Stages 7-9, Tuesday, June 26th-Thursday, June 28th: Le Couvent
The big iron gates creaked open from the unassuming entry and we took a tentative step inside, not knowing quite what to expect. The sound of our footsteps on the gravel driveway signaled to our hostesses that new friends had arrived. Lizzie was out the front door as soon as she realized we were there. I have never received a welcome such as this. To say it was wonderful or enthusiastic would be generic. This welcome was truly genuine, one to expect from only old friends and family after a long time apart. Three cheek kisses in true French fashion and an extra pair of arms to haul our luggage upstairs to our room. After the grand tour we sat down to a glass of wine with also now Ali who has joined us.
They ask if we would like to go with them to walk the dogs and pick figs for the next morning’s breakfast. We jump at the opportunity. Within a few miles we were in the middle of a vineyard at the top of a hill and Edgar was forging our path to the fig tree. Along the way we passed an almond tree brimming with young fruit. We broke some open and tasted the creamy, sweet almond inside, and then we picked a few for the morning feast. Lizzie says she loves the vineyard because you could live in it. I believe her.
Breakfast is a feast. Breads and pastries from the local boulangerie, fresh fruit from the vineyard and market, and delicious coffee. We were even lucky enough to get an egg one morning from their chicken. Gathered in the huge kitchen around a wooden table that could probably seat 20 or more people, we converse with the other guests about our day’s plans and swap stories from our trip. It’s like a reunion everyday.
This place is peaceful. A converted convent, it has been so lovingly restored by Lizzie and Ali that somehow they were able to change the walls and floors but keep the atmosphere of tranquility. Our room was grand and reached by ascending a staircase whose steps are still worn by centuries of nuns and school children running up and down. The sun peeks in every morning to let you know it’s time to greet the day and the clock tower strikes on the half hour in case you need a reminder.
Our remaining days in Languedoc were spent on the beach, meandering through old villages and getting to know Roujan. It is here that I think we got a true feel for the French culture. Store hours are roughly 9-12ish and 3ish to 6:30ish. Lizzie and Ali are actually British transplants (via some other places) and were able to really tell us about the lifestyle from a unique point of view. We like it.
On the last day our goodbye was just as genuine as our hello. After only three days we felt as if we were old friends and our goodbye was really just an “until next time”.
Stage 10-12: The Loire Valley
Our final stop was the Loire Valley. It was a long drive, about 5 ½ hours, but one of the most beautiful I’ve ever taken. The roads were wide and winding, cresting the tops of mountains and dipping into the valleys below. Along the way, we crossed the longest bridge in the world (unless I guess you count I-10 through Louisiana!) in Millau. I haven’t been able to confirm that it is also the tallest, but I do know it is higher than the Eiffel Tower…it had a pretty impressive view of the gorge below.
Somehow, our SatNav found our final B&B, Les Moulins des Vontes, in Esvres-Sur-Indre. It is at the end of a very narrow road in a town so small that it doesn’t even show up on the road signs until you are about 3 miles away. This place was spectacular. It sits in the middle of the Indre River and is an old watermill. The wheels no longer turn, but the owners have restored the three buildings…one is their home, one is kind of a very large playhouse, and the third houses the guest rooms. We were on the top floor and enjoyed sleeping with our window open, letting the rush of water lull us to sleep. They have a beautiful garden where we picked fresh raspberries and strawberries, and the flowers there were just beautiful. They have the biggest hydrangea bushes I have every seen. They also have a load of ducks. Most are just docile and swim around eating little bugs. But one in particular is very old and cranky. He actually hisses at you! Guess he is their version of a guard dog…
We spent our last three days visiting chateau in the surrounding area, eating great food, and basically relaxing. We were very close to Amboise, which is the city where Leonardo da Vinci lived his last three years. They have made his palace of a house into a fascinating tourist destination, chronicling his inventions. IBM studied his drawings and made scale models of some of them. I never knew he was such a genius and was so ahead of his time. He thought up the precursors from the bicycle to the suspension bridge to even modern day transmissions…a really amazing genius. And you can’t forget his artwork as well!
The 8 Victory Laps: A Time for Reflection and Recollection
The Atkins Diet would never fly in France. These people eat more bread than any group of people I have every known. At any given time, as you stroll through these little towns, probably 50% of everyone you see will be carrying a baguette…under their armpit, in their bike basket, etc. I was so happy to get an egg that morning at Le Couvent. But I guess I can’t complain that my only options for breakfast were plain croissant, almond croissant, chocolate croissant…the dilemma!
I was afraid of encountering wine snobs when visiting the vineyards of such famous wines. But it was quite the opposite. They are so proud of what they make and want you to understand every aspect of the process and what makes their wines unique and stand out from the rest. Not everyone is a mass producer and they may only sell their wine within a 30 mile radius. They tend their vines as if they are babies. And when you pass by them, you can see the loving care taken. If you decide you like the less expensive wine better than the “Grand Cru”, that’s OK! Every single person we encountered told us that enjoying wine is to everyone’s individual taste. Finally, I sort of know how to read a French wine label… if says “Grand Cru”, then you know you have the ultimate of that producer’s wine and you better check your bank account before purchasing.
Champagne always goes through the same process, no matter who produces it. The grapes grow side by side on the hills. The mastery is in the mixing. Most of the time, if you pay an exorbitant amount of money for champagne, you are probably just paying for their advertising.
The highways are amazing. There are many tolls, so you pay for their great maintenance, but they are very well taken care of and even have their own radio station, so you are never without music, traffic reports and the news. Speaking of music, we heard some fabulous French pop music, and if I never have to hear Rihanna’s Umbrella song again, I will not be sad…ella, ella, ella, eh, eh, eh….listen and you’ll understand.
The women really do go topless and you will encounter many birthday suits on the beaches. It’s just what they do, and trust me, they ain’t all supermodels walking around.
Finally, France is a wonderful country. We love it…the food, the people, the lifestyle, the wine, everything. We were never treated with less than kindness. A “Bon Jour” and a smile go a long way. Meals were always a bit of an adventure as we never quite knew what we were ordering, but it was all delicious. After much thought, well it didn’t take much thought, we realized that 35 hour work weeks aren’t so bad. Is it so wrong to stop work for almost 3 hours in the middle of the day for a little siesta, espresso, and chat with friends? We can’t wait to go back…Au Revoir!
The big iron gates creaked open from the unassuming entry and we took a tentative step inside, not knowing quite what to expect. The sound of our footsteps on the gravel driveway signaled to our hostesses that new friends had arrived. Lizzie was out the front door as soon as she realized we were there. I have never received a welcome such as this. To say it was wonderful or enthusiastic would be generic. This welcome was truly genuine, one to expect from only old friends and family after a long time apart. Three cheek kisses in true French fashion and an extra pair of arms to haul our luggage upstairs to our room. After the grand tour we sat down to a glass of wine with also now Ali who has joined us.
They ask if we would like to go with them to walk the dogs and pick figs for the next morning’s breakfast. We jump at the opportunity. Within a few miles we were in the middle of a vineyard at the top of a hill and Edgar was forging our path to the fig tree. Along the way we passed an almond tree brimming with young fruit. We broke some open and tasted the creamy, sweet almond inside, and then we picked a few for the morning feast. Lizzie says she loves the vineyard because you could live in it. I believe her.
Breakfast is a feast. Breads and pastries from the local boulangerie, fresh fruit from the vineyard and market, and delicious coffee. We were even lucky enough to get an egg one morning from their chicken. Gathered in the huge kitchen around a wooden table that could probably seat 20 or more people, we converse with the other guests about our day’s plans and swap stories from our trip. It’s like a reunion everyday.
This place is peaceful. A converted convent, it has been so lovingly restored by Lizzie and Ali that somehow they were able to change the walls and floors but keep the atmosphere of tranquility. Our room was grand and reached by ascending a staircase whose steps are still worn by centuries of nuns and school children running up and down. The sun peeks in every morning to let you know it’s time to greet the day and the clock tower strikes on the half hour in case you need a reminder.
Our remaining days in Languedoc were spent on the beach, meandering through old villages and getting to know Roujan. It is here that I think we got a true feel for the French culture. Store hours are roughly 9-12ish and 3ish to 6:30ish. Lizzie and Ali are actually British transplants (via some other places) and were able to really tell us about the lifestyle from a unique point of view. We like it.
On the last day our goodbye was just as genuine as our hello. After only three days we felt as if we were old friends and our goodbye was really just an “until next time”.
Stage 10-12: The Loire Valley
Our final stop was the Loire Valley. It was a long drive, about 5 ½ hours, but one of the most beautiful I’ve ever taken. The roads were wide and winding, cresting the tops of mountains and dipping into the valleys below. Along the way, we crossed the longest bridge in the world (unless I guess you count I-10 through Louisiana!) in Millau. I haven’t been able to confirm that it is also the tallest, but I do know it is higher than the Eiffel Tower…it had a pretty impressive view of the gorge below.
Somehow, our SatNav found our final B&B, Les Moulins des Vontes, in Esvres-Sur-Indre. It is at the end of a very narrow road in a town so small that it doesn’t even show up on the road signs until you are about 3 miles away. This place was spectacular. It sits in the middle of the Indre River and is an old watermill. The wheels no longer turn, but the owners have restored the three buildings…one is their home, one is kind of a very large playhouse, and the third houses the guest rooms. We were on the top floor and enjoyed sleeping with our window open, letting the rush of water lull us to sleep. They have a beautiful garden where we picked fresh raspberries and strawberries, and the flowers there were just beautiful. They have the biggest hydrangea bushes I have every seen. They also have a load of ducks. Most are just docile and swim around eating little bugs. But one in particular is very old and cranky. He actually hisses at you! Guess he is their version of a guard dog…
We spent our last three days visiting chateau in the surrounding area, eating great food, and basically relaxing. We were very close to Amboise, which is the city where Leonardo da Vinci lived his last three years. They have made his palace of a house into a fascinating tourist destination, chronicling his inventions. IBM studied his drawings and made scale models of some of them. I never knew he was such a genius and was so ahead of his time. He thought up the precursors from the bicycle to the suspension bridge to even modern day transmissions…a really amazing genius. And you can’t forget his artwork as well!
The 8 Victory Laps: A Time for Reflection and Recollection
The Atkins Diet would never fly in France. These people eat more bread than any group of people I have every known. At any given time, as you stroll through these little towns, probably 50% of everyone you see will be carrying a baguette…under their armpit, in their bike basket, etc. I was so happy to get an egg that morning at Le Couvent. But I guess I can’t complain that my only options for breakfast were plain croissant, almond croissant, chocolate croissant…the dilemma!
I was afraid of encountering wine snobs when visiting the vineyards of such famous wines. But it was quite the opposite. They are so proud of what they make and want you to understand every aspect of the process and what makes their wines unique and stand out from the rest. Not everyone is a mass producer and they may only sell their wine within a 30 mile radius. They tend their vines as if they are babies. And when you pass by them, you can see the loving care taken. If you decide you like the less expensive wine better than the “Grand Cru”, that’s OK! Every single person we encountered told us that enjoying wine is to everyone’s individual taste. Finally, I sort of know how to read a French wine label… if says “Grand Cru”, then you know you have the ultimate of that producer’s wine and you better check your bank account before purchasing.
Champagne always goes through the same process, no matter who produces it. The grapes grow side by side on the hills. The mastery is in the mixing. Most of the time, if you pay an exorbitant amount of money for champagne, you are probably just paying for their advertising.
The highways are amazing. There are many tolls, so you pay for their great maintenance, but they are very well taken care of and even have their own radio station, so you are never without music, traffic reports and the news. Speaking of music, we heard some fabulous French pop music, and if I never have to hear Rihanna’s Umbrella song again, I will not be sad…ella, ella, ella, eh, eh, eh….listen and you’ll understand.
The women really do go topless and you will encounter many birthday suits on the beaches. It’s just what they do, and trust me, they ain’t all supermodels walking around.
Finally, France is a wonderful country. We love it…the food, the people, the lifestyle, the wine, everything. We were never treated with less than kindness. A “Bon Jour” and a smile go a long way. Meals were always a bit of an adventure as we never quite knew what we were ordering, but it was all delicious. After much thought, well it didn’t take much thought, we realized that 35 hour work weeks aren’t so bad. Is it so wrong to stop work for almost 3 hours in the middle of the day for a little siesta, espresso, and chat with friends? We can’t wait to go back…Au Revoir!
1 comment:
It sounds like you had a great time. the pictures look beautiful. Wish I was there to help with the wine tasting.
Shaila
Post a Comment