Below is a farmhouse on the way south. Many skies here for you Geoffrey Dyer !
This is a winery where you can visit their "cave"
Another day out in Chinon (of course) and this time we did make it to the fortress. It is where Elinor of Aquitaine was imprisoned by her husband King Henry the second for 15 years. And pretty bleak it would have been too. However the fortress has been restored and just finished this year, and it has a pretty amazing video presentation projected on the limestone fireplace in the Royal Quarters.
Having said that - they could do with Bob Blasdall for a few hours to edit the interminable re-enactment scenes in the projections all over the fortress.
The weed garden can be given a miss, I feel. Not something to my taste. Not for nothing do the French call them "wicked plants".
Views from the fortress
Then we had a late lunch in the square in Chinon plus a couple of glasses of rosé - all absolutely delicious, grilled chèvre cheese has always been a favourite of mine.
Another wander around and late afternoon we headed south to Richlieu (named after the Cardinal) which was a huge surprise. It is a moated (now dry) walled town and laid out in 1610, it was set out as the perfect plan for a town. It is like finding a little patch of Parisian backstreets in the middle of the country. It has a huge square which we are returning to tomorrow as there will be a huge brocante there with stalls selling second hand goods. Les Halles there is still the original wooden building next to the square. The church occupies exactly the same layout on the opposite side of the square. Everything balances. It's sort of like a small attractive Canberra, laid out by a 17th century aesthete.
The other reason to return is the tea shop there, where we forced down a late afternoon tea. DM had Tarte Tatin and Darjeeling and I had Lapsang Souchong and a chocolate fondant fairy cake with a runny hot centre. Yummo!
For those of you who have had afternoon tea at Queenies in Brisbane - it's nothing like that.
It is sooooooo much better. You can buy any of the antiques and they have the biggest range of the Durance home range of candles and room sprays I have ever seen. I am going to buy the "Polished Leather " one tomorrow I have decided, having sprayed some in the air, then ended up smelling like a freshly polished leather armchair all the way home. The place oozes quality and refinement, oddly enough run by a rather skinny gentleman dressed in black leather wearing knee high leather boots and who is the proud owner of two fats pugs.
The fresh fig tart ready to be demolished
Another drive home in the fading light.
I thought today - perhaps you will not be able to leave this place. So much beauty and your trip has really only just started.
ReplyDeleteI adore the trees - especially those little rows of silver birch with their delicate butter yellow leaves....
ReplyDeleteand the little rosy glows left on Richard's cheeks by the wine.