Tag Archives: Chateau

Vibrantly Beautiful Vannes

After one of the longest, coldest, wettest, and gloomiest winters I have ever endured, I was feeling frankly tired of northern France. But that turned around when we took a much-needed 3-day getaway in Vannes.

I was unprepared for just how pretty the medieval town would be and was quite pleased that we had chosen to visit just before the hoards of summer tourists arrive in France.

For anyone who is not in a tip-top state of fitness, be warned that the hills and cobblestone streets can wear you out rather quickly. Now, having said that, enjoy this little slice of Vannes and do make an effort to see this charming small city for yourself.

A pretty street full of historic houses alongside the port in Vannes, Brittany, France.

People walking and sitting along the rampart walls in Vannes, Brittany, France,

The Derriere bar, cafe, and restaurant at the back of Les Halles, the food halls in Vannes, Brittany, France.

Walking uphill through the square in the mostly medieval heart of Vannes in Brittany, France.

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Slivers of History On The Side Of The Road in France

You forget sometimes, you really do. Living pretty well anywhere in Europe means that you are always immersed in history. But it still puts a smile on your face when you are out having a drive through the countryside and you see something like this — the medieval Château de Quéribus — built in 1200 and considered to be the last of the Cathar strongholds.

Road sign for the Cathar stronghold Chateau de Queribus in the Aude region of the Midi-Pyrenees in France

Perched atop the highest point for miles around, the Cathar stronghold Chateau de Queribus in the Aude region of the Midi-Pyrenees in France

We aren’t certain if we will be going back in the late Spring for a visit once the chateau is re-opened for the tourist season. But I wanted to share this little glimpse of the fascinating and ever-present history that is a part of life in France.

Photo Of The Day: Overgrown Beauty in France

It would have been rather easy to stroll by this vine and weed-filled corner of a chateau, but lingering in the tangle of greenery were these lovely ruins. The Chateau-de-Fougeres is a massive fortified chateau, but within its walls are various less noticed places that have not been reconstructed.

Covered with vines and weeds, this section of ruins resides within the walls of the otherwise very tidy medieval fortress Chateau de Fougeres in Brittany, France.

A Frolic Through Foix — Part 2

Resuming the visit to Foix that we began yesterday…

Taking a break from the brilliant sun and heat, we ducked inside the abbey church of St. Volusien. In contrast to the elaborately decorated stone churches with gilded interiors that we have visited in other parts of France, this particular structure was quietly and simply elegant. For this reason, I have chosen to present the photo essay in black and white.

St. Volusien abbey church in Foix, Midi-Pyrenees, France

Interior of St. Volusien abbey church in Foix, Midi-Pyrenees, France

Side chapel in St. Volusien abbey church in Foix, Midi-Pyrenees, France

Massive organ perched above the entry to St. Volusien abbey church in Foix, Midi-Pyrenees, France

Row of deep windows in the stone walls of St. Volusien abbey church in Foix, Midi-Pyrenees, France

War memorial plaque just inside the abbey church of St. Volusien in Foix, Midi-Pyrenees, France

Clock on the belltower of St. Volusien abbey church in Foix, Midi-Pyrenees, France

The bell tower of the St. Volusien Abbey Church in Foix, Midi-Pyrenees, France

One tiny note for people who are ‘sensitive’ to spirit movement, there were a few places inside the church that were quite active. I laughingly thought of calling this post “Spot The Ghost” — so that’s a wee hint for you. Whenever my camera is aimed at a stationary target and nothing visible is moving but it struggles to focus in ample light, I have learned to expect surprises when I see the pictures afterward. These things have happened to me all of my life, so no, outside of the sudden plunge in temperature whilst the spirit moves by, it never rattles me.

After a tasty plat-du-jour lunch in an outdoor cafe, we headed back to St. Girons, vowing to return one afternoon for a visit to the Chateau de Foix itself and museum inside.

A Frolic Through Foix

A medieval hilltop chateau with ‘fairytale’ towers? Check. Picturesque and twisty cobbled streets? Check. Ancient abbey church? Check.

Chateau overlooking the town of Foix in the Midi-Pyrenees in the South of France

Welcome to Foix — a beautiful and historic town in the Midi-Pyrenees of France. It’s a small and truly lovely place for a day out and it is easily traversed on foot.

Medieval chateau overlooking the town of Foix in the Midi-Pyrenees in the South of France

Beseiged repeatedly during the 13th Century, the medieval town of Foix was built in part on the earlier foundations of the hilltop Roman fortifications.

Top floor ornamentation flanking windows in a historic building in Foix, Midi-Pyrenees, France

Foix building ornamentation close-up

Burgundy Citroen parked in the medieval town of Foix in the South of France

Views of the Chateau de Foix, looming over the town of Foix in the South of France, can be seen through many of the streets and passageways of the town.

In tomorrow’s post, part 2 of A Frolic Through Foix, we pay a visit to the medieval abbey church of St. Volusien.

Hope you have enjoyed this taste of Foix!

Cozy on a Cold Day in France

I won’t lie — it took awhile to get the hot water flowing through the radiators efficiently — especially since the source of the hot water was the water jacket attached to the fireplace woodburner. Also, the nature of stone houses means that they might stay wonderfully cool in summer, but they are a bit of a challenge to get warm and KEEP warm in the winter. Constantly tending the fire is essential.

But here we are, almost 20 hours after our very late arrival back in France last night following a ferry trip across the English Channel — and we’ve enjoyed the most restorative day in front of the crackling flames with cheese and pate and a bottle of red wine.

Fireplace in our French gite.

We’re here to do another restoration and redecoration project in this marvelous corner of Normandy. The 5 bedroom gite we are staying in is one of two at the back of a historic but crumbling chateau. I’ll discuss that in greater depth in a future post.

Sitting room in the large gite

We’ve just finished a wonderful roast chicken dinner and are enjoying our quiet day of total rest. I’ll be back in a few days to document more of our adventures in France, so make sure to come back for more!

Photos Of The Day: Play Of Light And Shadow

A play of light and shadow is always guaranteed to please my artist’s eye — and here are two recent views of light streaming through the windows of the the 17th Century Chateau Montgommery in Ducey, a town in Normandy in northern France.

Ancient crumbling corrider of Chateau Montgommery with sunlight streaming in.

Light streaming through Chateau Montgommery window.