This time last year I was finishing up my summer travels and promised myself I would be back in France this summer to visit friends and explore small towns for a possible investment/vacation property in the central part of France that I love so much.
Previously when I described the landscape and weather in this region of France, I told people that it reminded me of the interior of BC with a mix of orchards and farmland, valleys and rivers. It just so happened that I added an Ontario visit to the top of the trip and after spending a couple days driving from Toronto to Stratford and back, I was reminded that the southern area of Ontario is much more similar to the central area of France.
With a mix of both dramatic and calm weather, in the first four days I experienced +28 degree weather without wind nor a single cloud in the sky, followed by a sudden and powerful thunderstorm with wind that blew leaves and raindrops sideways, and then a weekend of crisp and bright sun-shiny mornings and grey and drizzly afternoons.
When I arrived at my first bed and breakfast in the Loire Valley, I was greeted by my hosts Virginie and Michel, and shown to my sweet bedroom on the second floor of a charming house surrounded by trees and farmland.
My hosts offered both breakfast and dinner for a small additional charge and with the plan of relaxing all weekend and not going very far, I happily took that offer. Breakfast was a full table worth of breads and croissants and brioche with several jams, jellies, honey, and nut spreads, as well as several local cheeses, plus orange juice, coffee, and fresh fruit.
Dinner was similar to what the family ate but served in three courses at my own table off to the side of the kitchen like a small exclusive restaurant. I enjoyed local specialties of stuffed puff pastry, potato galettes, and local cheeses and meats, all cooked by Virginie with many ingredients she gathered from her garden (or with eggs from her chickens!).
An absolute highlight was a hazelnut and walnut cake that she made using nuts she picked off their own trees, then shelled and chopped to make this rich and dense, soft and chewy cake with dark chocolate melted on top. Divine!
The pool was perfection for an early afternoon swim on that first day before the storm clouds rolled overhead and the wind picked up. By dinner time we had closed all the shutters and the early fallen autumn leaves were being whipped against the house as lightning arced across the sky.
Part of the fun of being in these small places and the fact that with modern technology our airbnb messages are automatically translated means that the result is me conversing with people who assume I understand French completely… and because I like the challenge it was like being dropped in the deep end of French class.
One of the fun conversations during my first weekend in France was getting into a full conversation with my hosts about the book Le Petit Prince, and how it was a favourite in their household. As a highschool student it had also been the first French novel I ever read. Since I had also worked on a world premiere musical version of the story I was even able to share some photos from our production.
It was a lovely connection and lots of fun to practice my French in a shared interest we all hold so dear.
The original plan for the trip was to look at some properties in and around the town where I first fell in love with the idea of living in countryside France, while staying with the folks I knew in the area. Due to timing/life things, it looked like staying in one place/area for the entire two weeks was looking less and less likely.
A couple of rainy days that first weekend allowed for me to sit by the window enjoying lots of tea and madeleines and planning out where I might explore following the few days with friends. With a 2 week car rental I knew there was great flexibility to where I could go. I decided to look up unique hotels and creative airbnbs.
I also had always wanted to check out Andorra, a small country bordering France and Spain along the Pyrenees mountains and with incredible hiking and a famous spa in the capital city.
And so the combo of “unique airbnbs” and “tiny hotels” search began, to best map out a route to and from Andorra without requiring full driving days.
As the road trip truly began I first stopped in and explored the city of Chateauroux with beautiful churches, stunning public gardens and river pathways, with modern shops and businesses in the core.
The public gardens were remarkably quiet aside from some city workers trimming trees and mowing lawns, and the flowers and winding pathways were exceptional to wander through, full of vibrant colours and the hum of late season worker honeybees enjoying the heck out of them.
I continued on winding country roads often covered with arching tree branches, surrounded by farmland and fields in various shades of gold. I’m not a big road trip person but have to admit I was enamoured by the scenic drives throughout the trip and expansive skies similar to Alberta with often spectacular displays of clouds.
The next stop was Montmorillon and the views along the river and bridges did not disappoint as usual. It was an even quieter city than I had experienced before as apparently the summer had been wildly busy so many shops and restaurants took extended vacation for the entire month of September.
After climbing up to the top of the Statue de la Vierge for the view, I was able to pick a dozen fresh figs right off a tree nearby and got to enjoy them down by the river as curious ducks swam by and side-eyed my sweet snacks.
The rain began again on the next leg and I had a brief though entirely charming delay due to a farmer and his dog moving a herd of damp looking sheep across the road from one pasture to another, and the skies cleared just as I arrived in L’Isle Jourdain, feeling at home again right away.
A little grocery shop followed by a snack in the shade was a gentle introduction back into this beautiful place, with the church bells tolling the hour of the day.
Similar to one of my favourite previous trip photos, I will always love this view. The town seems to be even quieter than before but overall looks the same.
And on the flip side, after walking the long path across to the viaduct in the top of the photo, the reverse view is as such:
I got to spend a few days at my lovely friend Joanne’s bed and breakfast (with the most comfortable bed EVER!), and went exploring for possible vacation properties with my friend and real estate agent Andy.
A couple of dinners with these friends made it feel like no time had passed, though there were some changes to the local towns and areas, with new businesses in a few places, or old business up for sale or closing. The countryside in Europe is definitely an entrepreneurial paradise with nothing but possibility for new shops, new restaurants or cafes, or unique business or trades.
After I left Joanne’s, I headed southwest and arrived in Grenade, about an hour outside of Toulouse, at an airbnb called “The Poolhouse” that lived up to its name and then some. The property felt like the yard of a luxury hotel with pristine landscaping and framed by tall palm trees and what felt like my own private pool.
A lovely stop (and both an evening *and* morning swim!! 😍) on my way to Andorra!
But that’s for the next post. 😎
You speak one-on-one with an assigned partner: entirely in French for 7 minutes, then entirely in English for 7 minutes (or vice versa) , then switch partners. It ran from 7pm to 9pm and I spoke to six people in total. It went quite quickly and I made friends with the lovely woman sitting next to me (who was from the UK who moved to Paris in January), and the Parisians I chatted with included a lawyer, a retiree, three students and an urban planner. It was fun and exciting, but it was definitely a real challenge for me, since my nerves sometimes get the better of me when I try and have a conversation in French.. I definitely plan to do it again, and told my classmates all about it today. Several of them are hoping to try it in the next week or so.
I would also like to take this time to note, I have purchased a bread product every day since I have been here, be it baguette, croissant, or crêpe. I am also becoming a lover of coffee. Cappuccinos, in particular (or café au lait). Maybe it’s because everything tastes better in Paris…
Nothing But Blue Skies 