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rhon Jun 24th, 2012 11:59 PM

Our own country roads tour of France
 
Well our nine week trip is over and it is back to the real world. I will endeavour to finish my report over a few days, but cannot promise to be as erudite as many I have read. I will begin by saying that we travel at a relaxed pace with a bigger day now and then. We also travel on a fairly tight budget, so do not eat out a lot. But we still enjoy good food and wine - lots of cheeses and charcuterie, duck, salmon, smoked sausages and meats, lots of different vegetables [one of my favourite things to cook] and patisserie. So let's away!

With a two hour bus trip to the airport, twenty two hours on planes and several hours in two airports, it is over thirty hours from walking out our front door to landing at CDG [5pm]. We stayed overnight at CDG and flew to Bordeaux on Saturday morning where we collected our little grey Renault and headed south while adjusting to driving on what is, for us, the wrong side of the road.

Our first stop was in the village of Villandraut where we spotted the ruins of an old castle. The caretaker came along as we were photographing and invited us in for a closer look. He was there to feed some corn to the pigeons. Mmm, corn fed pigeon - was there an ulterior motive? We stopped in Bazas to find the market in the square in front of the cathedral beginning to pack up. But still enough time for us to get some plump Agen prunes, crisp French Breakfast radishes and a lovely dry saucisson. A couple of bottles of wine from a nearby shop completed our purchases. The cathedral is beautiful with lovely stained glass. We are not religious people, but do enjoy the churches and I am always disappointed when they are locked.

I have a book called " Memories of Gascony " by Pierre Koffman which tells of childhood summers spent on his grandparents' farm in the Gers region. So I was looking forward to our first week in this area. Our gite was in the small hamlet of Avezan near the larger village of St Clar. After settling in, we headed off to the Intermarche at St Clar to stock up on essentials which we add to as the trip progresses. The weather was just wonderful- last week of March and warm enough to sit outside for our first evening in our little courtyard which caught the sun. On our first night we always keep it simple - a couple of cheeses, some charcuterie, tomatoes, capsicum, radishes, baguette and of course , a bottle of wine to toast the start of our adventure.

On Sunday we set out to explore the villages and area near by. We love country France and were not disappointed. The country side was gorgeous - a patchwork of tan ploughed paddocks and green fields of wheat with villages nestled in the folds. After stopping in the village of St Chapelle, we saw that the church would be open at 2pm. It was lunch time, and as we always bring a picnic, we began our quest for a picnic table. Our experience is that there is often a table at 10.30 or 2.30, but at 12.30 they can be hard to find. But to-day we were lucky.

There was also a public toilet, which leads me to a brief comment. On the whole, this trip I found the toilets better. There were still plenty of the "squat" variety but were cleaner than in the past . My award for the best toilet goes to the one near the Mairie in Figeac, which on a cold, damp day was clean, warm, proper toilet and paper. The worst was in a small village in the Haute Loire. DH looked in and said "You can't use that toilet". I have one word to add "Desperate!". Of course, no such problems for les messieurs who are quite happy to stand at the side of the road [ well not my bashful monsieur ], job in hand so to speak, oblivious to passing traffic.

Back to St Chapelle. The rather austere exterior hides a flamboyant Baroque interior. Wonderful colours and levels of galleries that are almost theatrical. What a gem hidden away. Some lovely villages, a couple of chateaux and pretty drives completed our day.

One of our favourite meals is duck breast with a potato and fennel boulangere and our first one of a trip is always special. The melting sweetness of the vegetables with the firmness of the duck and salty crispness of the skin is a delicious partnership.

We always try to visit any Plus Beaux Villages [ here after to be referred to as PBV ] that are in the area, and there were several in this week. The weather continued to be perfect- why did we bring these coats and scarves!. We had a lovely day beginning with the picturesque drive into Lavardens [PBV] followed by a stop in Biran, a pretty little village with towers in the middle of a forest. Onto Montesquiou and Bassoues which had great wooden halles [ the road goes through] and arcaded main street. We took the scenic route to Beaumarches which has wonderful church with carved faces and gargoyles [ sadly not open]. Marciac has a pretty lake and a huge town square with arcades and cafes. These arcades and halles are typical of this region.

We enjoy markets if we come across them and visited Fleurance market - more radishes, some olives and a delicious pastry. Later we stopped in Auvillar [PBV] -picturesque round halles and great position above the Garonne river. We were on our way to Moissac and of course our timing meant the tourist office was closed for lunch. So we had a pleasant lunch in a restaurant opposite the church while we waited to buy tickets to see the cloisters. They have very fine pillars and intricately carved capitals, and the church is also impressive.

This is Armagnac country, but we are not big brandy drinkers, so we chose instead to have a bottle of Floc de Gascogne - an aperitif of grape juice and Armagnac - which we thoroughly enjoyed over the coming days.

We visited Larressingle [PBV] a perfect peaceful village reputed to be the smallest fortified village in France, and then onto Fources [PBV] [great picnic table] with its' pretty round centre with pruned trees. You drive over a bridge and through a gate into the village. Our last stop was La Romieu with its very impressive Collegiale. Lovely old cloisters and two towers to climb. As we were leaving, the view back to this magnificent church which dominates the village is memorable.

On Friday we visited nearby Lectoure which has a high position overlooking the countryside. It was market day and roadworks made it a bit chaotic and parking difficult. But we managed and enjoyed our visit. We savoured the duck and mushroom sausages we bought with a simple salad that night. Both markets we visited that week had a lot of poultry products- beautifully 'dressed' chickens, duck, guinea fowl, pigeons as well as confit, gesiers, foie gras.

I can see this is going to take me a long time if that is only week 1.

rhon Jun 25th, 2012 02:08 AM

We are always excited to move on to our next week, and try to take scenic roads as opposed to autoroutes. This time we stopped early in the PBV of Sarrant and then in Cologne which has an attractive town centre with halles. Our destination this week was the Aude region. Around lunch time we stopped in Foix which has a busy pedestrianised centre and an imposing chateau overlooking the town.

We made a spectacular descent into Quillan and then onto Couiza which was to be our base for the week. Our rental this week was a top floor apartment overlooking the river. Couiza has an intermarche, boulangeries and a couple of restaurants and bars, and we found it a good base to explore the region.

Once again on our first day we explored the area nearby. The country was a lot more rugged and the villages were different - a lot more isolated. The scenery was quite dramatic in places - remains of chateaux and old narrow villages below. At one stop near the Gorges de Terminet we came across some rock climbers including a child of perhaps 3 years all decked out in lycra, helmet, chains. We stopped at St Hilaire where Blanquette de Limoux [ said to precede the Dom's discovery of champagne ] originated. The Abbey was closed but we could still see the lovely cloisters.

Monday was a big day for us. The weather was still warm but a biy hazy. We headed up into the mountains before turning off for the Gorges of Galamus. They are very narrow with great views around and down. One advantage of travelling out of season is that the crowds have not arrived in some places. We saw the old hermitage before heading down into the valley and then climbing again to the Chateau de Queribus. It is set in an imposing position with great views - pity about the haze. We then continued on to Peyrepertuse. It was another steep climb up but so worth the effort. It was an exhilarating experience looking down over the ruins. The views were breathtaking and so hard to imagine people lived there hundreds of years ago.

It was overcast and showery the next day as we drove over to Mirepoix. We stopped in the pretty village of Camon [PBV] on the way. The old part of Mirepoix is very picturesque with the " couverts " and big oak pillars with carved faces around the square. We came home via some winding back roads through old villages and vineyards.

On a previous trip we had a gesiers salad in a cafe and I resolved then to try one at home. So one night we had my own salad composee with my vinaigrette, bleu d'auvergne and gesiers de poulet and fresh baguette. It was a success and we had it a few times using gesiers de canard.

Of course we had to visit Carcassonne. Such a spectacular view as you approach. I know people are divided over Carcassonne, and even out of season there were a lot of visitors. We spent a couple of hours wandering around and did appreciate the magnitude of the site.

Rennes le Chateau is close to Couiza - a steep drive up with great views. There is an attractive tower and a lavishly decorated church. Alet-les-Bains lies on the river between Couiza and Limoux and is a very attractive village with half timbered buildings and the remains of a large abbey which must have been wonderful in its day.

One day we drove down through Quillan and turned off to Axat which is an appealing village on the Aude river. We then headed up into the mountains through another interesting village, St Colombe sur Aguette. The scenery was quite dramatic with great views as we crossed the Col de Garavel - snow capped mountains, small villages and the valley below. Then a dramatic descent into the valley followed by a sharp turn and we then followed the rushing Aude river through some old spa towns back to Axat. It was fabulous - just the sort of day we love.

I have already mentioned Blanquette de Limoux. We enjoy wine and when in a wine producing area we drink wines from there. This week we were close to the Corbieres wine region which we had discovered and enjoyed on a stay in Eus [near Prades ] in 2008. So we were delighted to be near again. We are not purists and enjoy wine with whatever we are having. So Thursday night we enjoyed a Blanquette de Limoux [ demi-sec ] with a duck breast and creamy potato dauphinois followed by some patissreie for dessert.

On Friday we visited Limoux and it was market day. This was Good Friday which in Australia is a public holiday, but in Limoux it was business as usual. The patisseries were resplendent with Easter decorations and goodies- wonderful chocolate cornucopias over flowing with chickens, eggs, rabbits, baskets filled with chocolates. A real delight.

Being early spring, the new season asparagus was everywhere in the market so we bought some. It was lovely that night with some buttered chat potatoes and salmon, all accompanied by another Blanquette de Limoux [ this time brut ]. Another wonderful week was over.

FrenchMystiqueTours Jun 25th, 2012 02:12 AM

Excellent report rhon. I like your travel style.

aussie_10 Jun 25th, 2012 02:42 AM

Hi there fellow Aussie!

Enjoying your trip report, we too love France, the beautiful villages, the markets and of course the wonderful food & wine.

I love trip reports and know from experience that they take a lot of time to write but are so worthwhile to keep as a momento.

Looking forward to the next instalment.

Coquelicot Jun 25th, 2012 03:16 AM

So far, so excellent. I like your writing style and your traveling style. Country drives and country food are a great combination.

You have a lot of PBVs under your belt. For me, a visit to one of them is usually a highlight of a trip.

Ackislander Jun 25th, 2012 03:25 AM

You are a wonderful observer, and it is a real pleasure to see people who visit France rather than running from one "essential" site to another.

I for one can't wait for more!

kerouac Jun 25th, 2012 03:39 AM

Great, but for people who travel at a relaxed pace, you sure see a lot of stuff!

bilboburgler Jun 25th, 2012 04:21 AM

ttt

willowjane Jun 25th, 2012 04:52 AM

Great report! This is full of usefull information. I had to look up PBV and I am so glad I did....a special thanks for that!

kerouac Jun 25th, 2012 05:19 AM

There are some other labels to look for as well like "village fleuri" or "ville fleurie."

TPAYT Jun 25th, 2012 06:15 AM

Nine weeks sounds like quite a luxury vacation to me, tight budget or not.

It's fun to travel each scenic view and steep climb along with you. Your descriptions and writing style take our imaginations along to some very different, interesting locations.
=D>

Any photos?

rhon Jun 25th, 2012 11:12 PM

Thank you for all the positive replies. I have had problems adding to my report.It does not appear when i submit.

Anyway i will try again.

Yes we do see a lot in a week which is probably longer than some people have. I suppose 'relaxed' means we do as much in a day as we feel like. So if that means stopping at lunch one day and then at four the next, then that is what we do.

The costs and long flight times from Australia mean we like to make each trip worthwhile. Of course, any overseas trip is a luxury, and we travel this way because it is the most economical for us. We feel very lucky to be able to do so.

We have seen Ville Fleurie and have a book of Les Plus Beaux Detours. This trip we also visited a Grand Site of France and discovered a Remarkable Tree of France!!

farrermog Jun 26th, 2012 12:02 AM

rhon - the site appears to have been frozen for about eight hours, but good that it's now back in action and we can look forward to more of your superb report.

FrenchMystiqueTours Jun 26th, 2012 01:17 AM

<<There are some other labels to look for as well like "village fleuri" or "ville fleurie.">>

Other important labels to look for would be "Ville d'Art et d'Histoire", "Ville Historique", "Petite Cité de Caractère" and "Commune du Patrimoine Rurale".

I also urge people to pay attention to the icons on the Michelin maps for things like designated scenic roads, towns with the historic church or château icon, the non-historic château icon, the megalith icon, the ruins icon and the scenic view point icon, among others.

rhon Jun 26th, 2012 02:09 AM

Hopefully this will work as I must be the world's worst typist and would hate to have to do it all again!

It was Saturday and time to move on again, this time to the Aveyron. We headed back up along the road we had travelled on our Sunday drive. It is always nice to retrace your steps sometimes as different things stand out. Now I am not obsessed with PBV, but if there is one along our route we stop even if it is a brief visit. Lagrasse was on the way so we stopped to stretch our legs and take a short wander around. As we drove out we had a great view back to the bridge and old abbey. It was a long climb as we travelled up through the Haut Languedoc. The problem with France is that each new area we pass through adds another to our list of places to visit!

The weather was starting to turn and by the time we stopped at Brousse le Chateau [PBV!] it was cold and drizzling rain. But what a lovely village -a hump-backed bridge into it, an old chateau at the top and a little old church all reached by cobble-stoned alleys and stairs. We are always amazed at these old villages we see. And people still live here!!

At last we arrived at our next gite, an apartment below the owner's house, on the outskirts of Marcillac-Vallon. It was on a hill with a terrace over-looking the village. Sadly the weather was too cold to sit outside [ out came the coats and scarves ], but it was tres confortable with friendly French owners. We thought Marcillac was a lovely village - red sandstone buildings with black slate roofs, a great boulangerie/patisserie [ we treated ourselves to a delicious Charlotte which was such a work of art it seemed a shame to cut it ], charcuteries, cafes and bars, and an Intermarche with one of the best cheese counters we saw - a great range of sheep and goats' milk cheeses. This area also produces AOC wines which we enjoyed all week.

We stopped at the excellent market in Marcillac on Sunday before setting out. Our first stop was the very pretty village of Clarevaux - again the red sandstone buildings. This is not something we have seen before and to us it seemed warm and welcoming. Just lovely.

The country was beautiful- very green with hedged fields. It was a little hillier than we had been expecting, but it is the area of the Causses. Belcastel is a picturesque village- an old bridge over the river, a high chateau, old stone houses and alleys. I know that sounds familiar, but each one we see is different and special in their own way. I always take note of the stations of the cross in churches. There are so many different renditions of this in all forms. The ones in the church in Belcastel were different and effective - modern paintings with slumped glass details. Sauveterre de Rouergue is another PBV - very different from Belcastel - with half timbered buildings and a large arcaded town square.

The weather had turned quite cool. There were so many lovely villages to drive through. Charming St Eulalie d'Olt and St Come d'Olt, both PBV, although we much preferred the first. Espalion is a larger town with a striking red sandstone church, old red sandstone bridge and old chateau- made a great photo reflected in the river. Near to Marcillac is the lovely little village of Panat, high on a hill overlooking grape vines and cultivation. Muret-le-Chateau is appealing as you see it from on high before driving in. And the scenic roads we took back were picture postcard - villages high on hills, too many to hope to visit, an old church in solitary splendour across a deep valley, grapevines and paddocks of cattle.

On our afternoon walks down to the village we passed an old gentleman working in his vegetable garden while his wife watched, and we often stopped. They seemed quite bemused that two Australians would travel so far to stay in their village. We were to see lots of these carefully tended gardens on our trip - rows of vegetables with the frivolity of flowers in a small area- in this case, stunning tulips.

One day we visited nearby Conques which is a PBV and also a Grand Site of France. And it certainly is a wonderful place. A gorgeous village, church and a stunning 'tresor' of religious artifacts embellished with semi precious gems and enamelling. Such workmanship and attention to detail.

Another day we visited Figeac which we enjoyed despite the gloomy day. On the way I spotted that PBV sign [not on my list], so we detoured on the way home to Capdenac le Haut -great views one way over the Lot and not so scenic views the other over railway lines. We then turned off to follow another meander of the Lot. I love these rivers.

rhon Jun 26th, 2012 02:21 AM

A bit more to add to this week. After Conques we meandered along the lovely Lot river to Entraygues and then down to Estaing [PBV}. Estaing is very scenic on the drive in with the bridge and the chateau, and when we walked into the church, the sun was shining through the stained glass windows. So beautiful. This week we saw several couples who appeared to be walking part of the pilgrim trail. I admire their fortitude, especially in inclement weather.

ozgirl Jun 26th, 2012 02:42 AM

Rhon, I have just arrived home to South Oz this morning after 5 weeks beginning in France, ending in Portugal. We have very similar traveling style to you I think, always buy a picnic set at the first Super Marche that we visit and largely self cater. We love France ( have done this type of trip maybe 4 or 5 times?) but forced ourselves to have a taste of Spain and Portugal this time. (and thoroughly enjoyed both) Will sit down and read your report more thoroughly when my eyes aren't drooping!
Thank you for writing.

schnauzer Jun 26th, 2012 03:19 AM

Sounds like a fantastic trip rhon. A tip if you are worried about losing your text is to write it on WORD first and then save it and cut and paste into Fodors. I speak 'with experience'!!!

I too love all those country roads and pretty villages, but I do love Paris as well.

Enjoying the report, keep it coming. I understand the making the most of your trip coming from Aus, as I live in Sydney.

Schnauzer

Coquelicot Jun 26th, 2012 03:59 AM

Nice nice nice. Your trip report is evocative and succinct, a combination I appreciate! {I'm going to start work as soon as I get off Fodors, honestly!)

I'm looking forward to reading about the remarkable tree.

FMT, you came up with a website I didn't know, the Communes du Patrimoine. Is that just in Brittany?

kansas Jun 26th, 2012 05:59 AM

You can add my name to the list of readers. I am planning a trip to the Aveyron area for next year. I was delighted to read about your travels to this area of France.

Thanks for posting your report. And I am looking forward to following along with you on the rest of your trip.

latedaytraveler Jun 26th, 2012 07:17 AM

Delightful and informative report,rhon. Merci...

FrenchMystiqueTours Jun 26th, 2012 07:41 AM

Coquelicot - The Commune du Patrimoine Rurale is just in Brittany. I believe different regions/departments may have various types of ranking systems and names. Here are a few weblinks for the various ranking systems:

Plus Beaux Villages:

http://www.les-plus-beaux-villages-de-france.org/en

Commune du ¨Patrimoine Rurale:

http://www.cprb.org/

Ville d'Art et d'Histoire:

http://www.vpah.culture.fr/

Villes et Villages Fleuris:

http://www.villes-et-villages-fleuris.com/

Petite Cité de Caractère:

http://pccfrance.canalblog.com/

http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petites...caract%C3%A8re

Ville Historique:

http://www.milletapes.fr/patrimoine-...lle-historique

Coquelicot Jun 26th, 2012 11:12 AM

Thanks, FMT. Some of those I knew but the others are going in the Coquelicot encyclopedia.

uhoh_busted Jun 26th, 2012 12:04 PM

My kind of trip! I taught myself how to do duck breast when we had the use of a friend's flat in St Cyprian la plage during the month of November 2010. And oh, the regional wines we had! It is a different view of life you get...markets frequented by locals (although there always are at least a handful of tourists), the grand family lunch "out" on Sundays...time to really learn from local museums and exhibits, and the extraordinarily beautiful countryside driving. PRICELESS!

I'm enjoying your report very much :-)

annhig Jun 26th, 2012 12:31 PM

tres bien, rhon!

a lovely report - thanks for taking the trouble to write and post it.

i love these sorts of trips, and look forward to having the time to do one!

nukesafe Jun 26th, 2012 12:57 PM

Oh, Boy! I'm topping this one with anticipation. GREAT read so far!

rhon Jun 26th, 2012 08:39 PM

Thank you everyone.

All too soon it was Saturday and we were off to the Haute Loire. Once again we drove along the Lot river and headed north. We had a picnic lunch in a very cold spot [Super Lioran] with a stunning outlook to snow capped mountains. After all, there is really no choice, is there between a green scenic road and a tunnel. In this obscure place we were amazed to meet another Australian couple.

Our rental this week was in the small village of St Beauzire near Brioude. It used to be the small epicerie in the heart of the village and has been cleverly renovated into a comfortable gite. It had a great wood fire which we put to good use in what was to be a very cold week. At about five on Saturday, a loud blast of a horn heralded the arrival of a boucherie van and the ladies of the village came. The same thing happened at nine the next morning, this time the baker [ with very good baguettes]. We loved this window into life in this small French village. Our first floor bedroom looked out to the church and each morning and night at seven, the bells rang for several minutes.

Sunday was very bleak. We did venture out for a short drive to Blesle [PBV] which, despite the nasty weather, was busy with people at the epicerie and charcuterie. Home to stoke up the fire and have a quiet afternoon. We did return to this charming village later in the week follwing a drive along the Allagnon river. Late in the afternoon there were some light flurries of snow. It was the perfect night for another favourite - Morteau sausage [from the Jura] cooked with a variety of vegetables.

We woke to find there had been a light fall of snow overnight. Quite exciting for us as we never see snow. We later drove up to Lavaudieu which is nicely positioned on the Allier river. We then drove up through the Livradois forest towards La Chaise Dieu. As we drove there was more and more snow. It was like driving through a Christmas card. The trees were like white lace and when we reached the town, it was buried in snow. It was quite magical. We left our footprints in the snow on the stairs up to the huge church. And inside a wonderful organ surrounded by sumptuous wood carvings. What a great afternoon. That night as our dinner baked, we sat in front of the fire with a glass of wine and listened to the bells ringing. We felt decidedly content.

Next day was another 'looked forward to' day out -a visit to Puy en Velay. We enjoyed wandering the steep, narrow streets and reaching the impressive cathedral. We stood at the top of the stairs as many before us and looked out into the distance. What did the pilgims of old feel? Of course we had to climb the worn stairs of the rock to St Michel d'Aiguihle. Just amazing to see these places built so long ago.

Once again we had several PBV in the vicinity and over the week we also visited Montpeyroux, St Saturnin and St Floret. At the latter, we drove up to St Chastel church to look back down over the village. For us this was the best part. This small chapel has a very old cemetery with tombs carved into the rock and now exposed. A small beehive shaped building proved to be an ossuary. An interesting and unexpected experience.

It was overcast and quite cool when we drove down the Gorges of the Allier but still very scenic. We climbed up to the remains of the Gallo-Roman fortress at St Ilpize. The town is reached by a suspension bridge, one car at a time. Lavoute- Chilhac is built on a loop of the river and it is possible to see the river flowing in two directions a short walk apart. There is an elegant bridge and a Clunisien abbey. Chanteuges also has an abbey high on a platform of rock overlooking pretty countryside. After a picnic by the river we followed it through old villages before climbing up to a high platean. The evidence of past volcanic activity was visible everywhere

The nearby town of Brioude has a very fine church of different coloured rock and old frescoes. We stopped at a patisserie and after admiring the display, the young lady was keen to impress on us that times are changing and a lot do not appreciate the skill of these artisans. We live in a provincial city and do not have the choice that was available there. [Lucky for my waistline!]. On the other side of Brioude is the village of Lamothe with its' imposing fortress. Something we also enjoy are the avenues of trees you see regularly along the roads. There is a paricularly fine example on the road between Lamothe and Brioude.

With the exception of Puy en Velay, this is not an area I see mentioned on travel forums. But we really enjoyed our week there. I am enjoying remembering as I sit in front of our fire at home on another very bleak day.

rhon Jun 26th, 2012 11:50 PM

Next stop, the Charente- Maritime. After skirting Clermont and heading cross country, our GPS took us the scenic route [not the way we had been expecting] around Limoges. We stopped for lunch in a village car park across from a school. No picnic table today. Showers lead us to a sheltered seat in front of the school. Here I read the school lunch menu for April. What a pity it was not open for lunch! Four courses, salad, main, cheese and dessert. But then this is France. No Vegemite sandwiches here.

Our gite this week was in a hamlet near Aulnay. English ex-pat owners and very comfortable with the best bed of the trip. Sadly, the weather this week was the worst we have had on our trips to France. It seemed to rain all week with the exception of three mornings, and it was very cold.

Sunday was not too bad. Aulnay has a very good small market on Sunday and it was also a flower market and vide grenier. We bought some local goats cheese [ we are very fond of the goats cheese from small producers at markets], white asparagus and a slice of a regional speciality called 'farci charentais'. The vendor told me spinach, onion, parsley, eggs and pork. It proved to be light and delicious. I had not cooked white asparagus before, so was pleased at my first effort. Room for improvement.

During the week, any break in the weather [or not ] saw us driving round the pretty lanes and villages. Once again the countryside was lovely even in the rain. Fields of golden canola and green wheat. At times on the narrow roads we felt as if we were driving through a thick carpet. We especially liked seeing a small patch of grapevines now and then among the other crops. Of course they increased as we neared Cognac.

On Monday we drove down to the elegant town of Saintes. It has a lot to offer- a nice old centre, lovely cathedral, Roman amphitheatre, Arc de Triomphe all in a picturesque position on the river. But it was a horrible day and in the end we gave up. Probably the best pain au chocolat and flan we have had eased the pain a bit.

We managed a fine morning in Cognac which we really enjoyed with its' elegant buildings, covered market, parks and cognac houses. This time we bought a Tres Vieux Pineau de Charentes [ grape juice and cognac] Very nice.

Aulnay has a significant church on the pilgrim trail and it is very impressive with some intersting graves. On the way, we passed 'deux pelerins en passage'. They wrote in the visitor book at the church.

It was our anniversary this week and a small restaurant with an interesting menu attracted our attention. But on arrival on Thursday night, we were told the menu only applied to weekends.We stayed and enjoyed the buffet entree - interesting salads, meats and sausages and condiments. DH pounced on the boudin noir. Mains followed- steak et frites for DH and fish[provencal sauce] and chips pour moi. A demi pichet completed our meal No room for dessert. Not the gourmet meal we had expected, but good honest food nonetheless, and all for the princely sum of 24.50 euro. Happy Anniversary!

Our drives around the area lead us to some pretty villages.Fenioux with a Romanesque church and a striking Lanterne des Morts in a gorgeous setting. Taillebourg with an old chateau with a marvellous balustrade around the grounds overlooking the river. St Savinien which has long quais along the river. Nearby Dompierre sur Boutonne has an attractive chateau on the river. In Beauvoir sur Niort we stopped at the market where we bought some boudin blanc which were delicious.

The weather was more promising when we drove over to La Rochelle but only until late morning. This was new for us as we have virtually no experience of coastal France. So we really enjoyed our time in this stylish city exploring the port area and the narrow back streets. Quite a lot of tourists around.

We had hoped to visit the Marais Poitevin this week but did not because of the weather. We decided to drive through on our way to Brittany. On the way to Coulon we encountered that sign which can strike terror into the hearts of unsuspecting motorists- Route Barree!!. Well , us anyway. We had several this trip with often long detours to reach our destination. A second one that same day meant we did not see the Marais. The weather was horrible any way. Perhaps another time. On to Brittany.

kerouac Jun 27th, 2012 01:32 AM

Oh, those "déviation" signs can really sabotage carefully laid driving projects!

rhon Jun 27th, 2012 09:31 PM

It had stopped raining by the time we arrived at our new gite a couple of minutes outside the village of Yvignac la Tour about 15 minutes south of Dinan. The 'La Tour' is immediately obvious- a stiking tower of the church. Once again, quite comfortable in a very pretty setting of a small hamlet amidst farmland. With the evenings getting longer, we enjoyed several walks down the lanes past farm houses and fields of cultivation and inquisitive cattle. Lots of wildflowers to scatter around the gite. Not a wine area, but we enjoyed some Breton cider a few times instead.

Sunday was wet again, so we were delighted to wake on Monday to blue skies, although cold and windy. We set off through the countryside- very pretty and we liked the villages. They were very neat and tidy with trimmed hedges and colourful gardens of shrubs and foliage. We spent the morning pottering around the villages. There was an impressive church in Madreac. We spotted a tower in the distance which turned out to be an abbey -La Tour St Joseph- and passed an attractive chateau and church at St Chapelle Chaussee [I think]. Becheral, known as a book town was nice with buildings of dark grey granite, remains of walls and ramparts and a pretty town square. Of course, being Monday everything was closed. We had a late lunch [very average crepes] in Dinan. We have been to Dinan before so it was nice to re-visit. It is as lovely as I remember.

Tuesday was the May 1 holiday and the weather was improving. First a stop in Montcontour [PBV] high on a hill with a triangular town 'square'. All the shops have decorative signs and it was quite busy. Then onto Erquy which is a pretty seaside resort. It had a slightly English feel to me. There are wonderful views from nearby Cap d'Erquy and an enjoyable walk around the Cap.

More impressive scenery as we drove to Cap Frehel. We found a picnic table with a view in the sun to enjoy our sandwiches -crusty baguette, jambon cru d'Auvergne and a deliciously ripe camembert. Yum. Cap Frehel is stunning with interesting rock formations and cliffs. Lots of visitors too. And what a site is Fort La Latte with the ocean as a backdrop. It was a great day.

On Wednesday we drove to St Malo which is another lovely town. The weather was glorious as we walked the walls and the town within. We then followed the scenic route to Pointe Grouin. The water was a wonderful deep blue-green and we could see Mont St Michel in the distance. Later we were lucky to find a park at the port in Cancale. The restaurants were busy, but we did the tourist thing and had two dozen oysters from one of the stalls and sat on the wall to enjoy them. And they were delicious.

Thursday we left early and arrived at the recently opened carpark at Mont St Michel about nine. Now that is a carpark! It was still very foggy and MSM loomed impressively out of the mist. After reading on forums about the steep walk up, [ late 50s not terribly fit grandma], I was pleasantly surprised. But then I did make it to the Cathar castles. We managed to slot our visit between Japanese tour groups and DH actually has photos with no people. It is certainly a magnificent structure. After visiting the Abbey we walked back down and admired the levels and skill of construction. The crowds were really pouring in as we were leaving and we were pleased to be going the other way.

Our last full day was a bit gloomy as we drove over to Jugon les Lacs which is a pretty town. Unfortunately, the goats cheese we bought at the market turned out to be sour and unpleasant.

The guest book in the gite recommended the bar/bistro, Les Templiers, in Yvignac and lunch beckoned. This was the French lunch you read about - that sought after " place where the locals eat". Entree was the buffet again, three choices for mains, a bottomless bread basket, the cheese tray passed from table to table as needed, several dessert options and the coffee pot passed around. A litre bottle of wine appeared while we were getting entree. Don't worry, we did not drink it all. The cost? 11.80 per person. There must have been 60-70 people, mostly French, having lunch and we thoroughly enjoyed it. No dinner that night! It was a great finale to a terrific week.

annhig Jun 28th, 2012 08:08 AM

rhon- still enjoying "deviating" with you!

your account of the bar/bistro reminds me of the restaurant that was near the gite we rented a couple of years ago south of the Loire - for €15, you were served with the house terrine in its cooking pot to help yourself, along with cold meats and cornichons, then a choice of 3 main courses, with veg, then the cheese board [again, help yourself] and finally a choice of desserts.

coffee and wine were extra but who could grumble at that?

Nikki Jun 29th, 2012 12:11 AM

What a wonderful trip! It would be my fantasy to spend a few weeks like that, with several bases from which to explore the French countryside.

rhon Jun 29th, 2012 01:38 AM

Thanks. Yes it is a great way to travel and we are grateful we can do so.

On Saturday we set off for our base in Normandy. I will say now that we have seen the Bayeaux tapestry and Omaha beach and the American war cemetery on a very quick trip several years ago. This morning we stopped in Villedieu-les-Poeles, the copper pot town. Some gorgeous cookware and a pleasant town to stop in. Would have loved to bring home a whole set. We bought a baguette for lunch which we had by the Orne river in Pont d'Ouilly. As we had some time to fill we drove some scenic roads in what is called Suisse Normandie [and it is very pretty] before arriving at our gite in the hamlet of Les Moutiers en Auge. I do realise that we stay in some places that most would consider isolated. The gite was very nice with views over the country and it was lovely to wake to the sounds of roosters and sheep and cattle.

It is gloomy again so it must be Sunday. We drove around the area nearby and ended up in the village of Chambois where there is a large donjon and a memorial to WW2. The area was known as the Chambois pocket, part of the larger Falaise pocket and was a significant battle of the war. It was here that we had one of those unexpected experiences that make travel so memorable. An old gentleman approached us with an information leaflet about the village. He then took us to a small museum of photos from the village which was devastated in WW2. He was 15 at the time. We spent some time with him and despite our language differences we reached a level of communication that was , for us , a very satisfying and moving experience.

That afternoon we went into St Pierre sur Dives which has the remains of an old abbey, a large cathedral and wonderful enclosed market halles. We then drove down to Vendeuvre to visit the chateau and grounds. There is a large and interesting display of miniatures and the grounds have several water features and different gardens.

The weather was still cool. On Monday there is a very big market in St Pierre. There were lots of live animals, rabbits and a variety of poultry, for sale and the vendors of young chickens, ducklings and goslings were very busy. Also lots of cheeses, cider and regional products. We again enjoyed some cider this week and added Pommeau [apple juice and Calvados] to our list. We bought some Teurgoule which is a slow cooked rice dessert. Later we drove through lovely country with lots of horse farms and the buildings typical of the region to the pretty village of Beuvron en Auge[PBV]

Tuesday was again a public holiday and we visited the chateau grounds at Mezidon Canon which are very nice with canals, the river, follies and walled gardens. An interesting point about both chateaux is that they did not accept credit cards.

There are so many scenic drives in this area. One lead us to the village of Crouttes. We passed through idyllic lush country with cattle grazing under apple trees and lots of woderful half timbered buildings [ I know it has a name but it escapes me]. We stopped in Livarot at an excellent charcuterie where we bought some very good jambon persillee[ not Norman I know, but a favourite ] and at the Fromagerie graindorge for some Pave d'Auge. All these iconic cheeses are delicious.

We also visited Lisieux with the beautiful Basilica. While not an old church, it is still lovely. We went first into the crypt which is elaborately tiled. The main church is overwhelming- a vast expanse, high roofed, a large dome and all tiled mosaics. Nearby is the picturesque checkerboard chateau of st Gremain de Livet. A late lunch at Vimoutiers- once again lots of locals and good inexpensive food. Dessert was an especially delicious creme caramel with creme anglaise and a delicate buttery sable. We followed the pictureque D26 home.

Some of our favourite days are the ones where we just wander around seeing what we see. On Thursday our first stop was an archaelogical site, Camp de Biere, the remains of a celtic camp with large rock walls. We then did a drive past some private chateaux. The first was at Bourg St Leonard. A little further down was the Haras du Pin, the national stud. We did not do the tour as we find tours in French difficult. Then followed Chateau de Medavy and fairytale Chateau d'O. On the way to Chateau de Sassy we passed a tank memorial to three French soldiers who died in it. There was a passionate plaque about liberty and all for which they died. It is stumbling on small things such as this that make our trips special, just as much as the big sites we see.

FrenchMystiqueTours Jun 29th, 2012 01:43 AM

Still liking your travel style. Just like mine. ;)

rhon Jun 29th, 2012 01:54 AM

Oops. posted before I was finished.

On our last day we drove down to the attractive town of Putanges pont- ecrepin on the Orne river. Then a lovely drive through the country to Roche d'Outre where we walked along the cliffs with great views. Lunch was a picnic with a view of the ruins of the chateau of Guillame le Conquerant[ now that is more romantic sounding isn't it] in Falaise. It was badly damaged in the war and is now a visitor centre. Below in the town there is an impressive statue of the man himself and another lovely church. That night I cooked cuisse de pintade [guinea fowl] with a vege tian of fennel, zucchini, tomato and blue cheese and breadcrumbs. One of the things we love about France is the availibility of things such as guinea fowl. I do not know where I could get it here.
Another week over with our next destination one of importance for us as Australians.

ira Jun 29th, 2012 04:43 AM

Hi Rhon,

Thanks for your report on a well-planned, pleasant trip through lovely country.

((I))

rhon Jun 29th, 2012 05:45 PM

Saturday was a lovely day weatherwise and we decided to drive the red roads instead of autoroutes on our way to Picardy. Our GPS took us the backroads around Vernon but sadly no time to visit Giverny this time. The country flattened out , still canola and wheat, but also the deeply furrowed paddocks for potatoes.

Our gite this week was in the small village of Caulaincourt between St Quentin and Peronne. As a whole the villages, I suppose from war damage, do not have the charm of some other areas. However, ours was quite pretty with a lake, red brick houses and green and neat gardens. We looked over the fence to the owner's stables and horses.

This week was important to us as Australians to see the places where so many of our countrymen died in WW1. Neither of us have family connections to the war. However, our elderly neighbour had an uncle killed at Mouquet Farm in 1916 and his name is on the wall at Villers Bretonneux. So that was our goal this week.

The weather was still cool as we set off via Peronne and later a scenic road near the Somme which led us to a belvedere over looking the marshy islands and waterway. Quite unexpected and picturesque. We finally reached Pozieres where we saw the Australian memorials and of course the Aussie 'digger' under the town sign. Then on to Mouquet Farm. Today in this peaceful farming community it is hard to comprehend the horror that happened here with thousands of lives lost. We then moved on to the Thiepval memorial and the interesting Newfoundland memorial at Beaumont Hamel. Our final stop was a large crater made by shelling.

Every day that week we saw war cemeteries, some small, some large, but all beautifully maintained. It was very sobering. We stopped at a German cemetery where 38,000 soldiers who were also someone's husband, father, son or brother are buried.

At last some warmer weather. We drove down to Compiegne where we visited the chateau which was wonderful- beautiful apartments and a stunning ballroom. The grounds are also lovely and it was here we saw the Remarkable Tree of France- quite old and with gorgeous red foliage. We are also quite impressed by some of the Hotels de Ville that we see all over France, and the one in Compiegne is magnificent. We then drove via the Armistice Clearing to Pierrefonds, an attractive town with a fairytale chateau. A long day but most enjoyable.

On Tuesday we stopped at the Australian Corps Memorial at Le Hamel. It is an interesting memorial among the wheatfields. Next stop was the memorial at Villers Bretonneux. The clouds were building as we srrived. We found 'our soldier' on the wall, one of 11,000 who have no known grave. We were at the top of the tower when the storm broke - wind, rain, sleet. It was so cold as we huddled in the corner. It really is a wonderful place for Australians to visit, being as proud of our ANZAC heritage as we all are.

That week we also visited Amiens and St Quentin, both of which have wonderful cathedrals. Thursday was another public holiday. We headed down to the Foret de Gobain which is a very picturesque area. Some pretty villages and old abbeys and a Priory [private] at Le Tortoir, some attractive lakes and the abbey at Premonthe. It is now a large hospital. The last stop was at Coucy le Chateau which is an old fortified town with gates, remains of walls and the ruins of a castle/fort.

We were feeling a little sad as we again prepared to move on as this would be our last week. How better to toast a wonderful trip with some champagne!

rhon Jun 30th, 2012 05:50 PM

It was warmer as we set off towards the Champagne region. We stopped in the hilltop town of Laon which we could see as we approached. After a look around we had lunch at a small cheeseshop - a tasting plate of six cheeses and charcuterie and a glass of wine. We then followed the scenic route with a stop in Martigny- Courpierre to see the lovely Art Deco church [ thank you French Mystique ]. As we neared Reims the grapevines increased. Our last destination was the champagne village of Bouzy.

On Sunday we went into Epernay and deciced to return for the 3.30 tour at Moet Chandon. So we headed down the wine route from Epernay. We had not realised the magnitude of this industry. Coming from Australia where visiting wineries is relatively easy, we are always a bit daunted by closed doors and huge gates, also closed. Especially as my French is high school [ a long time ago ] and DH confined to Bonjour and merci. But we did find a cave in Oger open with a very friendly owner who showed us his cellars and we tasted his Grand Cru champagne. Also Ratafia, another member of the aperitif family. After buying some bottles we continued on through the vines. We enjoyed our tour of MC and tasting but we really enjoyed our first bottle that night.

Monday morning was wet. After lunch the rain stopped and the fog rolled in. We drove up to the Faux de Verzy and had a great time walking in the forest of beech and pine. What makes this forest special is that many of the beech trees have grown in a mis-shapen way, all gnarled and twisted instead of tall and staight. Being the end of Spring, the trees had their new leaves but we could still see the twisted framework. It would be terrific in winter. A lovely forest to explore.

Tuesday was gloomy- no rain but heavy fog- and cold again. After a stop in Chalons, we went on out to L'Epine to see the impressive cathedral and had lunch in the bar/bistro. Lots of locals again and a great pork plat du jour. There was another restaurant, more upmarket, which we did consider for our last night dinner. But were put off by the drive.

We had really hoped to see this lovely area bathed in sunshine, but instead it was blanketed in fog until Thursday afternoon. So we had to make the best of it. We drove along the Marne to Dormans where there is a striking memorial to the battles of the Marne [WW1]. We drove home along winding roads through the vines, through pretty wine villages but it was still 'murky'. We also visited the gorgeous old city of Troyes with its lovely old buildings and churches. Lots of work going on in the historic centre.

When the fog lifted it was lovely and warm. At last we could sit outside after dinner with some fresh raspberries, chocolates from the local boulangerie and of course a bottle of bubbly.

Of course our last day was perfect and we spent it doing what we enjoy most -finding some lovely villages. Montmort Lucy with its' striking chateau and Orbais l'Abbaye to name a couple. And at last the sunshine. That night we had dinner at La Touraine Champenoise in the nearby village of Tours sur Marne. Here we had a wonderful meal- excellent food and service in intimate surroudigs. Our entree of local white asparagus showed me I have a lot to learn.

Our holiday was over. We had hoped to spend a few days in Paris but family committments prevented that. We had a long day to fill on Saturday so we took our time along some green scenic roads before dropping the car at CDG.

This was our fourth and longest trip to France, so we have now seen a lot of different areas. Will we be back? We are already looking to 2014, perhaps UK and Ireland with a couple of weeks in Paris for our French 'fix'. And there are places in our own wonderful country to see. But then one of us will say " remember that week in ....." and we smile. So yes, I think we will be back

Au revoir.

stevelyon Jul 1st, 2012 01:00 AM

Fabulous report, well done. Apologies for my simplicity - I want to do some travelling in France but will not have the luxury of nine weeks, any tips ie if you only had a limited time where would you concentrate your efforts?

kerouac Jul 1st, 2012 03:31 AM

Really excellent report, but I noticed a few spots that you missed in France, so you'll have to come back. :-)


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