We have been very busy the past few weeks, and have seen tons of beautiful, interesting, and emotionally moving sites not far from our home. I’ll cover the highlights today, and follow up later with more details of each location. A few weeks ago, we met up with our son-in-law’s mother and sister in St.... Continue Reading →
Château de Fougères
The current standing Château de Fougères, located in the town of Fougères next to the Nançon River, was built during the late 1100s as a stronghold at the intersection of well traveled trade routes. (The original castle, built of wood rather then stone, was burned by Henry II, King of England, and later rebuilt). Located... Continue Reading →
Passageways
There is something inviting about passageways; they seem to beckon and call us to explore where they lead, what surprises they hold, or adventures await once we have passed through. Mayenne, Normandie, France Passageways can be human made, or found in nature. They have many different names; alley, tunnel, gate, aisle, walkway, corridor, path, portal,... Continue Reading →
Out and About in Normandie, Part Three
We are enjoying our time in Normandie, and continue to find interesting destinations not far from our home here. A few weeks ago I wrote about the ancient stones in Carnac; it turns out there are a few similar sites less than an hour from our home. This one is called Dolmen de la Table... Continue Reading →
Saint-Suliac, Brittany, France
Saint-Suliac, located in Brittany, is one of Les Plus Beaux Villages de France, an official designation given to approximately 100 villages in France in order to promote tourism in small towns. This charming hamlet located along the Rance River is named for a Welsh Monk who lived here in the 6th century, and is well... Continue Reading →
Carnac Stones, Brittany, France
When our friends from the US were visiting in May, we took a road trip to the Loire Valley and then to see the Carnac Stones in Brittany. The stones are quite an amazing site to see. They are spread over several kilometers and are often referred to as France’s Stonehenge. Numbering over 3,000 in... Continue Reading →
Château de Valmer, Loire Valley
The Loire Valley has over 300 châteaux including some that are in excellent condition and still inhabited, to those that are ruins, but they are all interesting places to visit. The structures range in size and function; some were built as fortified fortresses, others were used as hunting lodges, and still more were built as... Continue Reading →
Out and About in Normandie (Part Two) and the Loire Valley
It has been an eventful week with visitors from the US, a trip to Caen to finalize our long-term stay visas, a jammed door, a backyard jam session, a thunderstorm, climbing around Roman ruins, a road trip to the Loire Valley, and loads of fun; whew! It started with the arrival of our dear friends,... Continue Reading →
Out and About in Normandie, France
We have discovered some amazing places all within a two hours drive, or less, from our home that are all well worth their own blog post. I’ll share the highlights with you today, and fill in the details at a later date. La Fosse Arthour is a beautiful park with sandstone ridges and a geological... Continue Reading →