France 2013 Chapter 14

 

As our hostess in Lezignan is a single woman, there are always a number of maintenance jobs which she can’t manage alone, which we had decided to try and get done for her during the time spent in her house. So on Monday morning we started to install some lights in the grandly named ‘Garden Room’. In reality it is a small building at the bottom end of the garden with a built-in barbecue alongside. One half of the room already had dear little blue star lights installed in the ceiling but our job was to complete the installation of four down-lighters in the rest of the ceiling and a fluorescent strip in the little store room, and to connect up all the switches and so forth. The section under the blue stars will one day have a Jacuzzi in it so care had to be taken that everything was properly earthed in case of accident! It was quite a complicated job and took us most of Monday and Tuesday but looked rather impressive when it was finished.

Wednesday is market day in Lezignan  and is a huge one so we just had to go. Apart from the usual fruit and vegetable stalls, cheap clothing and hardware, there was also a stall selling ready-made paella which the stall holder was cooking in a huge pan about a meter across, another that was selling materials by the meter and a large stall of cell phones, computer accessories and other electronic bits and pieces. The whole market stretched up and down the main street and extended into a number of side streets too. It was well attended and the townspeople were busy buying and chatting to each other and to the stall holders, while some of the sellers were calling out the bargains that they were offering, in loud voices. It was a very lively scene.

That afternoon, our hostess took us on a lovely drive around to show us some of the area that we had not seen before, which also took in Paziols, the village we will be going to while the family are visiting. I am really excited about this village. It has a small hill in the middle of the town, with an old church perched on top of it. The house we will be staying in is near the top of the hill and fortunately has a road which goes all the way up to it. Apart from that, most of the spaces between the houses are no more than passages and twist and turn in all directions, with little steps up and steps down here and there. I hope the family is going to love it as much as we do.

On Thursday we took a whole day off from working and went off to Narbonne, mainly to buy some airtime for my cell phone, which can only be bought at a branch of a particular supermarket chain. From there, not wanting to fight our way through traffic to the city centre, we went out into the country and inevitably found our way to the Canal du Midi where we stopped and had lunch. Being next to the canal, lined with magnificent plane trees, with boats going up and down sounds like a place anyone would want to be, but the weather was not good and the wind was freezing.

That night, guests were expected for dinner and both of us were extremely nervous about the whole event. Of the three people invited, one speaks English anyway, one can speak English but is normally French-speaking and the third cannot speak English at all. This was to be a test for the South Africans! In the end, it turned out to be a most enjoyable evening. Both of the French speakers spoke especially slowly for our benefit and with a bit of help here and there on both sides, we managed to converse adequately. I am sure that the amount of wine consumed helped to lubricate our brains!

On Friday it was back to work. This time it was turn a door around! There is a small store room off the conservatory at the back of the house with its door almost in the corner of the room. Unfortunately, the original builder or house owner had installed the door so that it opened from left to right. This means that to get into the store room, one had to open the door and more or less step around it to get into the room. So we swapped it around. Now the door opens from the right and it is a simple matter to open the door a fraction and reach in to get a broom, or whatever.

Saturday was work of another kind but not before we had had lunch. Between Lezignan and the coast is a large area of marshland with a number of lakes or sea-lagoons. We went to a place called Peyriac de Mer which is on one of these lakes, known as etangs, and found a lovely little restaurant at which to eat. The weather was still misbehaving but we were very cosy indoors. After lunch we continued on to Sigean where our hostess has a second property – an old barn with a courtyard behind it. The barn conversion is a retirement project, but in the meantime the courtyard has to be kept clear of weeds, something which hadn’t been done for some time. It was a complete jungle when we arrived, but a couple of hours later after dodging in and out of the frequent rain squalls, definite progress had been made and we called it a day.

On Sunday we had been invited, by a friend who lives in Salles d'Aude, to lunch - later changed to dinner. So we took a picnic lunch and went first to the market in Narbonne, followed by an couple of hours wandering around the city admiring the wonderful old architecture. Lunch was eaten on a bench at side of a canal before we continued on along the road to the sea, coming out at St. Pierre de Mer where we enjoyed ice creams sitting by the beach. It is quite strange to see beach and sea but no waves. This is, of course, the Mediterranean. After that we slowly made our way to the friend's house arriving mid-afternoon and well in time to make use of his WiFi to receive our mail and send off this chapter of the blog.

 

France 2013 Chapter 13

 

 

The week started off quite slowly and uneventfully with us cleaning and polishing the house until it shone – in preparation for the cleaner who would be coming in while we are away!. We also managed to get all the linen washed and changed in one day which was a real bonus with all the bad weather we have been having. After that it was a matter of packing for the three weeks that we will be away from ‘our’ house which was quite simple as we just left out all the winter stuff and only packed cool clothes. Perhaps a bit of a gamble, but the southern areas are always supposed to be warmer…………… I think.

We finally got ourselves organised and on Thursday set off for Lezignan-Corbieres in the Aude region of the Languedoc-Roussillon department of southern France. We had reckoned that the 250 kilometer trip would take us about three hours, so we decided that we would leave fairly early and take our time over it, while hunting for the ‘pigeonniers’ that are scattered around and which we are trying to photograph. For those who don’t know, these are large brick or stone dove-cotes, and are generally associated with the bigger old houses. Obviously big houses had lots of staff and visitors to these houses always brought quite a large retinue with them, so there were always many mouths to feed. Farming pigeons made a lot of sense, as they feed themselves and breed quite prolifically, and apparently can be made into a delicious pie! A lot of them have fallen into ruin or have been pulled down to make way for other buildings, so finding one in good repair; not too far from the road; and in a good position to be photographed is always  a source on pleasure to us. We knew that there are four between Auch and Toulouse, but couldn’t remember exactly where so although we managed to photograph two of them, we had to just watch the other two sliding past as there was just nowhere to stop along the motorway. However, we will not be denied and on the way back will turn off the motorway once we have passed the buildings and try to find them from the minor road.

As we drove along, getting ever more eastwards, we noticed the changes in the scenery. The rolling hills with their forested valleys made way for flatter hills, bigger fields and much bigger farms. Less vineyards and more wheat for a while, and then suddenly everything changed again and the landscape became more rocky and drier, while the grape vines were no longer trained along wires as we were used to seeing, but instead resembled small bushes. We haven’t yet found out what this indicates.

As we approached Carcassonne we started to see notices telling us that we were approaching Cathar country and listing the sights that are to be seen here. The Cathars were a religious group that broke away from the Roman Catholic Church in the 12^th century and started their own brand of Christianity which they considered to be purer than the Catholics. They soon gained a lot of support and the head of the Catholic Church in Rome was somewhat put out to say the least. He declared the Cathars to be heretics and called up an army to eradicate them. Some horrendous deeds were carried out at this time, but some wonderful walled cities remain for us to marvel at. Carcassonne is perhaps the most complete of all of them and was never conquered or destroyed. It is a very impressive view that one gets, driving past, as the town and its castle stand on the top of a hill. The turrets with their pointed roofs, at intervals along the walls, look rather like an illustration from a child’s storybook. We had visited the town a few times before, though, so drove straight past and on to our destination.

The next day we wanted to take our hostess out to lunch at a restaurant of her choice and she chose a charming little place on the banks of the Canal du Midi, where we had a delicious meal, sitting outdoors and watching the boats glide past on the water. As usual, it was quite a slow leisurely process and it was a couple of hours before we left. Then we drove along the side of the Canal for some way as it is very scenic. We saw some very rare black swans on the water, and a very strange building that at first we thought was a pigeonnier but turned out to be a small fort, shaped alike a wedge lying on its side. In the fields flanking the canal, the wild poppies have started to bloom and in places it looked for al the world as if someone had smeared a paintbrush full of brilliant red paint across the countryside.

The following day which was Saturday was the second day of an event known as the ‘PromAude’, which consists of a number of minor events over a four day weekend, all of which encourage people to come here from far and wide. On the programme were parades for the children; cycle races around the town; a parade of motor bikes; a dance; a concert; some art exhibitions and a wine festival. There are no prizes for guessing which of these we attended!

Our hostess, who is very fit and walks a lot, suggested we leave the car at home and walk up to the venue, saying that it wasn’t far and all on ‘the flat’ anyway, so off we set at about 1.30pm, having had an early and quite substantial lunch. Well, her idea and mine of ‘far’ appear to differ quite considerably, but I am proud to say that I managed it without getting left too far behind and, I think, without puffing audibly. The walk was well worth it though. About fifty wineries were represented as well as a few local crafts and industries – some allied to wine production and some not. All tastings were free, and every now and again there wold be a stall promoting some kind of food or snack, also offering free tastes which were very handy for mopping up the wine and champagne. One stall that I really enjoyed tasting was a sun-dried tomato stall which was offering different flavoured tomato spreads and crisps to spread them on. Mmm! Delicious!

We tasted some really wonderful champagne and were amaze to discover that the average price  of a bottle is about six to seven Euros. That only equates to about sixty to seventy Rand. We don’t drink much champagne so have no real idea of prices, but that sounds quite inexpensive to us.

Later in the afternoon, a rain storm threatened, but after a few drops it passed over which gave us time to make the long trek home again before the rain circled round and really poured down for an hour or more. We would have been drenched if we had been caught in it. At least by the time we arrived back at the house, any effects of all the wine we had tasted had worn off.

By Sunday, the rain was over and it was a beautiful, sunny and warm day. We had heard that there was a ‘Vide Grenier’ in a nearby town, and just had to go and see. We had thought the previous one, in Manciet was big but this was huge. Almost the entire town had stalls up and down the streets, and was buzzing with people. So we spent a happy couple of hours wandering around looking at the amazing array of goods for sale at knock-down prices. We eventually stayed for lunch in a small café and came home again in the mid-afternoon, pleasantly  weary from walking around in the fresh air and, probably, from eating too much………….again!

France 2013 Chapter 12

 

Last Sunday night we all had a very late night as four concerned parents sat up and waited for our son to arrive. He had had a rather long day. A half hour drive to the nearest ferry port, followed by a five hour ferry crossing with at least seven hours of driving to follow that. All was going according to plan until, twenty-five kilometres from the end, he was caught up in a tailback which delayed him by about half an hour. That doesn’t sound like much but when it comes at the end of a long, lonely and wearying trip, it is more than enough to make parents worry. However, when he arrived, he was still full of energy and was delighted to see our other guests whom he hadn’t seen for a number of years.

The following morning we all went into Eauze to search for a place called ‘La Maison du Floc’, which quite literally means the House of Floc. Floc is a sherry-like drink, made from grapes, which is peculiar to this region of France and we were hoping to be shown some of the secrets of making it, but, having found the building it turned out to be only a wholesale outlet. They wouldn’t sell us any of the Floc itself but were happy enough to let us buy other products. We came away with a number of bottles of ‘Confit de Floc’, a delicious jelly to spread on bread, biscuits or to accompany cheese or some meats. Also some sweets rather reminiscent of old fashioned soft-centred boiled sweets, with a Floc-flavoured filling. Not sure if they would be a good idea for the kiddies, but adults think they are rather tasty.

When back outside, one of our party was (nosily) peering into some old barns where he discovered two old horse-drawn hearses. Sadly they were very neglected and almost hidden by other bits and pieces. We wondered what their history was.

That afternoon it was warm enough to sit out and have tea on the lawn. At last!!

Wednesday was an early start as our guests had a long drive ahead of them and also wanted some time for sight-seeing. Those of us left behind all had to pack as we were due to go our separate ways the next day. In the end, we did not make a terribly early start as ‘Jane’ had told us that if we went via the motorway, our trip would only take about four and a half hours. And she was right, as usual. We arrived at our friends’ house in the mid-afternoon. It was our first visit to the house and they took great delight in showing us around both the house, and the two and a half acre garden. And what a lovely surprise………..they had decided on a barbecue for dinner. We all talked too much, ate too much and drank too much and it was really late when we all tottered off to bed.

There was to be no let-up, however, for our digestive systems and we had been promised a sumptuous midday meal at a restaurant known to our hosts, in a nearby village. This was preceded by an extensive scenic tour of the area and we were suitably impressed. Our friends’ house is in the department known as the Charante, which is far more forested than the Gers, and one can have quite fantastic thoughts about young knights bounding through the forest on their noble steeds, hunting deer, boar, rabbit and pheasant.

Our return trip was in fact shorter than getting there but took far longer, as we opted to return on the alternate route which ambles its way through numerous villages and towns, each one having, of course, a speed limit that a sensible person dares not exceed. The scenery was better though, and at the slower speed, we had the time to look around. Along the way, we came across one of those sections of road which has high barriers on the outsides. These are often to prevent cross-winds from affecting the traffic, and sometimes to prevent traffic noise from affecting residents on each side. Some are just concrete walls; some are wooden but this one caught my eye. It had been fashioned to resemble bookshelves, with books stacked haphazardly on them at intervals along its length.

The rest of the week and weekend was spent replenishing our grocery cupboard and doing large loads of washing. Luckily there was a brisk wind and lots of sunshine and by evening my linen cupboard was well stocked again, as was my grocery cupboard.

 

 

France 2013 Chapter 11

 

If ever I had considered running a Bed and Breakfast establishment to occupy myself, I think I have now been cured of that silly idea. Mary’s time with us came to an end on Tuesday and it was with sad hearts that we took her off to the airport in Toulouse. We so enjoyed our time with her, especially  the time spent playing real Scrabble (when we were home) and showing off ‘our’ part of France (when we were out). Hopefully this will become an annual event and I am already looking forward to next years’ holiday.

The following morning found us in furious cleaning mode as we swept and dusted while the washing flapped on the line. Our next guests, a cousin of mine from the UK and her husband arrived later that afternoon and for a while there was plenty of chatter. We haven’t seen each other for a few years, during which time all sorts of things have happened to our families –weddings, children changing jobs, grandchildren arriving – you know the sort of thing. They also, have not seen much of this part of France, so we could show off all over again. Unfortunately, the weather was little unfair to them and the first few days were quite cold and grey. We did, however manage to fit in a trip to Auch to visit the great Cathedral and have a look at the Grand Staircase (but not walk it) before lunch. The drive home included the little villages of Ordan-Larroque and Barran. The first is just a very pretty little village, looking lovely at the moment with all the flowers out; while the second is worth a visit because of a curiosity – it has a twisted steeple to the church spire. We were not sure if the twist was by accident or intent but came to the conclusion that it was by intent. It is far too regular to have warped into that shape. While we were in Barran, admiring the steeple, we wandered around the churchyard and were interested to see that they have a military graveyard at the far end . Instead of a simple War Memorial listing all the names of the dead of the village, there are individual graves, each marked with a simple white cross. As is so often the case in this type of graveyard, the crosses are arranged in strict rows, but at the one side, lying at right angles to the rest, and possibly facing East, were four graves of soldiers with very definitely Arab sounding names, a star and crescent on the headstone instead of a cross, and something written in Arabic. But also on the headstones was a message saying that they had fought for the liberation of France but had paid the ultimate price. I thought it a rather nice touch to have buried them with their comrades.

The rain came and went and made planning any outings quite difficult but we went into Eauze – nice and close - and looked at all the pavement markings and other traces of the pilgrims who walk to Santiago and the Church of St James. The symbol of St James is a scallop shell (the old Shell petrol sign too) and everything to do with the pilgrims has this sign of St James on it. The route through the towns is often marked with brass scallop shells let into the paving; special pilgrim accommodation has a scallop shell on the door; and cafes which offer inexpensive meals especially for the walkers will also be marked in a similar way. Just at the moment, there are dozens of pilgrims on the route. No, make that hundreds, and on Saturday and Sunday we came across many of them in Eauze and then in Manciet. We spoke to a small group of three the other day and asked where they had started walking and how long the whole trip would take them. They had started in a place called Puy-en-Velay, twenty days previously and still had a month and a few days still to go!

On Sunday we attended my favourite kind of market – the Vide Grenier. This literally means ‘Empty the loft’ and is a glorified Car Boot Sale. There must have been fifty or more stalls selling everything from junk to very good china and cutlery. Last time went to one of these, we bought two jigsaw puzzles, this time we bought a salt cellar and a bedside lamp. The salt cellar in the house has a serious problem in that the salt doesn’t seem to run out of the little hole in the top, so bought what I think is really a pepper pot and we are short of a bedside lamp anyway, so when we saw a good-looking one for two euros, we couldn’t resist.

We have never really explored Manciet, where the market was held, in spite of it being only five kilometres away, so after having a reviving cold drink, we ambled around exploring all its secret corners and found some charming old houses dripping with wisteria.