towers of le Merle. It wasn't easy to find it. Can you see how beautiful it is lying there in the misty valley?

I still regret there was not time to walk to it.

Hiking in Lozere

I remember we arrived quite late and almost walked alone. Some rocks are connected with bridges.

There are so many beautifully shaped rocks in this park among beautiful trees. A beautiful experience.

In our enthusiasm of all the rocks we saw, we even lost each other for a moment.

Montpellier Le Vieux, hike

A wavy rock                                                                                                             

The red rocks

 Those beautiful colored places can be found in several areas of the Provence. You will find these shades in the area of ​​Opedde le Vieux and Senanque.

Below some photos when the sun shines on those colorful rocks. When the evening son shines on the rocks, it's like fire.

With our kids, 2018                                                                                                             The red rocks, so beautiful.                           

The earth is flaming red and orange. Sometimes it tends to turn yellow or even green and when the sun sets it turns dark purple. The Provence has also large nature reserves,

the ocher cliffs and the quarries in Luberon. The ocher was initially used for petroglyphs, rediscovered during the French Revolution and sold worldwide as a colorfast dye for a century.

These days, ocher is gaining popularity again as a natural pigment that is used in many (art) activities such as painting, decorative art, pottery and construction.

So beautiful, let us becareful with these places...

The pink lake with it's great castle! In Camargue.

To get to the opposite of this lake you can go by train or rent a horse through the marshland. Never take the car to the marshland. ;)

For Camargue horses in the south, click here for more information about this horse.

                                                                                                                                          and many flamingo's in the Camargue

Epierre (in the series 'Clermont' and 'Albion')

Below the lavender fields in Valensole, there are also some in the east and on the foot of the Mont Ventoux near Sault.

The mountains seems blue, the flowers are purple..single trees, a small house. I reall enjoy this place and also the local lavender museum!

I love the trees, the blue colored mountains in the back and most of all my sweet girl who is enjoying the fields.

The flower is already somewhat dry and the lavender harvest is about to start.

In front of the Mont Blanc

Below mountain climbers of the Mont Blanc, zoomed in though I have a straight look on the mountain but more of the climbers almost invisible with the naked eye.

Les Baux, late in the evening

Les Baux a place to return

Chateau la Caze, Lozere

 Spending one night at La Caze was so great! This photo below is shot by me on a spring evening. The water of the Tarn is so clear!

You can look at it for a long time. Many big fishes to see, when the river is flowing slowly you can easily see a barbel fishes.

While hiking down to the river we found many green and lightblue Emerald Lizard. 

I think I need to go back to this area because there seems more to see.

    Pont du Gard

Nowadays protected by a park with entrance fee and supervision. Not a bad idea in times of grafitti and mass tourism.

My modern travel-loving grandmother used to visit it, but then unprotected, no fences (about 30 40 years ago).

                                                     Pont du gard on a rainy day                                            I always see the eagle head in these rocks of Les Baux                            

Boulbon castle

I think the first time I went to Boulbon was about 2012. It was at the top of the list. I have been there three times since I was often in the area.

Yet I thought the castle looked much smaller than in the series. That was also due to the camera tricks. But it remains a beautiful castle with a beautiful area around it!

The trees and the castle are hardened by the mistral wind. The pine trees formed by the mistral wind are very characteristic and make it absolutely beautiful!

The Puys

The location became a World Heritage site in 2018.

The Chaîne des Puys

A north-south oriented chain of cinder cones, lava domes, and maars in the Massif Central of France. The chain is about 40 km (25 mile) long.

and the identified volcanic features include 48 cinder cones, eight lava domes, and 15 maars and explosion craters.

Its highest point is the lava dome of Puy de Dôme, located near the middle of the chain, which is 1,465 m (4,806 ft) high.

The name of the range comes from a French term, 'puy,' that refers to a volcanic mountain with a rounded profile.

Chaîne des Puys

Monolithic Church of Saint-Jean of Aubeterre 

       While traveling the Dordogne, we visit this cave/church.

The church was carved in the 7th century and in the 12th century greatly enlarged by a community of Benedictine monks.

There are also tombs in the church. It's not large but very impressive! 

The Subterranean monolithic church of Saint-Jean is one of the main rock-hewn churches of France. It has two "sisters" in the region:

the Monolithic church of Saint-Émilion and the Chapel of the Hermitage of Saint-Martial at Mortagne-sur-Gironde.

 From the nave to the centre of the vault with its semi-circular arches is nearly 20 metres. At about 15 metres high it is bordered on

three sides by a gallery, a kind of triforium, which is accessed by a staircase carved into the rock. This cave church has unique furniture comprising an imposing stone reliquary (6 metres high)

a masterpiece of Romanesque art, a cave of relics, an early Christian baptismal font decorated with a Greek cross, and a crypt. It contains nearly 80 medieval sarcophagi.

These tombs were discovered between 1958 and 1961. Burials were performed in the nave until 1865 when the practice was prohibited for reasons of public health.

The Church of Saint-Jean contains the tomb of François d'Esparbes de Lussan, Marshal of Aubeterre, and Hippolyte Bouchard which is registered as a historical object.

The cave houses

When we drive through the area to visit some beautiful places (Luberon) it often happens that we happen to drive

past these beautiful rock houses. Here you can make a 15 km trail. These natural cavities, probably used as shelters or dwellings

since the Neolithic, have been transformed into cave houses still inhabited today ... 

Nice stones. There is a path you can walk around them. We've been there around 2017.

Unfortunately last year (dec 2019) huge fragments of the famous rocks were demolished by the heavy storms

and thundered into the village. Two were injured.

Ardeche

Here I always think back to the mountain goats. During stormy weather we drove down the abyss where below the river flowed,

suddenly a family of mountain goats came out of the bushes and so walked the road. Fortunately I was able to stop on time. Beautiful place to swim and to go by kayak.

I couldn't believe my eyes, when I saw this. A wonderful hike along the see.

The rocks are characteristic of this area in Brittany and are very beautiful. Also the lighthouses. One is standing

on a rock in the sea and in a storm it almost  disappears between the waves.

Menhirs at Mont Lozere

Lanuejols

Me in the Provence

In the Alps, I believe near Cirque, Sixt Fer à Cheval

This waterfal passes me and runs below a road, then it falls another about 40 meters down

into the valley. I sit quite in top of it. Can sit here for long.

The Desert of Entremont

Guier's Mort rocks, Chartreuse

Pre Alps,  'Guier's Mort.' A pretty rough piece of nature. During out trail the river was very wild.

This river is populair by cavers and stunt cayaking.

Grande Chartreuse monastere

A hike through the misty mountains the huge monastery 'Grande Chartreuse.' Forbidden to enter, but on appropriate distance visible, such a great experience.

'The embraced ivy.'

 Never saw such a thick one, only at Epierre and here (at the France North west coast). Is this one almost a 100 years old like the ones in Epierre castle?

A hidden overgrown chapel in the forest around chateau Bruzac, Dordogne

Boissets

Cirque de Navacelles

The Cirque de Navacelles is a large cauldron that lies at the southern edge of the Massif Central in the south of France, near the towns

of Saint-Maurice-Navacelles and Blandas, between the departments of Hérault and Gard in the Occitanie region.

The valley was formed about 3 million years ago by glacial erosion. The Vis river then cut through the base of the valley, creating a horseshoe lake.

The lake dried up and left behind clay and peat.

Accessibility

The cirque is very isolated; there are only a few small villages in the area. The nearest place is Millau. 

The roads in the area itself are poorly maintained and wide enough for only one vehicle. A dangerous but spectacular road to the bottom of the valley is an

important attraction. It is indeed quite difficult. you have to see from a distance if nobody comes from far away, otherwise you can go back downhill on

a very narrow mountain road without railing. With a bit of luck you notice that at the start of the road but we have also seen people drive a long way back.

 Legend

There is also a myth attached to the cirque. The crater is said to have been created by a hoof print of the horse of Gargantua during his world trip, father of Pantagruel.

There are two giants here, father and son, and their traces / myths can be found throughout France.

These figures were created in the 16th century by the French humanist François Rabelais, who by chance or not, taught medicine in nearby Montpellier.

The cascade de la Vis

On the road to Navacelles

The Mont Aiguille, 2087 m, also called "Mont Inaccessible"

I will not soon forget this rock. We climbed above the tree line without materials or poles, which was tough because it is very steep, we even came in snow.

The way back was extreme, although it was of course easier due to gravity, we ran the mountain at full speed for 45 minutes without being able to stop... so steep.

Our knees just bent the other way the previous day so heavy. We just couldn't make it to the vertical edge of the rock, it would be very dangerous without a helmet at such a large rock edge.

The mountain is a kind of magical at the foot you quickly lose your sense of direction because it has so much relief, gorges and forest.

 Is a striking and well-known mountain in the Vercors, a mountain range on the border of the French departments of Isère, Drôme and Hautes-Alpes.

The Mont Aiguille is a witness hill that was once part of the Hauts Plateaux du Vercors. The mountain and surroundings have been included since 1985 in the Réserve Naturel des Hauts Plateaux,

which is part of the much larger Vercors Regional Nature Park. Charles VIII, king of France from 1483 to 1498, grew up in this region and was fascinated by the "Mont Inaccessible"

as it was then called. He ordered the conquest of the mountain in 1492 to Captain Antoine de Ville, lord of Dompjulien, artillery officer and engineer. 

On 26 June 1492 he started the climb, together with a colorful company: servants, friends, porters, stonemasons, carpenters, ladder makers,

and especially heaps of material: ladders, gangways, ropes, chains, camping equipment, enough for a camp of more than a week.

A report of the expedition is drawn up, and the many visitors (including Rabelais) report the trip and the finds at the summit never before entered. 

Because this is the first documented ascent of a mountain, undertaken with the sole purpose of reaching the top, this event is considered the birth of mountaineering.

In 1992 the 500th anniversary of this event was extensively celebrated, among other things by an evocation of the first climb. 

Nowadays, climbing the summit is considered PD + or AD- (light ascent) with a few passages of 4a.  From the top you can enjoy a panorama of the peaks of the Devoluy in the south

over the Massif des Ecrins and the Belledonne massif to the Mont Blanc massif in the northeast.

From my own experience I recommend never starting even at the immense steep foot of the mountain. Like the Mattherhorn (Swiss Alp Italian border), does this mountain enchanted me

We camped nearby Avignon

After a late evening walk, we stopped at the gate of St. Andre, to see the bats. Then she liked to slip through the iron fence....

she just fitted through the massive gate of the castle and walked in. She had the time of her life at sunset she ran through the entire castle. She took this great photos.

And it took ages for her to come back. Then a young woman opened the fence, she lived there temporarily at the castle because of the artworks. I said Rose is inside and

slipped through the  gate and I lost contact. Not problem, is rose a cat or a dog? ;) Nobody could ever imagine a person could pass this iron fence.

      Flowers, animals, ancient picturesque buildings and lots of beauty in

Opedde le Vieux

If you open up to it and take a good look around you see natural beauty on every corner of the street

                     Opedde le Vieux                                                                                                                                    Villeneuve les Avignon    

Opedde le Vieux and St. Cecile gardens.

Because of my husband, we found these ones! Scorpions.                and a Gecko                    

                                                                                                         Once upon....                                                                          Oh my what town...                                                  

Saint Andre, Villeneuve les Avignon

Ancient ale from and ancient town 'Perouges'

 This tasted great in the most beautiful ancient town.

The real fan will recognize the tables and chairs from the 'Plague' scene ... I did not know what I saw...same furniture, same environment and the same atmosphere.

An overnight stay in this town is not really cheap but very nice.

The fields of Lozere

All kind of orchids and other fragile flowers everywhere, please be careful with them.

I hope never to meet this orange poison vipor so close again.

It was 1 yard from my hand, while hiking through the forest of Lozere. I didn't notice, my husband told me.

In fact we were looking in search of a prehistoric village, but we got off the track and it became too bushy.

At Arlempdes                                                                                 The field in front of Lanuejols

The riverside of the Tarn. the tarn is such a clear river. It's a pleasure to walk along the riverbanks. Many fishes.

Roussillon

This town has the same colors of it's environment. Most villages have but this is a special ocre ground.

Dyes for clothing and especially paint, come from here.

See the huge fosil?

Les Baume trail, wonderful path full of falls and natural paths down the river.

'The Gods' cave