BRITTANY COAST

Saturday, May 19, 2012

We set out from Dinan about 9 am with Linda’s Backroads of France book for our guide.  It is a wonderful little book that has page after page of driving tours on country roads all over France.  It’s been a marvelous guide on lazy days.

We first headed for the Point du Chevet; Daisy had some problems finding it until we put the nearest city and then we were on our way.  It is a long drive out but worth the time as the tide was out again and the sandy tidal shores were loaded with French people digging for clams.  There were also many just walking out on the exposed sand bridges to parcels of land that are usually islands during higher tide.

We noticed a gentlemen with two large telescopes set up on tripods; then we saw books about birds lying nearby on a bench that he was referring to.  We started talking about birds and he soon spoke to us in English and invited us to look through his telescope.  Terry was beside himself as you might remember he loves to discover and identify birds.  Another surprise!

Soon we were off for another town.  Along the way we passed a fifth century church; actually a Benedictine Abbeye by the name of Abbeye de Saint Jacut.  The steeple was very unusual and made a great photo stop.  It is not open to the public.

Continuing along the coast we arrived at the village of St. Cast-Le-Guildo; directly on the seashore with wide sandy beaches.  We then turned around to find gas at a grocery store…the cheapest place for us if they have an attendant…otherwise our credit cards will not work in their pumps.  Voila…an attendant…we now have gas for our trip tomorrow on Sunday when nearly everything closes down.

We then went back to the center of the village and the beach.  We all walked out on the sand but only Linda and I actually walked the quarter of a mile to the water to put our hands into the English Channel.   Along the way we each picked up a number of pretty shells to bring home with us.  With the tide out so far we had a choice of many but only selected a few pretty ones.

Since it was noon Jim found us a place for lunch; Chez Jules.  We each had the traditional Galette Crepe made from Buckwheat Flour in Brittany.  We had a salad…very French with only torn lettuce with a creamy vinaigrette dressing; our crepe was ham, cheese and an egg plus mushrooms…delicious and then we had flour crepes with caramel or chocolat for dessert.  Jim had the cider drink and the rest of us enjoyed beer.

Back in the car…the rain had really started coming down during lunch…we set Daisy for Dinan and have enjoyed the rest of the afternoon in our hotel.  Linda and Terry’s room overlooks the square and they have enjoyed simple plays being performed in the square all afternoon…in the rain and sometimes under the overhanging roof of the very old building.

Tonight is a light supper….maybe a Croque Monsieur.  Tomorrow we’ll pack early and go to nine o’clock Mass around the corner from the hotel.  Then by ten we should be on the road.  Not sure just where as the weather predictions seem to change every hour.  We may go all the way to Caen…about two hours…do the WW II Museum….and then return to Le Mont St. Michel where we have reservations on the island for the night.  This will be new as they just started this month with a shuttle service; no one is allowed to drive across the old causeway and they have removed all of the former parking lots.

Each day brings new challenges; Fifi quit working for a time this morning…we think she is getting full.  I called the car agency and they said to take her to a dealership so they can reset the controls.  She must have heard us as suddenly…she was working again!

A toute a l’heare…….
AND HERE IS A POSTNOTE....
After a light dinner of a shared croque monsieur and a piece each of flan we walked with umbrellas all the way down the steep street of Rue Du Jerzual; the oldest street in Dinan, ending in the Port along the Rance River.  A few photos and then it was back up...a twenty minute walk that had taken only about ten minutes going down.  The street is about a forty-five degree angle.  

LUNCH ON THE BEACH IN DINARD

Friday, May 18, 2012

We were in the breakfast room by 7:15 am; enjoyed a continental style breakfast with a selection of five homemade jams…our favorite was the apricot-vanilla jam.  Before 8:30 we were packed and on the auto route heading north.  The weather was overcast and as we drove we had several periods of rain during our drive.  

We stopped in a store on the outskirts of Rennes about noon; purchased food for our lunch and some other supplies that we enjoy…our evening liqueurs and chocolate plus some fresh fruit.  

We drove through Dinan about 12:30 and continued on to the coast of the English Channel where we enjoyed our lunch sitting on the beach in Dinard.  We could see St. Malo across the bay and enjoyed seeing the boats sitting on the sand as the tide was very low today.  We fed the sea gulls our left over lunch as we continued to enjoy the views.

Back on the road we headed across the bridge that crosses the bay between the two cities and headed for the old citi in the port of Saint Malo.  The place was packed….we had to wait for a car to leave before we could enter the parking area; (one in for each one that came out) but we hung in and soon were walking in the stiff breezes through the old walls of the city.  We climbed the ramparts as soon as possible to enjoy the views out to the English Channel.  The tide was still low and there were hundreds of people walking in the tide lands in several sections of the shore.  The swimming pool that belongs to one of the big hotels was totally above water.  Often it is covered by the water and you can only see an outline below the water and of course the diving platform on the far edge.

Just as we were getting ready to visit the Cathedral we spotted a number of old cars parked together. There were many and some were Jaguars, Porsche, Austin Healy, Citron, VW, and more.   It was the Rallye de Bretagne group that has a big weekend…they each had a metal plate attached to the front of the car:  “Rallye de Bretagne – 17 – 20 Mai 2012”.   Now we fully understood why everything is so crowded…the French are making it a four day weekend holiday!

In the Cathedral we visited the grave of Jacques Cartier, the founder of Canada.  There is also a photo for you of the beautiful rose window.  The Cathedral was built between the 16^th and 18^th centuries and is an Italian style structure known as Jean de Chatillon Cathedral.  

We walked in the city for nearly two hours before going back to the car and on the road back to Dinan and our new hotel:  Hotel Arvor.  It is well located inside the old citi and has parking.  Plus the rooms have all been remodeled since we last stayed here.  And best of all:  free wifi!

We walked about the old citi for about an hour, including half way down the old road to the port at the bottom of the cliff.  We’ll do the whole thing tomorrow when we’re fresher.  At 7:00 pm we had dinner reservations at the nearby Restaurant La fleur de Sel.  There we enjoyed an upscale dinner; Chateaubriand beef was my selection…with foie gras and morels mushrooms on potatoes.  Dessert was a wonderful concoction.   See the photos for more information…I took photos of the menu outside so I could remember.  It may not be as good as last night…but it was definitely the second best in the trip!

Tomorrow we’re heading west along the Brittany coast to see what we can see…lots of rugged cliffs and wind swepted shores me thinks!   And then back to Dinan for a second night.   Hope you’ve enjoyed today’s drive with us.

CHATEAU VILLANDRY GARDENS

Thursday, May 17, 2012

Another wonderful breakfast at our B&B; owner/hostess Yveline was so attentive to all of our needs; I highly recommend the La Grange B&B if you are visiting Amboise.

Jim moved the car into a no parking spot from our overnight space several blocks away so that we could load the luggage.  We had rain on and off all day so we took advantage of a dry spell and loaded early for our short drive.

It was about an hour and half to our first stop; the Chateau Villandry.  This Chateau is one of our favorites because we love to visit the extensive gardens to see new ways of adding color to the garden.  They are now using organic methods that have improved the color of the plants; a bit more expensive they said but worth the effort according to the gardeners with the happy faces!

The swans were out to entertain us and the carp obliged by opening their mouths wide as we pretended to drop food for them.  Lots of fun and made the light raindrops seem to disappear.  But Jim did have some trouble with his umbrella in the wind that whipped us around a bit now and then.  We climbed to the highest level for better photos and then walked to the Maze to see how fast we could reach the raised platform in the center.  

From Villandry it was not far to our hotel for the night in Chinon.  When we reached town we had Fifi find us a Laundromat; Rick Steves tour book had an address for us to use!  We’d bagged our laundry in preparation and each had a load…mixed so we used cold water and it worked perfectly.   A lovely English lady was already there and had learned the ins and outs of the machines and was very helpful.  She needed more change for the dryers and all of the stores around us were closed because it’s a French holiday!  Assumption…all religious holidays are also National holidays. 

 

Thanks to Jim…I had twenty Euros plus in change!   I became the money changer!  First, I gave Linda change, then the English lady and finally an American gentlemen who was doing his wife a favor by doing the laundry.  It turns out that we are all staying in the same hotel!   Our hotel for tonight is Hotel Diderot.  The English lady…beautifully coifed and dressed … is traveling by bicycle…notice the photo… I could not believe it the way she was dressed and told her as much.  She said they only had five pieces of luggage!  Five!  No way!   Then the truth arrived…they are traveling by bicycle but all of their luggage is being transported from hotel to hotel by a van.

Such a lovely couple and we all had fun doing our laundry together.   Jim and Terry had walked to the hotel while we started the laundry.  They also walked through the weekly market that is near our hotel and Jim had brought back a slice of pizza for my lunch.  After finishing the laundry we drove to the hotel and then Terry and Linda walked to a nearby Pub for lunch.  We signed on to the Internet using the USB port from Paris.  The wifi is totally down at the hotel because of a broker cable and can’t be repaired until tomorrow because of the holiday!  So this will be posted tomorrow probably unless I find I have more time than I thought on that USB port of mine.  The time expires on the 21^st so might as well use it now.


 

This afternoon we toured Chateau Chinon…famous for the place where Joan d’Arc found the dauphin Charles and offered to win his crown for him…the rest is history.  The fireplace where they met is now on the outside of a building…the room is gone.  They are restoring parts of this chateau…it’s been about ten years since we were here and we were amazed at the changes.  One of the things that they are using now in the only one of three original buildings that remain is very high tech imaging on large surfaces to tell the tale of Charles and Joan!  We also climbed one of the towers and then called it a day.

This evening we had dinner at a small restaurant in town by the name of La Bonne France, recommended by our hotel.  FANTASTIC…the service was over the top, the food was some of the best we’ve had on the trip and the price was very reasonable.  Our ten minute walk home in daylight at 10 pm was delightful.  We had a downpour of rain about 6 pm but it was clear as a bell for our dinner walk tonight.

It looks like I’ve got enough time of the USB Port to send this tonight so here goes.  Tomorrow we have a very long drive to Dinan. 

THE LOIRE VALLEY

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

One of my favorite parts of this trip has been today as we visited old friends here in the Loire Valley.  Yes, the lovely Chateaux are like old friends to me as we’ve visited them so often; sharing them again with friends who are visiting for the first time as they gaze in awe at the palatial homes built by the wealthy several centuries ago.  A few are built for defense but for the most part they were built for pleasure.  

Today we stopped first in Blois to snap a photo of the outside staircase on the Chateau that was copied by the Biltmore Family on their palatial home in South Carolina.   Now I know why we couldn’t find it by driving by in 2009….it is actually in the courtyard.  When we found it we had to get down on our knees to snap a photo through the gates as we didn’t have the time to take the tour.  They had banner hung that prevented you from a really good photo standing up…guess we were not the first to take them through the gate!  

Then we drove to the largest of the Chateaux in the Loire Valley; Chambord with over four hundred rooms that allow you to get lost easily.  Another surprise for us as we didn’t remember so many furnished rooms when we were there in 1999.  Maybe we were in a hurry and concentrated on the circular staircases and the “to die for” roof top views.  Not so much views of the grounds as of the chimneys’ and other roof top buildings.  We really enjoyed this one even though the place was full to the rim!  It’s a beautiful sunshine day with nary a black cloud in the sky and the tour buses are rolling full of tourists!  And I think they were all in the Loire Valley today!

Our third stop was at Cheverny; a small, intimate and fully furnished home that has been owned by the same family over the years.  There are personal photos displayed along with personal items such as the wife’s wedding dress.  One definitely feels like they are visiting someone’s home when they enter this elegant Chateau.  After we toured the building we walked back to the Orangerie where they have food for sale.  This building was used to hide many of the art works from the Louvre during WW II, including the Mona Lisa.   We enjoyed a light lunch and then walk through the gardens on our way to see the famous hound dogs.  There must be over fifty of them; very large dogs used for fox hunting.  

By this time it was mid-afternoon and we decided to visit Chenonceaux since the weather was so great today and tomorrow was questionable…maybe rain?   This is my all time favorite Chateau but today is was brimming with student groups and tour buses from many different parts of the world; a potpourri of languages!   They have the loveliest of flower arrangements in the Valley combined with fully furnished rooms and a fabulous art collection of very valuable paintings.  This is the Chateau with the multi-storied building that stretches across the River Cher and was built in the 16^th Century.  During both the 2009 and 2010 visits the outside was undergoing restoration work with much scaffolding….it was a joy to view it today with the work finally finished.  You’ll enjoy the photos in the slideshow taken from the garden.

It was nearly 4 pm as we walked down the long drive under the arch of trees to our car.  After a short drive back to Amboise; we dropped Terry and Linda off at the Clos-Luce Musee so they could visit the final home of Leonardo da Vinci and see the many models of his inventions that are displayed in the home.  Terry is a maker of models and was ecstatic later at dinner about what he’d seen on the final tour of his day!    

Our dinner this evening was at another restaurant recommended by Rick Steves:  L’Epicerie that is located across the street from the Amboise Chateau.  Without reservations we were unable to sit inside but did manage to get a table outside.  It was a bit chilly by the time we finished our delicious meal but worth the experience.  As we walked towards our hotel a multi-colored hot air balloon sailed over our heads in the sky….hopefully an omen for a good day tomorrow as we head for Chinon…

ORADOUR-SUR GLANE

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

We started our day right after another delicious breakfast by 9 am.  Weather was overcast and we actually had two spells of rain during our road trip north to Amboise in the Loire Valley.  The first hour was on country roads; Sarlat is located in the middle of some beautiful country but it takes time to get in and out of the area.  We finally reached the Auto Route 20 and started making some good time until Limoges and then we were back on the smaller roads as we headed west towards Oradour-sur Glane.  

 This is a town that has been kept “as is” in memory of the events on June 10, 1944.   On that day Nazi Troops killed 642 men, women and children and then burned their bodies and the entire town to cover up the evidence of what happened.  The French government has kept this town in memory of those victims and to remind people so that it never happens again.  It is a very moving experience to walk through the streets; one can still smell the burn odor. 

Back on the road heading North West towards Auto Route 10 we had two more hours of two and occasionally four lane roads until we reached the A10 just north of Poitiers…then it was smooth sailing for another two hours to Amboise…a long travel day.  The boys split the driving today.

We are now in a B&B called La Grange…only four bedrooms; located right in the center of the old city and easy walking distance to all of the sites.  Terry, Linda and I walked…5 minutes…to the Chateau Amboise for a tour just before they closed their gate.   This has the chapel where Leonardo da Vinci is buried.   We actually had time to spare when we finished touring the gardens and the chateau.  I’ve seen this one and all the others we’ll see in the next three days but I never tire of walking though these exquisite halls of history.

Checked out a few restaurants in town and then walked back to the B&B where we freshened up, added Jim to the group and then headed back towards the Chateau for some dinner at one of the dozen or so restaurants across the street from the Chateau.  We made it a simple night and ended up at Via Roma…Italian food and beer.  I enjoyed pizza.   

After dinner we walked to Leonardo da Vinci’s home; about a ten minute walk each way; and then past some of the homes built into the Limestone hillside.  One is a Gite…wouldn’t that be interesting to rent while visiting the Loire Valley.   A bientot….

TERRY AND THE SURPRISE LANDING

This is the video taken by Jim when the bird landed on Terry's arm during the bird show yesterday!

CHATEAU DES MILANDES…Josephine Baker

Monday, May 14, 2012

After a “German style” breakfast…meats, eggs, cereal and everything else…we were off to visit the chateaux west of Sarlat.  Jim and I have driven by them many times on our way to Sarlat but never really explored that area.   So we also had a special treat waiting for us today.  

Our first stop was in the town of Beynac-et-Cazenac…we missed the film site here for the movie “Chocolate” as we thought it was at our last stop….but we did enjoy a very personal tour of the Chateau  de Beynac.  This was the stronghold of the French during the Hundred Year War and Richard the Lionhearted spent ten years here.   We were the very first visitors of the day and beat the crowds and that alone made it special!  Sparely furnished but massive in size we enjoyed the views of the Dordogne River far below.  It is also one of the more complete Chateaux in the area.

From there we drove to Chateau des Milandes; owned for many years by Josephine Baker; it is devoted to her life and memories.  When we first arrive the Bird Show was in progress and we sat in the garden and witnessed two very good handlers put the birds through their paces.  One was a bald eagle and several were various owls.  At the end we saw s falcon that eventually caught the bait as it was flung high into the sky.  During the show a small owl landed on Terry’s arm.  That really made his day as he loves to identify birds and keeps a list of all the different birds that he has seen in his lifetime.  None of these counted as they are “captive” birds.

The Chateau was restored to its former glory about twenty years ago and has been a museum since that time.  She died at the age of 68 from a cerebral hemorrhage.  She was a stage and film star born in the USA but lived most of her life in France.  During WW II she worked with the resistance in France and earned many medals for her work.  She also worked with Dr. Martin Luther King in the USA during the civil rights movement.  Seeing all of this makes me want to read a book about her life after our trip.

Our next stop was at Chateau Castelnaud; a short distance away.   At one time both Castelnaud and Milandes Chateaux were owned by the same family…the husband built Milandes for his wife when she found Chateau Castelnaud too much like a fortress.  Chateau Castelnaud was owned by the British during the Hundred Year War.  It has suffered much damage over the centuries and was actually used as a quarry at one point; people took the stones and used them to build other buildings.  They are continuing to restore it to its original size.  Today thay have put televisions in various places with films and have many pieces of armament and other historical items.  It is one of the most visited Chateaux in the area…especially by school children.

We were chateaux’d out and headed towards the village of la Roque-Gageac; built on the side of limestone cliffs on the edge of the Dordogne River.  We signed up for an hour’s boat ride on a Gabarres Caminade boat; a delightful ride downstream and then around an island back to the start.  There was a running commentary in French but we had audio guides in English about the sites we were seeing as we passed the shores.  We were also constantly surrounded by canoes filled with tourists…a very popular activity in this area.

We walked around the town, then climbed up the cliffs as high as the church as we ate our cones filled with delicious ice cream.  Then back to Sarlat by 5 pm with Daisy’s help for a few hours of down time before dinner.

We had a wonderful dinner at one of the local restaurants recommended by Rick Steves.  Many were closed tonight so we didn’t have many to choose from; but Auberge Le Mirandol was perfect.  Three of us enjoyed canard in a truffle sauce.  Terry and I had a lemon tart for dessert in a sauce that was finger licking good!   As we were leaving the owner invited us to tour the caves that are at the back of their restaurant; amazing…created in the limestone hill behind their building..

Tomorrow we drive north nearly four hundred kilometers to the city of Amboise in the Loire Valley to visit Chateaux that are more like Palaces than Fortresses.  Weather today was overcast but still very warm but one needed a jacket in the evening. 

SARLAT….Dorgogne Region

Sunday, May 13, 2012

A wonderful breakfast at the Hotel Pasteliers in Albi and then on the road by 9 am heading north on country roads into the heart of the Dorgogne River Valley to find some of the rock sculpted villages.  The roads were narrow two lane and sometimes single lane; one way bridges and sharp curves.  But, we saw some wonderful old ruins dating back for centuries that were clinging to the sides of the hills

On the way we plowed through town after town that were having their Market Days; main roads blocked with stalls of foods, clothes, furniture and everything else imaginable.  Our first stop was in Cordes-sur-Ciel.  Then on to Penne and finally St. Cirq Lapopie; one of the best according to our tour book by Rick Steves.   It was after 2 pm by the time we headed towards our last town so we found the Autoroute, paid the fee, and saved at least an hour or more of driving time.

We arrived in Rocamadour just before 3 pm and enjoyed our stroll down the side of the mountain on a zig zag path that was also the “Stations of the Cross” for the religious.  At the bottom we found the church with the Black Madonna Statue and then felt we’d earned an ice cream cone for the remainder of our walk down the hill past all of the shops.



 When we reached the ascender we took advantage and rode the elevator and then the funicular back up to the top where we had parked our car.   We found a faster route to Sarlat but it was still nearly 5 pm when we arrived at our hotel for the next two nights:  Hotel la Couleuvrine, a very nice hotel in a very old building.  Jim and I have fond memories of our first stay here many years ago.  It’s nice to be back.  A bit funky but classic…. we checked in and then walked around the corner to the centuries old medieval city to find some familiar places.

At 7:15 pm we all entered the very formal dining room in our dressy clothes for a four star dinner.  We didn’t finish until after 9 pm and then walked back into the old city for some night photos before heading back for our rooms.  Such a wonderful day and did I mention…sunshine all day long!  Tomorrow we’ll do more exploring around Sarlat.   Yes…the internet is wifi and wonderful…I’m a happy camper tonight.

HENRI TOULOUSE-LETREC

Saturday, May 12, 2012

Breakfast was interesting this morning at the Monastery; self service and instead of coffee cups we had the traditional bowls; they were used both for our coffee/chocolate and cereal.  Good food but definitely not the normal café style.  But…we did really enjoy the American coffee…it’s much weaker than the European version and we also could have as much as we wanted!  We also had to strip our beds and put the linens in a basket in the hall!

Soon we were off on the road toward Albi; the home of Henri Toulouse-Letrec.  Located north of Carcassonne; it took us less than two hours to drive here.  We found our hotel…this is market day and the streets are packed.   The boys dropped us off at the hotel so we could ask about parking while they circled the streets.  When the wonderful hotel owner, Patrick, asked us where our car was parked…we said “it is driving around waiting for us to get information on where to park”….he looked at us with a questioning look and so we repeated our statement.  He shrugged his shoulders as only the French can do and then we added … our husbands are driving the car!  Voila….. we don’t have a car that automatically drives itself!  He though it was just the two of us and we had a very strange automobile that could drive itself!  Ah…he laughed and said, “you have two rooms!”   A little bit of English is as dangerous as a little bit of French!  Soon he was finding us a spot across from the hotel with his friend and then gave us our rooms early.  We need to move the car to the parking lot later today after the Market is gone!  Since its Saturday/Sunday we won’t have to pay for parking!

Off we went towards the Cathedral and the Toulouse-Letrec Musee.  We rounded a corner and a monster of a building loamed over us!  We’d read in the tour book that this church was built at the end of the Cathar Wars by the Catholic Church to prove that they were so strong that the Cathar’s didn’t stand a chance of winning any future battles.  I’ve never seen such a huge brick church…yes…most of the buildings in Albi are made of brick.  The Cathedral was originally built in the 13^th century as part of a fort as well as a church. 

You’ll find a strange photo in the slideshow today…it’s a manhole cover in the city of Albi and four sets of feet touching the circle….as Terry said, “it was a feat to take this photo”!  Seriously, we took it for my twin sister as her favorite thing on our trip to Europe in 2009 was to find a manhole cover with the city name and take a photo with our feet…so this is for you Mary!

 

Our main site to see in this town is the Toulouse-Letrec Musee.  Albi was his hometown and there are over 1,000 of his paintings exhibited in this Musee.  It was closed from noon to 2 pm so we found a café with a view of the Cathedral and Musee and enjoyed a two hour lunch under the shade of the awning.  The boys had Croque Madam and I had a Croque Monsieur…mine didn’t have the egg on top!  The sky has been overcast all day and although it was humid; it was cooler than yesterday when the temperatures hovered above 85 degrees.

At 2:00 pm we headed for the Musee and enjoyed … without being able to take photos….nearly two hours in the Musee and then back to the Cathedral to look for the 2 Euro coins that are imprinted with the varies sites throughout France; Terry is collecting them.  We could not find the machine and when Jim asked the clerk in the gift shop in the Cathedral where the machine was located he said, “I am the machine….the real machine makes too much noise”…and so we found his Albi Cathedrale coin.

Heading back towards the hotel we got royally lost and had to stop several times to ask for directions but we finally found the hotel.  The boys moved the car into a parking lot and then we had two hours of down time.   The wifi here is fantastic and I did yesterday’s blog.  Then it was off to dinner.  The weather is very threatening so we chose a place around the corner that the hotel recommended by the name of Le Nossy Bee.  We had to wait until 7:30 but it was worth the wait…actually they let us come in early and have a drink while we waited.  We each ordered a different plat…usually at least two of us are the same…and everyone enjoyed their meal; and we were not too full since we’d passed on the Starter and the Dessert!

Walked back to the old cite center since there was no rain and thought we’d see lights on the Cathedral…it was nearly 9 pm but as we head north it is staying light later and later so we only got the setting sun rays on the towers.  Everything was closed so no ice cream shops for dessert.

Tomorrow we head for Sarlat where we’ll stay for two nights.  Au Revoir….

CARCASSONNE

Friday, May 11, 2012

We woke to a day full of sunshine; enjoyed our breakfast in the Hotel Bar as we discovered the original Picasso…it is a sketch that is in the same frame as the photo of the Hotel Owner and Picasso when he was visiting here.  I’ve put a copy in today’s slideshow (my black spot on the lens adds a beauty spot in an interesting place).  We also confirmed that the hotel has 2000 paintings on their walls, including the guest rooms, the restaurant and the bar plus the hallways and lobby.

On the road by 9 am, we headed into the Cathar Country.  We select two of their ruins that were recommended by Rick Steves as being the better of many and made our way to the first one with some help from Fifi.  My back was feeling better but still extremely tender.  

Arrived at Queribus, our first adventure; I decided to hike as far as I could and then stop on the trail and read a book until they returned.  Everyone was great and I actually made it to the top with everyone else; an hour’s hike...about two miles…gradually climbing uphill all the way.  When we arrived at the top we stopped to talk to two German hikers and it turned out that one them was born in the same town as Terry’s grandfather.   A long conversation ensured as they compared notes about the town in Germany.  We explored the ruins; quite extensive compared to the ones that we visited north of Carcassonne in 2010….and Terry and Linda finally followed us until we’d looked at every corner.  Then another hike down the hill to the car; a bit faster than the trip up…my back was feeling fine.

We then went across the valley to the next little mountain where we found our second Cathar ruin called Peyrepertuse.  By the way…we had views of the snow capped Pyrenees Mountains that divide France and Spain in this area.  

The boys both decided to take a breather and let Linda and I climb this one by ourselves.  It was about a fifteen minute hike each way…but we didn’t do the second half which would probably have doubled the time (or more) each way.  Again, some beautiful ruins.  

When we returned…Jim had been napping and Terry was writing in his journal.  Linda and I are both journaling on computers…Terry is doing his all by hand in a small notebook and will type it when he returns home.  The place was so lovely we decided to stay and have our lunch that we’d purchased in the store yesterday.

We were now traveling in Languedoc Country…and by 5 pm we were in Carcassonne.  Our home tonight is Notre Dame de l’Abbaye, a Monastery that is now also a guest house, and is located just across the street from the walled ancient city of Carcassonne.
 

It’s a bit primitive and definitely not up to the standards we’ve had; but the location is fabulous and it’s very reasonable.  The rooms are very sparse and the bathrooms are minuscule…much like you’d find on a boat….but private.   One big negative is the wifi….it is free but we found out early in the evening that it was not working well.  So I took a night off and am writing and posting this on Saturday afternoon.

We walked through the citi medieval first and then returned to the hotel for an hour before returning at 7 pm for dinner.  We took Rick’s recommendation and enjoyed a delicious meal at Adelaide’s Restaurant in Place St. Jean.  Linda, Jim and I all partook of the regional specialty known as Cassoulet.  First was onion soup….made in the French way…ah yes…French onion soup…and then the Cassoulet; a bean, duck, pork and sausage stew.   Dessert was crème brulee.  

After dinner we walked to the Pont Vieux for photo shots of the walled city with the lights on…a magnificent sight.  Home to tuck in with no computer time taken…to bed two hours earlier than usual for me; I needed it after all than walking today.

A DAY OFF IN COLLIOURE

Thursday, May 10, 2012

Someone up there decided we all needed a day off….my back pain gave us all that excuse and what a wonderful place to take a day off.  The weather was mild and overcast most of the day with only a few moments of sunshine here and there.

If you’ve never visited Collioure; it is a very quaint beach town developed around a large fortress and Chateau.  Louie XIV was one of the last to really use this as a home.  It was designated as a training center for the French military in 1964 and they are conducting training sessions in the water all day long every day here.  The tourists love watching them and I’m sure they love the attention we give to them.  In full combat uniform they trudge in and out of the water; sometimes swimming and other times in kayaks or other types of boats.  Last night their faces were blackened for night patrols.  Many times they are fully armed with automatic weapons.

I’ve posted a few photos of the hotel…every wall is crammed with original paintings; many by artists who have stayed here over the years; sometimes given to pay for their bar bills.  With such picturesque scenes the town is always full of artists.  Two of the better known artists who spent time here were Matisse and Picasso.  We’re heard there is an original Picasso over the bar…we’re going to look for it tonight.  They say it’s valued around eight hundred thousand dollars…its very small!

We had our breakfast in the hotel and I was able to go downstairs…the back was already starting to improve.  By lunchtime…we ate lunch on our balcony… I was able to slowly walk with Jim around the level parts of the village and mid-afternoon I was walking stairs and slight inclines.  I should be fit as a fiddle by tomorrow morning.

Some interesting photos you’ll enjoy are: two cars we saw parked in the lot…so close I’m not sure how either one of them will get out.  We also had a group of children training this afternoon with wind sailing and rowboats.  The large crucifix is on the edge of the breakwater and faces out to the sea.  The large gold altar in the church was nearly black until I found the box to add a coin and turn on the lights; it is one of the largest ones that I’ve seen and all in gold.  They have placed several metal “frames” around the city that are great photo shot views…I’ve put one in the slideshow for you.

When we returned from our walk…which started when we met Terry and Linda for ice cream at 3 pm…we found a trio of musicians playing outside of our windows for the tourists.  

We’re meeting a 7 pm for dinner in a restaurant around the corner that was recommended in the Rick Steves book and then we’ll take our computers to the bar for some free Internet time before tucking in for the night.  

Dinner was the best; we had a fabulous meal at The Marinade.  Our waiter…Gilles…was very good and gave us quality service with a capital Q.  He even taught me how eat mussels which I’d ordered for the very first time.  We all shared a glass of Patis…new to Terry and Linda…and Linda enjoyed a regional wine along with Canard cooked according to the region.  She also had her first Kir this evening at the bar as we work on our computers.  Gilles stood at the door as we left thanking us for selecting his restaurant to dine in.  A wow experience.

Tomorrow we visit some ruins in the Cathar Region on our way to the walled city of Carcassonne where we will spend a night in a Monastery. 

COLLIOURE

Wednesday, May 09, 2012

We set a later start time this morning and had our breakfast at 8:30 am.  By that time we were packed and ready to go.  The plan was to put Terry and Linda’s luggage in our room…as they had to carry it down several flights of curved stairs…we have a room on the ground level and then walk a bit in the city to find some gifts they wanted to purchase as this was our last day in Provence.  I was going to look for the manhole cover for my sister…she asked if I’d gotten a photo of the one we found in front of the Arena in 2009.

We each went into our rooms and when I bent over to put our computer cords in the suitcase…MY BACK WENT OUT!   Thank goodness we’d though to ask our doctor for a small supply of pain pills!  I immediately took one and also got out my airplane neck pillow for the small of my back. 

I laid on the bed while Terry and Linda did their shopping.  Jim stayed with me and started packing the car with suitcases.  Less than an hour later we were on the road and headed south on the Auto Route 9; expensive but smooth roads and fast.  We had a drive of nearly three hours to reach our next hotel.  I was so glad I had my pillow behind the small of my back.

We decided to split the day up and find the Abbeye de Fontfroide that Linda had planned as a possible site on the road south.  It was a bit of a challenge as Fifi didn’t seem to recognize our input….so we also used the paper maps.  Part of the way there I’d taken another pill; when we arrived I dozed in the car while they went off to tour the Abbeye and Linda took my camera for photos.  She took the wonderful photos in the slideshow.  

When they returned we made use of the picnic table under the trees, spread our tablecloth and actually had a “real” picnic!  Except for me…I elected to stay in the car and eat my lunch there.  Soon we were back on the road and heading south again…it was 2:30 pm and the sun had finally broken through the clouds.

We arrived in Collioure about 4 pm and found another tourist packed village on the seashore. This village is less than one hundred miles from Spain. We’d packed smart this morning and only had to bring our small cases into the hotel.   I know that the bulk of the people will be gone before dark but for now it makes parking extremely difficult.  We double parked and got our luggage out…then Terry…the driver today…took the car up the hill to the train station parking lot where we have to feed the meter.

Our hotel is the Les Templiers…they have an elevator (so nice and unusual in the quaint little hotels we’ve chosen to stay in)…and both of our rooms overlook the port.  This is our first “view” room and even has a two foot wide balcony…big enough to step out on but not big enough to put a chair out.  I’m sitting in a chair with my pillow…I also took a third pill an hour ago…and Jim is lying on the bed; our French doors to the balcony are wide open…the flies fly in and the flies fly out…the pigeon landed on the rail but didn’t come into the room.  

Linda and Terry are out verifying the best place to park…we’re here two nights…and they are also looking for a place for dinner tonight.  I think we’re all going to take a day off tomorrow and just relax.  I’m definitely going to and I think the rest are going to take advantage of the excuse and enjoy our lovely little beach town with me.  Hopefully I will be much better tomorrow and able to walk without bending over.

At 7 pm we walked over to the Copacabana Restaurant for dinner.  We had a wonderful cold plate of lobster, crab, prawns and shrimp; all still in the shell.  What a meal…messy but sooo good.  We also had two bottles of white wine.  The sun set as we were enjoying our very special meal as we overlooked the port.   There were military personal enjoying ice cream as we arrived and by the time we finished dinner they were dressed in full uniform for a night drill on the water.  Faces were camouflaged to match their uniforms and they had assault weapons.  

We watched as they were loaded into a boat and then went for ice cream.  Suddenly we had another crew coming towards us all fully loaded and with the camouflaged faces.  We enjoyed encouraging them and they smiled at the gray haired old lady who was flirting with them.


Finally called it an evening and headed for bed.  We’ve all agreed to a late breakfast and a day off tomorrow.  We have half an hour free of Internet a day and they say that it is free in the bar?

We’ll find out tomorrow as I’ll use the free time to load the blog tonight.  I did put my Orange USB chip in earlier today and found that it was still working just fine.  I have to use it all before we return to Paris as my 30 days will run out before then.  It worked fine and I uploaded most of my photos before dinner. 

 A Bientot…

PALACE OF THE POPES

Tuesday, May 08, 2012

Today is a public holiday…sometimes called V-E Day, Victory Day or Armistice Day…but I understand that it is actually celebrating the Liberation of France towards the end of WW II.  Many stores are closed and also the government; a side benefit is that you can park for free on the streets as the meter readers have a day off!  Traffic was very light and we drove past the laying of the wreath as we entered Nimes; they were playing the National Anthem as we drove past on our way to see the Arena.  

But before we started our day we enjoyed breakfast in the hotel…included in the room cost…and then took our two weeks of laundry to the Laundromat that was only a few blocks away.  Twenty dollars later we were ready to start our tour for the day about 10 am.

Jim is driving today and Terry set Fifi to take us to the city of Nimes.  We found parking and walked to the Arena for photos before starting our “Trouser Tour” lead by Linda.  (Trouser is a combination of their last names)   Using a book that she brought with her, we had a lovely two hour tour of sites in the city center beginning with the Arena, then the Maison Carre…a first Century B.C. building that looks like a Greek Temple. 

 

Then we followed a beautiful water feature all the way to the large fountain in the channels that flow from the very ornate eighteenth century fountain built over a Roman Springs.  There had been a Temple dedicated to Diana, now in ruins, next to the fountain.  All of this was set in a beautiful garden that climbed slowly uphill.

Off again we walked and walked and walked…missed the street we were looking for but did manage to see a good part of the city before finding ourselves back at the Arena and our car. 

Back on the highway and off to the city of Avignon for a look at the Popes Palace and the bridge to nowhere.  Getting there was easy…finding parking once we were inside the city walls was something else.  But wouldn’t you know…we actually found free parking up against the back wall of the Popes Palace!

Weather had been overcast all day and while we were in Avignon we continued to feel drops but not enough to put up the umbrellas we were carrying.  Took lots of photos and then walked over to the Rhone River to view the bridge.  It is the back story on a famous French Nursery Rhythm that all children know…sorry…I don’t know the rhythm.   Something about dancing on the bridge to nowhere?

Back to our car and backing out of our very tight space…we all stood outside the car and helped direct Jim as there were only inches to spare on the space he was turning around in.  We had some tense moments today with driving inside of old city walls in the very narrow streets but no dings and we made it through all of the tight spots.

Our last adventure was back in Arles…we drove to one more of Vincent Van Gogh’s paintings.  About three miles from our hotel is a drawbridge on a canal.  I hope you enjoy the photo.  They were all amazed that my twin sister Mary and I had walked all the way there and back during our visit in 2009.

Dinner a couple of hours later was at a lovely restaurant called Le Plaza, recommended by Rick Steves, in the old city center of Arles. I have posted a photo of my dinner so you could see the crayfish that decorated my place of seafood.   And so ends another lovely day in France.  The weather was overcast all day but not really any drops of rain.  Tomorrow we change hotels…I think we finally have to pay for our Internet time in the new hotel.  We’ve really enjoyed our stay here in the Hotel de la Muette in Arles; it’s the third time I’ve stayed in this hotel…definitely a favorite!

THE CAMARGUE

Monday, May 07, 2012

Our morning began with bright sunshine that lasted the entire day!  So nice except that it was too hot to have the sunroof open.   Linda supervised packing the luggage and for the first time we are really able to see out the back window.  She was required to take a class in packing for a job years ago and knows how to gain the most from every inch! 

We took the fast way towards Arles and then headed south once we arrived to spend most of the day touring the Camargue; a flat tidal area that is known for its birds…especially the flamingos…and many others.  It borders the Mediterranean Sea and also produces a large crop of rice.  You almost feel like you are in Spain…white buildings…very arid and open.  They raise bulls here and are known for their white horses.

Our first stop was at the tip in the town of Sainte Maries de la Mer.  This town is famous as the place that Mary Magdalene came ashore on a small boat to live in France.  There was a girl named Sarah with her and once a year the Gypsies flock here for a huge festival where they carry her statue into the Sea and then back out symbolizing her arrival.  

Then we drove part way back towards Arles and then started down the other side where; after a long drive on very narrow roads…sometimes gravel…we found the birds.  Along the way we stopped to admire the beautiful white horses….saw some bulls but didn’t stop there.

The flamingos were unbelievable!  I’m still dealing with a spot inside my lens but decided to post some of the photos anyway.  It was difficult to leave….but finally we did…and then we found another area where we were able to get even closer to the birds.

Arrived in Arles about 3 pm; filled the car with diesel, and then checked into the hotel.  Not an easy feat in this small town with very old and narrow one way streets.  We even had a hair rising drive down a pedestrian area filled with tourists.  Fortunately the pylon at the bottom was not up and we were able to get out on our own.

Once we had our rooms, we walked nearby and had a late lunch before walking to the Arena and the Ancient Theatre for tours.  We then started walking the routes of all of the various sites where Van Gogh painted in this city.  We’ve still more to do tomorrow but did manage to get several of them down today before stopping at the grocery store for supplies for lunch tomorrow.

Back to the hotel, dressed up a bit and then headed to the restaurant for a light dinner.  It was getting dark as we walked over to check out the Laundromat for tomorrow morning.  It was a long day and tomorrow’s another day.

CASSIS….The French Riviera

Sunday, May 06, 2012

Yes…we’re still enjoying the French Riviera along the Mediterranean Sea in the south of France!   Today we drove for six hours along the coastline from Villafranche-sur-Mer all the way to Cassis that is just east of Marseille.  

When we were passing through Cannes we saw the banners for the upcoming International Film Festival on May 16-17^th.   The route was packed all along the coast with Sunday drivers and bicycle riders…all on a two lane twisting highway.  Fifi and Jim worked on the navigation while Terry skirted around the bicycles between curves.  We girls used the paper maps and tour books in the backseat and constantly offered unsolicited and often unwanted advice!

St. Tropez was packed with tourists even with the weather…ah yes…weather…our rain finally arrived just as we were packing the car to leave about 9 am.  For the next six hours we had intermittent sprinkles, heavy downpours and bright sunshine!

When we took a short trip north to Gemenos to see where Terry’s mother’s family lived hundreds of years ago…before they moved to Switzerland and then to the USA…it poured rain.  Just as we were leaving…the sun came out.  We would go from pouring rain into absolutely dry streets!

We arrived in Cassis at 3 pm; the streets were packed with tourists and nary a parking place was to be had.  We finally parked illegally while Terry and Linda checked in at the Hotel Cassitel and asked about parking lots for the hotel.  We were allowed to park in the side street to unload the luggage and then Terry and Jim headed for a parking lot several blocks away.  They had a map and explicit directions in French. 

 

Over an hour later they returned and we learned that they had gotten lost over and over on the one way streets attempting to find the parking lot!  Linda was so happy to see Terry…she was sure that they’d had an accident…that she was crying!  I reminded her that Terry and I had waited over an hour when she and Jim climbed the mountain to see the Chateau Ruins near Vaison la Romain!   

All’s well that ends well and everyone was very happy when we took our walk around the port to see the boats and the sites.  We were too late to take the boat to see the cliffs that is one of the favorite activities of tourists in Cassis.  But, it’s such a picturesque place we’re very happy to just spend our evening and night here.

We finally decided on a place for dinner and started with large beers!  After dinner we walked to a glace shop and enjoyed ice cream cones as we walked the streets leading down to the port.  One of our favorite streets is paved with marble which must be extremely slick when wet.  There was a market in one of the squares but the things that looked the best were too big for the luggage…so we only took photos.

Today is the France election and it looks like there will be a change of power….we’ll see in the morning if the exit polls are correct.  The television is showing great crowds of people on the streets in Paris but our little sleepy port town is already shutting down for the night.  Once the tourist leave, about 7 pm, the shops begin to close.

Tomorrow we’re off to Arles for two nights. As you can see we again have wonderful free wifi and hope to have the same tomorrow.