Hey everyone! I just wanted to touch base and let you know that I haven't forgotten about you. I haven't had great access to the internet lately, so I haven't been able to post. But don't worry, I'm writing everything down and at some point I'll be able to post it all for you. Just to give you a quick update..... since my last post, I've been to Nantes, St.Nazaire, Carnac, Quiberon, Belle Ile en Mer, Brest, St Malo, Mont St Michel, Caen, the D-Day beaches, Rouen, Amiens, Reims, Strasbourg, Colmar, Geneva, Annecy, Lyon, Nimes, Chamonix, Annecy (for the Tour de France time trials), Clermont Ferrand, and today I'm in Le Puy en Velay. Today I climbed to the top of 2 different extinct volcanoes. On the top of one is the Chappelle de St Michel, and on the top of the other is a humongous statue of Notre Dame de France. Part of me was a little scared that I wouldn't be able to make it all the way to the top. It was 268 steps to reach the Chappelle and even more than that to the top of the other. BUT I totally did it, and it was much easier than I had imagined. I must say, I am quite proud of myself at this moment.
Tomorrow I leave to go to Brive la Gaillarde for 2 nights. While I am there I will be exploring prehistoric cave art in the caves of Lascaux, along with several other prehistoric sites.
Well I have to go get a train ticket now, so I'll have to chatter at you later. Miss y'all!
Gabrielle
Monday, July 27, 2009
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Three Hours in Angers—June 20, 2009
On the way to Nantes, I stopped in Angers for a few hours. When I was in college, I spent my sophomore year abroad studying French in Angers. The program was called CIDEF (Centre International d’Etudes Francaises) at the Universite Catholique de l’Ouest. It was an excellent program. I would recommend it to anyone. We studied French language, Conversation, French history, French literature, Art history, and Music. It was very interdisciplinary, for example… when we studied the Renaissance, we studied, the history, literature, , art, and music of the Renaissance. It was the first time that I truly understood the interconnectedness (is that a word?) of it all—instead of just memorizing a jumble of random facts.
I returned to Angers with the intention of revisiting some of my old haunts, and finishing some unfinished business. You see, even though I lived right down the road from the chateau and passed it several times a day, I never went inside and I never saw the medieval tapestries displayed at the museum within. I always regretted that. So, this visit, it was top on my list.
First of all, BOY HAS ANGERS CHANGED in the last 18 years! Well, I guess it would, huh? For starters, there’s a whole new train station—big and clean and covered in glass windows. AND, most importantly, there was a baggage area with lockers, so I didn’t have to lug my backpack all over town. That was definitely a relief.
I stepped out of the train station and didn’t recognize a darn thing. Luckily, I had a map. I found the right road and headed directly for the chateau. The chateau still looked the same, but everything around it was completely different. The roads were wider and some buildings had been cleared. There was a new traffic circle with a new monument in the middle of it. AND, the most surprising change was that our favorite café, across from the chateau was now replaced by a humongous Tourist Bureau. What!?! Oh la la! That was a blow to my sweet memories of sitting at night across from an illuminated castle having a drink with friends. Oh well, I still have my memories.
While I was at the chateau, they did a little medieval theatrical show. I walked around the caslte a bit, then I went to see the tapestries. They were beautiful, amazing, and huge. I can’t even imagine how much work went into creating them. The tapestries tell the story of the Apocalypse. They are over 700 years old and very delicate. They are kept behind glass in a very dimly lit, but very large L-shaped room. I took some pictures, but please keep in mind that flashes are definitely not allowed.
After the tapestry museum, I left the chateau and made my way through the winding streets until I got to a street that I actually recognized—Rue St. Aubin, the pedestrian shopping street…. Although most of the stores and restaurants had changed. I remembered that at the end of the street was another favorite café—Varietes. So, I walked up the street and—lo and behold—IT WAS STILL THERE! Unfortunately, I didn’t have time to stop in though. I walked a little further, but everything had changed. I looked down at the time. Uh oh1 I only had 20 minutes left to catch my train. SO... I hauled tush back to the train station, got my bags from the locker, and remarkably still managed to catch my train. And on to Nantes we go!
I returned to Angers with the intention of revisiting some of my old haunts, and finishing some unfinished business. You see, even though I lived right down the road from the chateau and passed it several times a day, I never went inside and I never saw the medieval tapestries displayed at the museum within. I always regretted that. So, this visit, it was top on my list.
First of all, BOY HAS ANGERS CHANGED in the last 18 years! Well, I guess it would, huh? For starters, there’s a whole new train station—big and clean and covered in glass windows. AND, most importantly, there was a baggage area with lockers, so I didn’t have to lug my backpack all over town. That was definitely a relief.
I stepped out of the train station and didn’t recognize a darn thing. Luckily, I had a map. I found the right road and headed directly for the chateau. The chateau still looked the same, but everything around it was completely different. The roads were wider and some buildings had been cleared. There was a new traffic circle with a new monument in the middle of it. AND, the most surprising change was that our favorite café, across from the chateau was now replaced by a humongous Tourist Bureau. What!?! Oh la la! That was a blow to my sweet memories of sitting at night across from an illuminated castle having a drink with friends. Oh well, I still have my memories.
While I was at the chateau, they did a little medieval theatrical show. I walked around the caslte a bit, then I went to see the tapestries. They were beautiful, amazing, and huge. I can’t even imagine how much work went into creating them. The tapestries tell the story of the Apocalypse. They are over 700 years old and very delicate. They are kept behind glass in a very dimly lit, but very large L-shaped room. I took some pictures, but please keep in mind that flashes are definitely not allowed.
After the tapestry museum, I left the chateau and made my way through the winding streets until I got to a street that I actually recognized—Rue St. Aubin, the pedestrian shopping street…. Although most of the stores and restaurants had changed. I remembered that at the end of the street was another favorite café—Varietes. So, I walked up the street and—lo and behold—IT WAS STILL THERE! Unfortunately, I didn’t have time to stop in though. I walked a little further, but everything had changed. I looked down at the time. Uh oh1 I only had 20 minutes left to catch my train. SO... I hauled tush back to the train station, got my bags from the locker, and remarkably still managed to catch my train. And on to Nantes we go!
One Night in Quiet Little Tours
When I got back from my chateau tour, I fixed myself the rest of my veggies and sat down in the common room to eat. There were 2 guys there from Africa that I had already met, but this time there other people there too - Hannah (from Australia), Anna (from Spain), and Steven(from Wales). Hannah and Anna (and the two guys from Africa)are reproductive scientists working in Tours. Steven was doing a bike tour through Europe. (Yes, I'm kinda jealous.) We got to talking...and laughing....and decided to continue the fun,by going out to have a drink at a local cafe. Actually where we went was a square full of cafes, bars, brasseries, and restaurants. It was definitely THE place to be in Tours. We had a blast; we had dessert; we had a drink, or two....OK maybe more... and we laughed at everything. We teased Hannah about the waiter boy on the corner. Hannah tried repeatedly to convince me (and Steven) to stay another day (but I couldn't because I was already behind schedule).BUT.... It was definitely the best time I had had since arriving in France. Here you see a picture of me, Hannah, and in the elevator. We laughing because Anna was trying to take a picture of us and the elevator closed in her face. (Picture to be added soon.) Big shout out to my peeps in Tours! Miss you guys! - GAB
Monday, July 6, 2009
Tours the Sequel - June 18-19
Tours—the sequel - June 18-19
The next day I took a whirlwind tour of 5 chateaux: Azay-le-Rideau, Villandry, Clos-Luce, Amboise, and Chenonceau. The tour was divided into 2 parts (morning and afternoon) and consisted of 6 or 7 tourists (Canadian, Australian, British, Russian, Columbian, and of course American) in a yellow minivan with a chauffeur. He would drive us right up to the entrance, then come with us to buy the tickets to make sure that we got our group discount. We left @ 9:30am and arrived first at Azay-le-Rideau. Azay-le-Rideau is built right in the middle of a lake. It was built in 1515 by Gilles Berthelot, a former Treasurer of France, though he was soon accused of corruption and fled the country leaving his wife alone with an unfinished chateau. After that the chateau changed hands several times before finally becoming property of the state in 1905. Inside the chateau was an exhibit dedicated to the mythological tale of Psyche and Cupid.
The next chateau was Villandry. Built in 1536 by Jean le Breton, Finance Minister to Francois Ier, (who also supervised the construction of Chambord), Villandry is most known for its gardens. In fact, most people choose only to see the gardens, like me. The gardens are amazing geometric and architectural masterpieces. There are ornamental gardens, water gardens, herb gardens, vegetable gardens, a sun garden, woods, and a labyrinth. After seeing all of the gardens, it was nice to just sit on a bench and relax in the peace of the gardens. After a short lunch break (a sandwich in the Tours train station) we continued to Clos-Luce, where Leonardo da Vinci spent the last 3 years of his life. In 1516 at the age of 64, Leonardo was invited to join the French court at Amboise. He was given Cos-Luce and a salary of 700 gold crowns. He spent his time there painting, drawing, designing, and teaching. The chateau is filled with DaVinci’s thoughts and quotes, art and designs, machines and inventions.
Outside are gardens and studios where school children can come to learn about art, dance, and design. There were at least 150 kids there that day (which made it a little difficult to take pictures.
From there we went to Amboise, where Leonardo was buried in the chateau’s chapel in 1519. It was also the location of the first Order of French Knights, l’Ordre de St Michel, in 1469. The chateau is architecturally incredible and still has impeccably preserved period furniture (and some replicas, I’m sure). It was beautiful...check out the pictures.
The last chateau was Chenonceau, which was the most impressive chateau of the day. It was home to kings like Francois I and Louis XIV and queens like Diane de Poitiers and Catherine de Medici. Chenonceau is actually built across a river. The part of the chateau that stretches across the river is a grand ball room on the first floor and a museum on the second floor. The rest of the chateau served as the family’s residence, including the black bedroom on the 3rd floor where Louise of Lorraine retreated after her husband Henri III was assassinated. Always dressed in white, the protocol for royal mourning, she surrounded herself by nuns and spent her days in prayer and meditation. She earned the nickname “the White Queen.”
After the last chateau, the driver brought us to a CAVE (wine cellar/producer) for a wine tasting. It was an actual cave dug into the side of the mountain, though impeccably designed inside. We first took a tour of the lower caves were they stored the wine for aging. Then we tasted 3 different wines produced there. They were very good.
Finally, we returned to the train station about 7pm and I walked back to the hostel, eager to dine on the rest of my vegetables. They were almost as good as the wine. But, that wasn’t the end of the night…..
The next day I took a whirlwind tour of 5 chateaux: Azay-le-Rideau, Villandry, Clos-Luce, Amboise, and Chenonceau. The tour was divided into 2 parts (morning and afternoon) and consisted of 6 or 7 tourists (Canadian, Australian, British, Russian, Columbian, and of course American) in a yellow minivan with a chauffeur. He would drive us right up to the entrance, then come with us to buy the tickets to make sure that we got our group discount. We left @ 9:30am and arrived first at Azay-le-Rideau. Azay-le-Rideau is built right in the middle of a lake. It was built in 1515 by Gilles Berthelot, a former Treasurer of France, though he was soon accused of corruption and fled the country leaving his wife alone with an unfinished chateau. After that the chateau changed hands several times before finally becoming property of the state in 1905. Inside the chateau was an exhibit dedicated to the mythological tale of Psyche and Cupid.
The next chateau was Villandry. Built in 1536 by Jean le Breton, Finance Minister to Francois Ier, (who also supervised the construction of Chambord), Villandry is most known for its gardens. In fact, most people choose only to see the gardens, like me. The gardens are amazing geometric and architectural masterpieces. There are ornamental gardens, water gardens, herb gardens, vegetable gardens, a sun garden, woods, and a labyrinth. After seeing all of the gardens, it was nice to just sit on a bench and relax in the peace of the gardens. After a short lunch break (a sandwich in the Tours train station) we continued to Clos-Luce, where Leonardo da Vinci spent the last 3 years of his life. In 1516 at the age of 64, Leonardo was invited to join the French court at Amboise. He was given Cos-Luce and a salary of 700 gold crowns. He spent his time there painting, drawing, designing, and teaching. The chateau is filled with DaVinci’s thoughts and quotes, art and designs, machines and inventions.
Outside are gardens and studios where school children can come to learn about art, dance, and design. There were at least 150 kids there that day (which made it a little difficult to take pictures.
From there we went to Amboise, where Leonardo was buried in the chateau’s chapel in 1519. It was also the location of the first Order of French Knights, l’Ordre de St Michel, in 1469. The chateau is architecturally incredible and still has impeccably preserved period furniture (and some replicas, I’m sure). It was beautiful...check out the pictures.
The last chateau was Chenonceau, which was the most impressive chateau of the day. It was home to kings like Francois I and Louis XIV and queens like Diane de Poitiers and Catherine de Medici. Chenonceau is actually built across a river. The part of the chateau that stretches across the river is a grand ball room on the first floor and a museum on the second floor. The rest of the chateau served as the family’s residence, including the black bedroom on the 3rd floor where Louise of Lorraine retreated after her husband Henri III was assassinated. Always dressed in white, the protocol for royal mourning, she surrounded herself by nuns and spent her days in prayer and meditation. She earned the nickname “the White Queen.”
After the last chateau, the driver brought us to a CAVE (wine cellar/producer) for a wine tasting. It was an actual cave dug into the side of the mountain, though impeccably designed inside. We first took a tour of the lower caves were they stored the wine for aging. Then we tasted 3 different wines produced there. They were very good.
Finally, we returned to the train station about 7pm and I walked back to the hostel, eager to dine on the rest of my vegetables. They were almost as good as the wine. But, that wasn’t the end of the night…..
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
