Margaret River & Beyond

We have arrived in Victoria

Posted on 12 April 2024 by Kerry & Jim

After leaving home on Easter Friday we have spent the past couple of weeks making our way to Victoria and are ready to start exploring the state.

We have had a good trip over from West to East and as usual it was an interesting journey.

We made it to Adelaide to see the ‘Gather Round’ West Coast Eagles vs Sydney in Mt Barker. Not a win but a promising game for the Eagles. We stayed with friends in Adelaide as and always it was great to catch up with them.

From Mt Barker we headed north east and followed the Murray River across into Victoria.

Next stop is Echuca where the exploring begins.

Posted in Victoria | Tagged Gather Ground, Murray River, Victoria | 4 Comments

Oeuilly, surrounding villages and homeward bound

Posted on 1 July 2023 by Kerry & Jim

Oeuilly

Oeuilly is only 15 kms from Epernay in the heart of the Champagne wine growing area. Everywhere we look there are grapevines. It is a small village with about 600 residents and it has a lovely feel to it. All that remains of an old castle is a rampart and today has hanging baskets of flowers along it.

The symbol of the village is the Ergret and there are many to see in the gardens.

L’Oeuillade en Champagne

We have been staying in Gite L’Oeuillade en Champagne in Oeuilly and what fabulous place to stay. Our host Jean-Eric is certainly a wonderful character. He is a retired professor from a nearby senior school and he and his wife have built and decorated the cottage themselves – and are very proud of their efforts. It is such a lovely and comfortable place to stay if you are every visiting the area.

Ogen

The nearby village of Ogen had some lovely champagne houses.

Châtillon-sur-Marne

In Châtillon-sur-Marne there is the French 1st World War cemetery of National Necropolis Le Prieuré de Binson. The crosses are testament to 2,671 soldiers who lost their lives during the fighting that took place in the Marne Valley. Between 1921 and 1934 the bodies of fallen soldiers from isolated graves were exhumed from nearby sites and this new cemetery was created to honour their service to France. They include soldiers from French colonial regiments such as Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea and Mali. The church near the cemetery was also bombed and there was a photo of it then and you can see it as it is now in my photos.

At the top of the village the statue of Pope Urban II overlooks the valley below.

Chez Max in Epernay

On our last day in France we decided to lunch at Chez Max in Epernay. It of course was fabulous! Our entrees of asparagus and seafood were delicately flavoured, the red wine jus over the duck was a taste sensation, followed by a choice of local and iconic French cheeses and finally the dessert – what can I say!

Au revoir France

We are now driving back to Paris and making our way home. It has been a truely wonderful holiday and we have enjoyed France’s offerings so much. The food, the wine, the champagne, the backroads and countryside, the gorgeous villages we have visited and all our accommodations have been very comfortable, and the people have been very hospitable. Jim has chauffeured me everywhere in our Citroen C4 and has done so with excellent driving skills.

It would be nice to think we will be back one day…..

Posted in France | Tagged Champagne, Châtillon-sur-Marne, French 1st World War cemetery, L’Oeuillade en Champagne, National Necropolis Le Prieuré de Binson, Oeuilly, Ogen | 5 Comments

A day in Reims

Posted on 29 June 2023 by Kerry & Jim

The largest city in the Champagne region, Reims, is only about 40km from where we are staying. On our day trip we took a short bus tour of the city to get our bearings before wondering around ourselves.

The most dominating building in the city is the Cathedral of Notre-Dame. It is currently undergoing some restoration and clean up on the outside and the front bottom half has already been done. The difference is very noticeable. The detail in the stonework is remarkable.

Much of Reims was damaged or destroyed in both WWI and WWII and has since been rebuilt. The restoration of the cathedral in particular has been a joint international effort over many years.

Inside the stain glass windows are the most intricate we have seen in any of the cathedrals we have visited.

The elegance of the new buildings after the wars is akin to Paris’ facades and rooftops.

The excited children were just getting off the carousel as we passed. It was closing for a few hours for lunch so we we missed seeing it in operation.

Reims is a very attractive city and if we had more time we would make another day to visit and see some more.

Posted in France | Tagged Reims | 2 Comments

Epernay from Above

Posted on 28 June 2023 by Kerry & Jim

Flying 150 metres above the city is certainly the best way to get a birds eye view of the city and its surrounds. We did the flight on the tethered balloon from the city centre on a lovely cool and relatively clear morning.

The 360 deg views of the city and across the country side was panoramic.

Back on the ground we next made our way up the Avenue de Champagne. I guess Moët & Chandon is probably the most recognisable bottle of bubbles in Australia. Their showroom in Epernay is a modern glitzy affair.

As we strolled along we visited quite a few of the showrooms and it crossed our minds that we were walking above kilometres of underground cellars storing millions of bottles of champagne. Walk gently we said!

The Notre-Dame cathedral is relatively new in French history. Construction started in 1897 and was not completed until 1915. After being bombed in 1918 restoration was completed in 1922.

The Hotel de Ville (local administration offices and town hall) and its gardens are very impressive. By now it was quite a warm so taking a stroll around the gardens was lovely and cooling.

It was market day in the historical part of the city so it was difficult to take photos of the buildings.

Chateau Perrier was once the private mansion of Charles Perrier. Today it is a museum housing displays of both champagne and archeological histories of the area.

These lovely signs on the streets court my eye.

Posted in France | Tagged Avenue de Champagne, Cathedral Notre Dame, Champagne, Champagne houses, Epernay, Hotel de Ville, Moët & Chandon, Museum of Champagne, tethered Balloon | 4 Comments

We have arrived in Champagne

Posted on 25 June 2023 by Kerry & Jim

We have arrived in Champagne area of France and are staying at Oeuilly. Our host Jean-Eric was very keen to show us the traditional way of opening a bottle of Champagne.

Please click on the Instagram link below to watch him in action.

www.instagram.com/reel/Ct6puIzMEQn/

Posted in France | Tagged How to open a Champagne bottle | 1 Comment

Chagny and the nearby villages

Posted on 25 June 2023 by Kerry & Jim

Since arriving in Burgundy we have been staying at Villa Roland in Chagny. Ours hosts Christelle & Jose have been very nice and provided us with plenty of information for our stay.

Although it is quite a small town but Chagny has a 3 Michelin Star Restaurenteur Eric Pras in Hotel Lameloise. Dinner prices with wine included start from €380 – €520 per person ($620 – $850 per person). Such a shame they were fully booked until after we have left the area!!!

Our favourite Boulanger/ Patissier was Karine & Marc’s. Their baguette’s were very good and their sweet treats delicious.

Canal du Centre which flows around Chagny is a 112 km long waterway between the Saône and Loire rivers. It passes though vineyards, farming meadows and many small villages along the way. We spotted the lovely Amaryllis motoring under a low bridge and through a tight part of the canal as we were strolling along the towpath. Some investigation revealed that the Amaryllis is a luxury canal cruise boat offering 7 night cruises. The June 2024 prices are approx €13,000 to €15,000 per person (at todays exchange rate that would be approx $21,000 to $25,000 per person). She does have her own skipper, chef and swimming pool. What a fabulous holiday for those on board!

With so many little villages close by we decided to spend our last day in the Burgundy area just driving around and enjoying the sunshine.

Our first stop was Santenay. The coffee crowd were just emerging.

Next we had a leisurely lunch at La Cabane in Cassagne-Montrachet. We shared the charcuterie platter and both had the confit duck patty on a burger with melted soft cheese, onion relish and lettuce. It is delicious.

By now everything had shut for the afternoon so we just tootled through the villages and found some lovely views along the way.

Champagne here we come!!

Posted in France | Tagged Amaryllis, Boulanger, Burgundy, Canal du Centre, Cassagne-Montrachet, Chagny, Karine @ Marc, La Cabane, Santenay, Villa Roland | 3 Comments

A day in the Côte-d’Or

Posted on 24 June 2023 by Kerry & Jim

The first of two villages we visited in the Côte-d’Or region was Semur-en-Auxois, about 90 km north of where we are staying. It was a little quite when we first arrived and I was taking the photos but by lunch time it was bustling. The Armancon River winds it way around the city and has this lovely little bridge crossing.

Lunch today was from the very popular ‘plat de jour’. It is their lunch time special and translates to meal of the day or plate of the day. It was soft cheese melted on crusty pieces of bread in a salad then bass with a lightly curried sauce served with mashed potato. Yum!

We crisscrossed the Canal de Bourgogne along the way today.

And again the scenery was stunning as we left the vineyards behind and saw more cropping and open fields.

The charming little village of Flavigny-sur-Ozerain has a significant Benedictine history with the Abbey of Saint-Pierre, which was founded in 717, and occupied from the early Middle ages until the French Revolution. The village and its buildings are very well maintained and this is the village that was used in the film Chocolat.

On a side alley in Flavigny we found the small factory of ‘les Anis de Flavigny’ producing aniseed candy balls. The Benedictine monks from the abbey started the tradition of coating anise seed with sugar syrup in the 11th century and it continues today. The smell wafts through the air as you approach. These two handsome Welshmen were happy to be snapped as they waited for their wives to complete their purchases in the shop.

Posted in France | Tagged Abbey of Saint-Pierre, Aniseed, Armancon River, Canal de Bourgogne, Côte-d'Or, Chocolat, Flavigny-sur-Ozerain, les Anis de Flavigny, Semur-en-Auxois | 3 Comments

Beaune

Posted on 23 June 2023 by Kerry & Jim

The weather the past few days has been a little inclement so in between showers we have been getting out and about in near by Beaune.

The most iconic of the attractions in Beaune is the Hostel Dieu, a hospital for the poor established in 1443 and continued until 1971. It has now been restored to some originality and is a museum that is very popular with tourists. The outstanding roof made of glazed tiles and arranged in colourful patterns that is characteristic of the wealth of the owners in the region of Burgundy. Nicolas Rolin, chancellor to the Duke of Burgundy, and his wife Guigone were instrumental in caring for the poorer citizens of Beaune and their wealth built the hospital and employed the medics and religious nuns to care for its patients. Over the years a section was set aside to care for wealthy dying patients who then bequeathed some of their money to the continuation of the hospital for the poor.

The Collégiale Notre-Dame has a lovely little garden in its cloister.

The new Cité des Climats et vins de Bourgogne (wine centre) only opened on the 17th June an on the day we visited they were still in the process of setting up their business. I’m sure it will be very nice when they are up and running.

The Mustard shop Edmond Fallot la Moutarderie was interesting but though the tour times didn’t suit us so we had to make do with just visiting the shop. I can’t tell you how may different mustards were on display.

Posted in France | Tagged Beaune, Cité des Climats et vins de Bourgogne, CollégialeNotre-Dame, Edmond Fallot la Moutarderie, gardens, Hostel Dieu, Mustard, Wine Centre | 3 Comments

Route des Grands Crus

Posted on 22 June 2023 by Kerry & Jim

Today is our first day exploring the Burgundy wine region. The Route des Grands Crus is Burgundy’s main tourist trail and today we visited the southern half. And what a pretty area it is.

Their are miles and miles of vineyards along the route all just starting to set grapes. Pinot Noir and Chardonnay are the main varieties grown here.

The pretty village of Vougeot is as far north as we travelled today.

It is home to 12th century Chateau du Clos de Vougeot. Whilst the chateau is not open to the public part of the buildings house historical displays that we could visit.

We lunched in Nuits-Saint-Georges.

We dined at Cafe du Centre and it was another delicious menu. Entrees of Charcuterie each and mains of Sea Bass with Quinoa and Beef Bourguignon.

We passed some lovely places in the vineyards.

Jim suggests there is just one more chateau he would like to visit. Chateau de Savigny. Sounds good to me! Looks good to me!

But there was an ulterior motive – we are actually here to see an exhibition of cars, motorbikes, planes, fire engines, tractors……and more! The outbuildings are crammed with 9 different collections, which includes a paddock of nearly 100 fighter aircraft. The current owner has personally raced the Abarth cars.

What will tomorrow bring!

Posted in France | Tagged Abarth, Cafe du Centre, Chateau de Savigny, Chateau du Clos de Vougeot, Nuits-Saint-Georges, Route des Grands Crus, Vougeot | 6 Comments

Annecy in the French Alps

Posted on 20 June 2023 by Kerry & Jim

Arriving in Annecy in the Haute-Savoie region of the French Alps we realised what a tourist mecca it is, for not only the French but also the Italians, Swiss and I think Europeans in general. It is only 40km south of Geneva and is on the very pretty Lake Annecy.

The lake and its banks were a hive of activity with small motor boats, paddle boats, standup boards, swimmers and sunbathers in the late afternoon when we did our boat trip around the lake.

Lovely hotels and homes with their manicured gardens line the banks of the lake.

The views of the mountains in the background are stunning and there is still a little snow up there.

Around the small harbour and the little river that flows out of the lake is picturesque.

Annecy town has so many restaurants, cafes and glaciers (icecream shops) to cater for the tourists. After a walk up and down the main area we finally chose to eat at Azzurro and had the seafood linguini.

The evening was abuzz with people eating their later afternoon ice creams and perusing the menu boards for their dinner choice. It was fun to be in a busy environment for a change.

Tomorrow we will arrive in Burgundy.

Posted in France | Tagged Annecy, Lake Annecy | 4 Comments

Le Puy en Velay

Posted on 19 June 2023 by Kerry & Jim

We have left the south of France and are making our way to Burgundy, about 800 km away on the backroads.

On the way we decided to make our first overnight stop up in the mountains at Le Puy en Velay and then the next at Annecy just south of Geneva.

The scenery on the winding roads as we made our way up to the Massif Central plateau was stunning. Unfortunately there were very few places to stop and take photos.

Le Puy en Velay is where your start the 732 km Camino Way (the Way of St James) walk if you are starting in France. En route we passed a couple of statues showing the way and quite a few hikers on the walk.

Every day from the impressive Cathedral of Notre-Dame du Puy walkers start their Camino journey to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Spain after a blessing from the local priest.

The other two outstanding features of the town are the 10th century The Chapel of Saint-Michel perched high on a volcanic rock (that has way too many steps for me to climb up) and the Rocher Corneille, with this 23 metre statue of Mary the baby Jesus erected in 1860. Interesting the statue was made of metal melted from 100 cannons that were seized during the Crimean war by Napoleon III.

The following morning as we were leaving town a haze had settled in the valley so the photo from the vantage point was not so good.

Lacemaking is still an active industry in the town. Shops on the cobblestone streets display bobbins with intricate lace in progress.

The town itself thrives off of the tourists and walkers that come in droves because of the Camino. The historic centre is full of cafes, restaurants and ice cream shops.

Next stop Annecy.

Posted in France | Tagged Chapel of Saint-Michel, Le Puy en Velay, Massif Central plateau, Rocher Corneille, Santiago de Compostela, The Camino Walk | 5 Comments

Albi

Posted on 17 June 2023 by Kerry & Jim

What a find! On our last day here we visited the city of Albi on the Tarn River to the north of where we are staying at the moment. It is one of the most attractive city’s we have seen so far.

The main square and side streets were vibrant with people and everything clean and well maintained.

Following a narrow street we came across this gorgeous garden.

Dominating the skyline is the Cathedral of Saint Cecile dating from the 13th-century. Made from red bricks, as is much of the city’s buildings, the internal of the Cathedral is the largest decorative painted church in Europe.

Posted in France | Tagged Albi, Cathedral of Saint Cecile, Tarn River | 2 Comments

Soreze & Revel

Posted on 16 June 2023 by Kerry & Jim

Sorry that this post is a bit long but we have been busy here.

Soreze

Trying to squeeze as much in as possible we visited Soreze first thing in the morning. These small towns really don’t see many visitors until later in the day. It was very quiet – except for a small tour group ahead of us – but it is another pretty place with many different facades.

We visited the Abbey-Ecole de Soreze which is now a museum and was delighted for find an exhibition of tapestries by a renowned Benedictine monk and artist Dom Robert (1907-1997). They are exquisitely made and colourful for the time.

I realised after taking a couple of photos that all photography was banned so I have added the link if you are interested in looking as his work. Website: https://domrobert.com

His loom and a range of yarns used are on display as is the climate controlled cabinet that his works are kept in when not on display.

Revel

We had hoped to go into Revel on market day to see the vendors under the covered 14th century roof which is held up by wooden pillars and has a bell tower on top, but our timing was out so we had a quick visit just to see the building.

The Musee de Bois (woodworking museum) is very near the market square. The current exhibition from students focuses on Rugby given that France is hosting the World Cup soon. Here are a couple of the well crafted pieces that are a little larger than an actual rugby ball.

The students are learning traditional cabinet making, marquetry and woodturning and taking their inspiration from Alexander Monoury who was a Versailles cabinetmaker that settled in Revel during the 1850.

Accommodation and more food

The towns of Soreze & Revel are only a few minutes apart and our new accommodation is between the two. Again we have chosen well and are enjoying it here at Cottage Ty Pastel.

Our hosts Josiane and Jean-Marc recommend we try the local fare and suggested Cassoulet Imperial about 25 minutes away in Labastide d’Anjou. The Cassoulet of confit duck, streaky bacon, pork sausage and white beans was enormous and is served with a salad and bread. Following was chocolate mousse – followed by a stomach ache! Delicious but way to much for one sitting.

It will be our last day here tomorrow and we are off to visit Albi.

Posted in France | Tagged Abbey-Ecole de Soreze, Cassoutet Imperial, Dom Robert, Gite Ty Pastel, Musee du Bois, Revel, Soreze, Woodworking Museum | 9 Comments

Carcassone

Posted on 15 June 2023 by Kerry & Jim

Carcassone in the south of France is a city of two histories. The medieval citadel, La Cité, with its double-walled fortifications and watchtowers, sits high above the newer city.

Crossing the river you get your first glimpse of the medieval city, from the Middle Ages, high above and of course you have to walk up there!

Approx. 100 people still live in the medieval city – probably catering to the many daily tourists.

Their is a view back across the newer part of Carcassone.

The walking bridge that links the two is over the Aude River.

Back in the newer town we wondered the streets that lead down to the Canal di Midi.

On our way over to Carcassone we went over the Montagne Noir, at an alitude of 500 metres, and for most of the trip this is all we could see.

On the trip home however, the fog had lifted and we got to see the views from the lovely little village of Saissac. In the far distance you can just see the Pyrenees.

Posted in France | Tagged Aude River, Canal di Midi, Carcassone, Medieval City, Montagne Noir, Pyrenees, Saissac | 6 Comments

Saint-Emilion

Posted on 13 June 2023 by Kerry & Jim

Saint-Emilion can be entered through one of the seven gates that were once a part of the medieval fortifications that surround the town. Once inside the narrow steep streets lead you to a small square.

From the town square we took a guided tour of the underground Chapel of the Trinity which has some preserved frescoes from the 12th century, the Hermitage where St Emilion spent the last 17th years of his life, the Catacombs dating from the 8th to the 10th century and the monolithic Church carved out of the rock in the 9th century. Unfortunately no photos were allowed on the tour as the collection of underground caves is privately owned – not sure why that would mean no photos!

Saint Emilion is surrounding by vineyards in every direction, and has its own appellation (AOC). The three main varieties grown are Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon.

When a wine has ‘Château’ on its label it means that the grapes were grown, fermented, barrel-aged and bottled on the vineyard at the château – and not what we would initially think of as a large château used as a residence.

It is a very picturesque area.

We have really enjoyed our time here in Saint Emilion and especially our stay at Gite le Lys.

Posted in France | Tagged Gite le Lys, St Emilion, St Emilion wineries | 11 Comments

The wine route of the Médoc area

Posted on 12 June 2023 by Kerry & Jim

Today we drove over to the Médoc area north of Bordeaux to follow the wine route of the region.

There were no tastings as it is Sunday today and typical of France everything is closed.

The wine Châteaux are very impressive buildings in the Médoc, it has been a premium wine region for hundreds of years, creating huge wealth.

Here are just some of the many Châteaux that we saw and could stop and take a photo of as we passed.

And there were a couple of new and modern ones as well.

Being Sunday not many of the restaurants were open so we had to resort to lunch at the golf club in Margaux. Jim was very impressed with the course and we enjoyed our lunch of Caesar salad, Salmon carpaccio and Sea Bream fillets served with mild curried lentils and vegetables.

Posted in France | Tagged Bordeaux wineries, Chateaux, Les Routes Du Vin de Bordeaux en Medoc, Medoc | 4 Comments

Sarlat & Bergerac

Posted on 11 June 2023 by Kerry & Jim

On the recommendation of Thomas (who speaks some English) the son of our hosts Alain & Nicole, we decided to take a trip over to Sarlat-la-Canéda. As it was two hours away we took a motorway for the first time since we picked up the car. Travelling at the suggested speed of 130 km was a bit too fast for us so we sat in the slower lane and plodded along at about 115km. We were basically left behind by most cars.

Sarlat was very busy when we arrived as the town markets were on. Probably should have checked that before we left as we didn’t get to see the town itself at its best. Nevertheless the markets were impressive and abuzz with visitors walking the 900 metres through the main streets and that doesn’t include the side streets. Everything from clothing, bags, knives, trinkets and food were available.

The usual deliciousness was on offer.

We spent most of our time in the Medieval Centre of Sarlat where most of the buildings are from the 15th and 16th centuries. They are quite a different style of architecture to the other towns and cities we have visited. Little streets are crammed with restaurants, cafes and shops and are a delight to wonder through.

We passed the impressive village of Beynac-et-Cazenac on the homeward journey off the motorway.

And we stopped off at Bergerac for a quick visit.

As we arrived the little tourist train was about to leave so we jumped aboard for a quick tour.

Tomorrow we are off to explore the Medoc and it’s fabulous Chateaux.

Posted in France | Tagged Bergerac, Beynac-et-Cazence, Sarlat-la-Canéda | 4 Comments

Bordeaux

Posted on 9 June 2023 by Kerry & Jim

On an overcast and humid day we visited Bordeaux which is a city of about one million people. We only had the one day – you certainly need at least two – so we decided on a bus tour and a visit to the modern wine museum.

We would have liked to walk around the city some more, however, we chose to do the bus tour so we could get a good look around as much of the city as possible.

Here is some of what we saw on the bus tour. Bordeaux has some very impressive buildings and avenues.

The craftsmanship on the window and balcony supports is impressive – and it is not just one – the whole building front has the same detail on every window and balcony.

The Garonne river was murky as we crossed on the bus.

We then made our way to the wine museum. On arrival we realised that the museum tour went for two and a half hours, so we had to make do with just seeing the bottle room and the souvenir shop … oh well, we may have to come again if we ever get back to France. Jim was very impressed with the bottle room!

Posted in France | Tagged Bordeaux, Bordeaux Wine Museum | 8 Comments

The journey to St Emilion

Posted on 7 June 2023 by Kerry & Jim

From Chevanceaux we decided to take a long detour and visit the village of Brantome in the Perigord region on the recommendation of several friends.

Brantome is on the banks of the River Dronne and is known as the Venice of Perigord. The feature of the village is the beautiful Benedictine abbey.

The village is a tourist destination and has many shops and restaurants to visit.

I loved the hams hanging the in their red bags inside this little shop.

Water surrounds a very small island on which the village is located. Very pretty indeed.

From Brantome we drove down to our next destination near St Emilion in the Gironde region. We are very much looking forward to exploring this area over the coming week. It is primarily a wine producing region and about 50 km from Bordeaux.

Too our delight we are now staying in Gite le Lys in a gorgeous vineyard just out of St Emilion. It is just beautiful!

The garden and vineyard, which comes right to our door, is so beautiful. It really doesn’t get much better than this.

Posted in France | Tagged Brantome, Gites Le Lys, St Emilion | 10 Comments

Charente-Maritime

Posted on 6 June 2023 by Kerry & Jim

We are now staying in Chevanceaux in Charente-Maritime department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region in southwestern France.

We have again chosen well and are staying in a lovely cottage ‘Gites de la Camus’ on the outskirts of Chevanceaux.

The landscape has changed from the Loire Valley and we are in rolling hills now.

Let me show you a few of the pretty villages we have found.

Jonzac

Our first stop was Jonzac so that I could attend the Patchwork & Embroidery Expo. Jonzac’s history dates back to the ancient romans and in recent times the town has reinvented itself as a popular spa centre. The most notable building in town is the 15th century Chateau de Jonzac which is under wraps as it is currently undergoing a major restoration.

Aubeterre-sur-Dronne

Built on the side of a steep hill above the Dronne River, Aubeterre is a very pretty village and is listed as one of the most beautiful villages in France. It is only a small village and we were there at Sunday lunchtime. The diners were enjoying the sunshine.

Cognac

We found Cognac a very easy city to walk around. It is a much larger town and seems to be a very prosperous with a well maintained town centre and shopping avenues.

We wondered through the lovely gardens making our way down to the Charente River.

And yes, of course we visited a couple of Cognac houses. It was before lunch and we still had to drive home so we decided not to the the tasting tour. Maybe next time. Some of the prices for the premium Cognac’s were eye-watering.

Hennessy

Chateau de Cognac

We are packing up today and moving down to the St Emilion area.

Posted in France | Tagged Aubeterre-sur-Dronne, Charente-Maritime, Chateau de Cognac, Chevanceaux, Cognac, Hennessy, Jonzac | 3 Comments

Patchwork & Embroidery Expo in Jonzac

Posted on 5 June 2023 by Kerry & Jim

My friend Anne, who used to live in this area of France, told me about a patchwork and embroidery quilts exhibition that would be on while we were in the area. As we were staying close by I hoped to get to see the expo. Thanks for the tip Anne.

The exhibition was held upstairs in this lovely building.

Here are just some of the quilts on display. Many of them include an element of embroidery as well as traditional hand piecing and hand quilting. Some used the more modern technique of machine pieced and machine quilted.

Unfortunately each of the quilts had a spotlight shining on them so it made it difficult to photograph them well, but I’m sure you will enjoy seeing them anyway.

I am very pleased to have found the exhibition and really enjoyed chatting to once of the volunteers who could speak English.

Next I will give you a guided tour of the villages in the area.

Posted in France | Tagged Embriodery, Jonzac, Patchwork, Quilts Expo | 17 Comments

A Drive in the Countryside

Posted on 3 June 2023 by Kerry & Jim

We crossed the Loire River and took a drive into the countryside on the south side of the river. There are many little hamlets surrounded by farmland.

The rolling hills are a patchwork of paddocks growing everything from grapes, grains, canola, garlic, corn and more.

Whilst the paddocks are small the yields appear to be very good. There is very little land left idle; as soon as one crop finishes they are preparing the land for the next.

Driving does have a few challenges – like navigating your way through small town entrance walls.

But it is always worth the stress.

Pretty chateau dot the countryside, many you can’t see.

Posted in France | Tagged Chateau, Farming, Loire Valley | 9 Comments

Saumur and the Mushroom Caves

Posted on 2 June 2023 by Kerry & Jim

The dominant feature of the Saumur skyline is the Chateau. Over the centuries the chateau has been used as a palace, garrison and a prison, and is now a museum housing many collections of French history.

From the chateau walls there are impressive views back over the city and to the other side of the river.

Saumur is a very lively town with a population of about 30,000 residents. It has a great range of shops, restaurants and cafes and is very easy to walk around. We loved it here.

On the outskirts of Saumur are quite a few mushroom caves that are still being used to produce a wide variety of mushrooms for the French market. The cave we visited was a cool 14 deg C which apparently is the perfect temperature for growing mushrooms.

Some are grown in hanging bags, some in circular bags on the floor and others in large growing trays.

Here are just some of the varieties grown.

These few looked totally unappetising.

Next we are off to the countryside for a drive.

Posted in France | Tagged Loire Valley, Mushroom Caves, Saumur | 12 Comments

Our home in Loire Valley

Posted on 1 June 2023 by Kerry & Jim

We are staying in the lovely little riverside hamlet of Saint Clement des Levees. It is located on the north side of the levee bank of the Loire River and about 10 km west of Saumur. Our hosts Colin and Myriam have called in to say hello and provided us with a bottle of bubbles as a welcome gift – and very nice it was too. Our cottage is pretty much in the centre of this first photo.

We have a Citroen C4 auto diesel to get us around. Here it is parked outside our cottage.

On the ground floor we have the kitchen, lounge and bathroom and on the top floor is two bedrooms and a toilet. It is very comfortable and has everything we need – washing machine, wifi and kitchenette.

Two seperate garden areas provide lovely outdoor spaces for that afternoon aperitif.

The river is right over the road.

We have mostly been eating out at lunchtime and then coming home to a light meal of an evening … very French! This way we can enjoy a glass of wine without having to drive.

Our lunch at Rouge Bistro, just up the road, with their three course lunch special was very good, as have all our meals been.

Posted in France, Margaret River | Tagged Loire River, Loire Valley, Riverside Cottage, Saint Clement des Levees, Saumur | 13 Comments

Loire Valley

Posted on 1 June 2023 by Kerry & Jim

We have been out exploring a couple of nearby villages and taking in the local sights. We are getting used to the driving again (both driver and passenger) so the small narrow streets in the villages are no longer hair raising. Let me show you around the first three villages we have visited.

Angers

Angers (I think the translation to Australian would be “Onjay”) is on the Maine River and is a large city with a population of about 150,00 inhabitants. We strolled the city following the tourist guide and here is some of what we saw.

On our way we came across the Museum of Modern Art. Beauty is definitely in the eye of the beholder….I must be getting old!

One of my favourite things to find in France are the little local markets. We found this one in Angers and as usual in France the produce looked fabulous.

Candes Saint Martin

At the point where the Vienne and Loire rivers join and not far from where we are staying is Candes St Martins. Classified as one of the most beautiful villages in France it is usually a very popular tourist destination, but we visited on Whit Monday, which is a public holiday here in France, and the town was very quiet. It was a bit of a shame really, as none of the shop were open, only a couple of restaurants.