A visit to rural France

Hello blog fans.  As promised here's an update on our visit to Skipper's cousin Claire and her hubbie, Lol.  They're kindly looking after all the things we are not be taking with us to Spain until we return next Spring.  Skipper's Dad had mentioned Claire had a big place in the middle of France but that was about it.  We tried to catch up with them earlier in our trip but we didn't pass that closely to them and they've had a houseful of friends & family stay throughout the summer so this was a great opportunity.  So, hire car packed to the gunwhales we set off for a small village near Agen.

The drive was great - the French motorways are fast and easy and once we got used to the tolls it was plain sailing.  We stopped at La Cite, Carcassonne, a beautiful medieval walled town.  Photos can't really do it justice but here goes:

Entrance to La Cite, Carcassonne

And here's Skipper with another relative we met there - can you see the resemblance?!  xx

Skipper's (not so) distant relative!

After a 3.5 hour drive we arrived at the rendezvous where Claire met us in her bright yellow Fiat sportscar in which she turned a few heads.  What we didn't expect to see on arrival at their place, though, was a sweeping upwards driveway, between two lakes, up into the hills.  Yes, Claire & Lol are proud owners of a 350-acre 'domaine', complete with sunflower crops, a chateau, an orangery, an aqueduct and Roman spa.  Also a disused fruitery in which the famous Agen prunes were once processed but the plum plantation has long gone.  Claire's research has revealed many historic links: Carmelite, Basque and Knights Templar.  She believes it may be on the Santiago de Compostela Pilgrimage Route and some friendly locals are helping to fill in gaps - they are also helping to manage their land.  Most of the hard graft, though, has been accomplished by Claire & Lol which has uncovered many hidden treasures.  It isn't beyond the realms of possibility that one of the several wells on their land may be a source of a famous (patented!) herbal tonic.

The chateau which they want to develop into guesthouse & restaurant

There are also plans to build a circuit on which vintage vehicle owners can drive their cars.  There are ideas to turn another outbuilding into a spa/retreat, complete with treatment rooms & accommodation.  We loved the stables, too, complete with plaques bearing the stallion, mare and foal's names and dates of birth.  They would make brilliant gites or chambres d'hotes for which folks in Whitstable (and beyond) would go bonkers!  We wish Claire & Lol all the best in getting their project off the ground - it really is a remarkable place.

Skipper & Lol outside the stables

We were later shown to our billet - the converted pigeonerie - a 3-storey stone building with steepled roof, bare oak beams and contemporary design features, to include a unique log & hardwood staircase - again, piccies don't do it justice - sorry readers! We had dinner with them at home tonight with which we consumed several bottles of vino collapso and retired to our loft at 3.30am - a challenge after a few bevvies!

Oops, I've gone and done it again!

Cousins catching up ...

We were up fairly early and no sooner had we said 'bonjour' we were whisked off for a tour of the land we hadn't seen yesterday, accompanied by a friendly local in the Land Rover.  We were shaken, rattled and rolled after which First Mate didn't know which way was up! We needed to eat badly - and we wanted to thank Claire & Lol for the help with storage so headed into Moissac for a slap-up lunch.

Claire & First Mate

Moissac is another beautiful medieval town, complete with 11thC Abbey. Our friends, the Lewises, would love it - and no doubt teach us a thing or two about the architecture - but from my crash course with them in Paris I reckon Romanesque with early Gothic, complete with beautiful hand painted walls - not seen that effect before, quite Arabic in style.  The adjoining Cloisters are home to a unique 'open bible' - 76 chapters depicted in carved stone - each one telling a different story and different from the others.  The design reminded First Mate a little of Alhambra but without the water features and mosaic - an incredible place.

First Mate @ The Cloisters, Moissac

We were also invited to have aperitifs with Claire & Lol's French neighbours and friends and we spent a lovely evening with them in that truly French pastime but not before we'd been shown an amazing personal collection of Trench Art.  We hadn't heard of this before and for those of you that haven't, Trench Art is created from spent gun and cannon shells whilst the soldiers were in the trenches between battles, to help them, perhaps, focus on something other than the horrors of war.  The artwork we saw was truly breath-taking - amazing that something so beautiful could be created from such destructive weaponry.

After last night's debauchery we were all a bit weary so Claire & Lol introduced us to an amazing '70s musician, "Rodriguez", an enigmatic American singer songwriter of Mexican descent whose life story has been shrouded in mystery.  All I can say is, buy the DVD about his life story: "Searching for Sugar Man" - and then buy his music.  Thanks, guys, for introducing us to the great Sixto Rodriguez.

And, that, as they say is all folks.  Sadly, we had to leave early the next morning as we needed to return the hire car and Claire & Lol needed to ready prepare for their next visitors.  It was a short, but very sweet visit and we all had a great time.  So, safe journeys Claire & Lol to the UK and see you again soon.

Over & out for now pop pickers!