Montmorillon, France

A few months before our scheduled move to France, we were at our nephew’s birthday party chatting with the mom of one of his friends when she asked us what was new. We had met her before at these events and always enjoyed chatting with her. We told her about my upcoming retirement and our planned move to France; looking astonished, she told us her good friends had moved to France just a few months earlier. Wow, small world! She connected us via email and our communications during the following months blossomed into a friendship. That’s how we found ourselves in the beautiful village of Montmorillon in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region of France last week, to meet Heidi and Richard, fellow expatriated Washingtonians.

Montmorillon dates back to the 11th century and is known as the “city of books and writing”. It is a beautiful medieval village situated along the River Gartempe. The village was once a center for the production of paper, thus the various old printing machines found around the village.

There’s even a Linotype machine outside the Museum of Typewriters and Calculators.

The village is also know for macaroons, and there is even a museum dedicated to this tasty treat. As we wandered through the village, we found book shops, art galleries, and other speciality shops. Unfortunately, most businesses were closed on the day we visited, but we enjoyed strolling through the village.

The wisteria was in full bloom, and we saw many stunningly beautiful displays all around the village.

As we wandered through the old town past the book shops and up a steep hill, we found an interesting tower that we had seen from several locations. After doing a little online searching, it appears that the history of the tower is uncertain. It is thought to have been built on the site that once housed a castle. C’est un mystère n’est-ce pas?

It is tall and narrow and has a statue of the Virgin Mary on top. There are some beautiful views from this location.

There are interesting shops, galleries, restaurants, churches and much more on both sides of the river, so be sure to explore both areas if you visit.

We stopped in the afternoon for a drink at a local cafe where this cat made himself comfortable wherever he chose.

We stayed at a delightful bed and breakfast called L’Arbre D’Ange perfectly located for exploring the village on foot. Run by a couple from the UK, the inn is clean, quiet, roomy, and tastefully filled with interesting collectibles. Our light, airy room had an entryway separating the bathroom from the bedroom.

It has been so helpful chatting with Heidi and Richard over the months, they have been invaluably helpful as we made our transition to life in France. We felt an instant connection when we finally met in person. We look forward to seeing them again and growing our friendship.

We loved visiting Montmorillon and hope to visit again someday when the shops and museums are open, so we see even more of this lovely town.

All the best,

Tricia