Giverny - September 26, 2008

Today we drove to Giverny, home to the Monet museum and his beloved gardens. Don and I weren't sure what to expect but it was fantastic. The flowers were in full bloom and the fragrance was wafting through the air.

The picture above is the water garden where he painted his famous water lilies, and Japanese bridge. The weather cooperated, the bright sunshine brought an added warmth and charm to the gardens.


This picture of Don & I was taken in the main gardens, you can see Monet's home in the background.

Here is a picture of Monet's home, or 1/2 of the home. It was rather large and they have restored it to the period; I would have liked to take some pictures but no photos were allowed.

This will be our last post from France as we fly home tomorrow. It has been an absolute fantastic vacation and I feel very privileged to have the opportunity to see and do what we have done. We truly have been blessed.


Au Revoir,

Barb & Don

Juno Beach - September 25, 2008

Today we went to Juno Beach and visited the Canadian War Museum; it was excellent as it gave a Canadian perspective to the war as well discussed the prelude and homeland efforts during the war. It was very moving and will leave a lasting memory.

This is the Cathedral du Notre Dame in Rouen, this is the church that Monet painted many times over; it is around the corner from our hotel.

Well tomorrow is our last day, we are planning on touring around Rouen in the morning then driving to Givernay then on to Paris. Saturday is homeward bound. This month has flown by, I can't believe the trip will soon be over!

Take care, and see you soon
Barb & Don

A day with the Troglodytes

Today we went and saw the Troglodyte village in Rochemenier, this is the little road we were on to get to this village of the cave dwellers. When we put our request in the GPS the queen gave us this route and she has never steered us wrong, but we were questioning her ability at this point. True to her ability she got us there!

The picture you see here is the entry way to a newer Troglodyte home from the early 1900's. People lived in these dwelling until the 1930's. There are other Troglodyte villages throughout the world.

Don is sitting in the town hall where people would gather for meetings and visiting. There was no heat in this cave because it was well protected from the elements.

This is one of the caves that a family lived in and the contraption you see with the wood pole and the cross piece of wood with the square shape on the end was to teach the infants how to walk. They would put their kids in it and they would walk around and around.

After our visit to the caves we did some wine tasting in Saumur the wine is very good; in fact last night we had a bottle during dinner. Tomorrow we are off to Normandy; we will be overnighting in Rouen, this is where Joan of Arc was burned at the stake. Our hotel is at the site of the burning.

I can't believe the holiday is soon to be over, a month has gone by so fast!

Au revoir,
Barb & Don

Chateau Day ~ September 23, 2008

Last night we had a great dinner, in fact for my part it was one of the best dinners we have had when eating out. The restaurant was called Alchemist and did they have a very intriguing and innovative menu. I began with red currants and chevre cheese wrapped in phyllo pastry with a balsamic coulisse. Don started with grilled herring and a mustard- orange marmalade sauce. We then had Rack of lamb with roasted garlic, pureed celeriac and julienned zucchini. We ended the meal with a raspberry sorbet. What was interesting it was a newer restaurant and it was full of British and Canadians patrons; I should qualify that as there were also French people there but the majority was English speaking.

After a great night’s sleep we were off to visit some of the noteworthy chateaus of the Loire countryside. We will begin with Chenonceaux, then off to beautiful Chambord and finally Ambrose.





In the background is Chateau Chenonceau, les chateau des dames.

With our chateau tours completed we are on our way back to Saumur. Of all 3 chateaus we saw my favorite was Chenonceaux. Much of it has been restored to its former glory where the other 2 had not been, just a few select rooms at Ambrose and Chambord. Chambord is massive and almost garish, and Ambrose was very typical of the gothic style.

As internet is still an issue, posts will not be as frequent as in Aix.

Au revoir,
Barb & Don

Basilique Sainte-Marie-Madeleine

The front doors to the main entry to the church

The altar area of the Basilique

The relics of Mary Magdeline

Our hotel in Autun - Hotel des Ursulines

Chappel de St Lazarre in Autun

Desert at our hotel, the meal was fantastic

Don is in heaven

September 22, 2008

As the internet died at our hotel in Autun, I am posting here in Saumur.

Today we drove from Autun to Saumur (in the Loire Valley) the drive was beautiful and we made a stop in Vezelay and saw the Basilique Sainte-Marie-Madeleine. They claim to have the relics of Mary Magdeline, but I think Dan Brown would argue the point! We are now in castle heaven and tomorrow we will start our exploring. Our hotel here is very nice and our room is big with views of the Chateau Saumur.

As promised here are my previous posts.

Barb

Wine Tasting Day in Burgundy - Sunday September 21, 2008

Today was a special day for Don as he saw and tasted some of his most beloved wines. We were off by 10 am heading north of Beaune on road N973 toward the Givrey-Chambertin. We stopped at Chateau de Meursault and toured their winery; we walked through their caves and then tasted their wine. When we arrived at Givrey-Chambertin we also tasted and Don bought a bottle of 2005 Grand Cru there, he was so excited and thought he was hyperventilating! We then made our way back to Beaune and visited the Hotel Dieu and saw the painting Judgment Day. We wandered around Beaune and then made our way back to Autun.


Dinner in Autun

Dinner last night was very special, we ate at the gourmet restaurant in the hotel and let me tell you it was fantastic! We ordered the 4 course meal and a bottle of 2005 Cotes de Beaune.

September 20, 2008

Farewell Provence

Today we say adieu to Provence, and we have many fond memories of our two week stay. It is such a diverse area of France with the warm Mediterranean to the south, the rich wine areas of the Rhone, and its exotic blend of French, Italian, and North Africa cultures. The history of Provence is also quite diverse with many Roman and medieval ruins, and churches to visit; along with artist specific galleries. To walk the roads that Cezanne, Matisse, Van Gogh and Picasso did is very moving and gives context to these artists lives.

To experience life in Provence for two weeks teases you into how life is lived; to start you day with a warm croissant while you are busy planning your evening meal, then going to the local open are market and purchasing your vegetables, cheeses, baguette, and fish or meat. It can almost be described as a seductive experience for the senses with the sights, smells and sounds of the market.

With such fond memories, it is not au revoir but adieu as we will be back!

We arrived in Autun later this afternoon, and what a pleasant surprise this hotel has so much history. Our room has the open beam ceilings and the outside walls are 30” talk about sound proofing! Mother Superior had a very nice room, our main area of the room is 15 x 15 then we have a little sitting area and a bathroom and separate WC. The grounds are spectacular and the village is very old it dates back to 1 BC. So much history around us, and we are so fortunate to experience it. We are having dinner at the restaurant tonight; saw the menu and it looks spectacular. Tomorrow it is off to the wineries, bring on the Cote Rotie!

Au revoir,
Barb & Don

Our last day in Provence

Today was our last day in Provence and we decided as the weather was glorious, 27C today, to spend one last day at the beach. We chose the town of Cassis, which is a 30 minute trip from our apartment. This was our 5th beach to try on the Mediterranean and quite enjoyed this little community. We spent the entire afternoon there going in and out of the water, it was so warm even for September. The picture below is of the town of Cassis, as you see it is very much a resort town with condos a plenty!

Tomorrow we leave for the Burgundy region of France and are staying in the town of Autun at a B & B which will be different for us not having a kitchen! We have rather enjoyed being able to cook our meals, Provence has such great ingredients. Our last meal here was Moulles Marinierre, Tomato & Mozzarella Salad, and French Bread; the entire meal cost us $7.43 CAD as we purchased everything at the market.

We'll keep in touch as our journey continues!

Au revoir
Barb & Don

A Quiet Day Around Aix

Today we thought we would have a leisurely day in our area, we started our day with a trip to the market and purchase what we need for dinner tonight. This has become quite routine and am enjoying this very much. Today we chose fresh tuna steaks and built our meal around them.

After our market trip we ventured out on a little road trip on the little side roads, we were really enjoying seeing the countryside and the collections of homes in the area when we came upon this...

We had no idea there was a nuclear plant so close in our area! This plant was located near the town of Gardanne. We did some research when we got back to our apartment and France has several nuclear power plants.

We then ventured onward and came to the own of Les Milles, we stopped there for a little pastis and Don got his hair cut at the Institute de Beauty! That is the name they give their hair salons, the girl fussed over him for little over an hour and we both agreed it was one of the best cuts he's had in a long time.

After he haircut we went home and cooked our delicious dinner! I can't believe tomorrow is our last day in Provence, these two weeks have gone by so fast. Then it is on to the Burgundy and Loire regions!

Bonne nuit,

Barb & Don

Gigondas & Vaison la Romaine

Today we ventured to the Varcluse area of Provence; concentrating in Gigondas and Vaison la Romaine. The picture you see here is of one of the side streets in Gigondas. Don & I fell in love with this village and would come back here in a heartbeat! The wine was fabulous and we bought 2 bottles, what was a pleasant surprise was Don checked if they were rated on Wine Spectator and they both rated 91 points! These will be 2 bottles we'll sit on for a while to enjoy at a much later date. The village reminded me of the one in the movie "A Very Good Year" with Russell Crowe.

Here is an old fashioned basket press, we tried to see if there was a date on it but there wasn't. Pretty cool little gizmo!

Now we are in Vaison la Romaine, where they unearthed a city that was over 2000 years old, in fact they have artifacts from Greek times which would date to 300 BC. This is the entry way into the theater where they would have plays and politicians would speak (not much has changed - by the way how is the election rhetoric?)

Here is an example of mosaic stone work that was unearthed and dates to 50 BC. Incredible how it has withstood the years, they must have a lifetime warranty! These ruins were incredible and reminded very much of the ruins of Ephesus. What else is that they are right in the middle of the town with daily life carrying on beside them.

Tomorrow we are doing a back road adventure, and not sure where our destination will be!

Au Revior, Barb & Don

Carcassonne

We are on our way to Carcassonne, we drove through Lezignan-Corbieres an area that produces noteable wine in the Lanuedoc region. The villages along the trip were so quaint, we saw the grape harvest in full swing. You had to be carefull because tractors and trucks were bringing their grapes back to the vineyard for pressing and time is money.

The walled medievel city of Carcassonne, in the distance you see the Basillique St Nazaire. It was here that many cathars took refuge during the Inquisition. Atilla, the Hun, also visited here and legend has it that he hid much of his fortune here within this walled city; the treasures were rumored to be from the Temples of Solomon.

Here is a close-up of one of the Gargoyles protecting the Basillique, I'd run too if I came face to face with one of these little characters. We enjoyed our day here and had lunch at one of the restaurants, lamb and local wine which was very delicious. During our meal we met a couple from Melbourne, Austrailia and compared travel notes.

This is a view of the entry point to the citadel, it was very impressive but has become very commercialized with all the shops selling touristy stuff. We then carried on to the beaches of the Languedoc region, Le Cap d'Agde. The sand was very powdery and golden in color, the water was clear and refreshing; both Don and I went for a swim. It was a very full day as it was a 3 hr drive to Carcassonne, tomorrow we will spend our time closer to our area and try a few more wines!

Au Revior ~ Don & Barb

Monday - September 15, 2008

Roman Ruin Day

Today we went west of Aix and saw many spectacular sites. The first place we stopped was the Pont du Gard a 2000 year old marvel that the Romans built. It stand 160 ft tall and was the largest aquaduct they ever built.

We then went to Nimes and saw the Ampitheater that was built in the 1st century and was host to gladiator matches. Today it hosts bullfights.

When you sit in the stands you can let your imagination run wild, thinking of the history within these walls. In Nimes we had a picnic lunch in the Charles De Gaul park, the weather was great. We then ventured on to Arles and saw the Roman ruines there as well as saw Vincent Van Gogh's home.

We have been having a great holiday, something new to discover each day! Tomorrow we are planning an earlier start as we are driving to Carcassonne.

Au revior, Barb & Don

Sunday ~ September 14, 2008

We took it slower today, started our day by going to the market in Aix and was very impressed with the stalls. The fish mongers were quite entertaining! We picked up a steam hot baquette for our evening meal, because it is Sunday everything shuts down by 1:30.

One of the fish monger stands.

It was off to Marseille to check out their centre ville as it was a Greek settlement from 7BC and was known as the gateway to the west for centuries. It was a glorious day to walkaround the harbour, we had fresh fish for lunch at one of the restaurants with a waiter that was extremely efficient! There were about 30 tables and he was the only waiter!

Harbour of Marseille

Following our walk through Marseille we ventured onward to Cassis, what a charming little port!

Later on we thought we would take one of the lesser traveled roads to Mount Victoire by our place, let me tell you that was an experience! The road was very narrow and the oncoming traffic figured they needed to be driving in the middle of the road, leaving cliff for us! All I can say it's a good thing my bladder was empty before this road trip because it would have happened going around one of those curves!!!

Au revior, Barb & Don

Chateaunef du Pape

Here is the old chateau that the pope of Avignon had built, so the finest wine could be produced for their own personal consumption. Much of this chateau was destroyed during the Wars of Religion of the latter 1500's.

Here is a picture of Don with his prized purchase, in the background is a spectacular view of the countryside.

This is a picture of Notre-Dame des Doms, the smaller church beside the Palais des Papes.

The picture below is of the Palais des Papes, during the 1300's the papal court was in Avignon and remained there until 1377.

We also walked across the Pont d'Avignon and hummed along to sur la pont d'avignon! I got very windy at that point in the trip, and I thought I would get blown in the water! After our time in Avignon we went to Gordes and walked around the 16th century medieval city, here we experienced rain! It was a little slippery on those cobblestone streets.

We then ventured back to Palette for a leisurely evening and a steaming hot bowl of bouillabaisse with the seafood coming from Sete.

Au revoir,

Barb & Don

Today we ventured out to the area around Avignon and Chateauneuf du Pape. The country side is spectacular, with some of the harvest starting you can still see grapes hanging from the vines. The grape harvest for the region was officially started on September 7, 2008 and decreed in Avignon by a government official.

This picture here shows one of the side streets in Chateauneuf du Pape. It is a very quaint town with many wine caves wanting you to come and taste their product. If you stopped at every one you would never be able to get into your vehicle and drive away; they give very health pours!

This is the wine cave of Earl Boiron and where Don purchased a bottle of the best! Chateauneuf du Pape 2005 Reserve