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In the high Pyrenees valleys (and elsewhere), shepherds stay with their sheep whatever the weather can be, hot, fierce sun or thunderstorms, hail, heavy rain. . . . For this they have an umbrella which is a wonder of local craft industry; this umbrella (le parapluie du berger, it is a trademark) is almost unbreakable, never folds axially because of the wind, can last more than 20 summers in the mountains (then, the shepherds replace the cloth only and ask the craftsman to check if all is well in the mechanical parts), is wide enough to house 3 persons, or one photographer with his equipment on a rainy day, etc, etc. . . An incredibly practical tool. Only one workshop located in Pau still manufactures this sort of umbrella, and if you have umbrella “problems”, whatever the part of the world where you live, if you pass by Pau, I give you that tip: check “le Parapluie du berger” shop in Pau, there may be what you were looking for, since years.

There are two types of this umbrella, the one for the shepherds (the real one: parapluie du berger) and the one for the person walking in the mountain to visit him (le campagne, which is mine, in fact), but except the width and the shape of the handle, they are the same: nine wooden stretchers, beech wood grip and axis, heavy solid cotton cloth, steel springs and notches, brass rings. . . etc. . . And the manufacturer claims it also is a lightning rod protecting you from lighting when walking in high mountain exposed to that danger; I must confess, I would not like to try it for that!
A bit heavy, but incredibly efficient, solid and –yes—elegant.
A bit expensive (the campagne model was about 100 Euros, few years ago, the professional one 130 Euros), but think this one has a guaranty for life, and you may use more than ten umbrellas worth 20 Euros within 20 years. . . . not only a good investment (my father in law used to say: cheap is always too expensive!), also something nice and elegant!
And if there is a problem, the umbrella will be repaired at the workshop (euh, if you are overseas. . . ), but cases for repair are very rare.
On the main picture is my umbrella at work with two nice persons in the “Jardin des Plantes” in Paris. I show here a “professional” model in the show window, on the second picture, my umbrella again, in the shop-workshop, on the third picture, a part of the workshop on picture 4 and the shop seen from the street on picture 5.
There are also other sorts of umbrellas on sale in this shop and the Basque walking stick: the Makila, walking stick and weapon, as a dagger or a sword is inside the stick.

Expensive, but worth it!

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