Massif Central is a mountainous region that spans the middle and south of France. The word “Massif” alone conjured up something quite massive in my mind, but it was only when I visited that I realized that it referred to a mountain range. Not only that, the region was more than just the mountains—the horizon stretches for miles; heavy bedrock lines the land. Upon one of the plateaus, I spotted a huge boulder that seemed as if someone had just flung it there; its edges were all rounded off and its large form seemed almost cute. Upon the ground is a mat of plantation that spent years working its way into the hard rocks below. I cast my mind to the people who were born on this land too and wonder if the landscape plays into why so many of them are drawn to ingenuity. Within them is a delicate care, each step taken with discretion so that they do not trip up on the rocks. La vie était dure—life was tough.