Time always flies when you travel and this trip has been no exception. During the week I visited Jane Rollason and her partner Michel the mayor of Viville in the Charentes, to see what the region was like , because if I ever sell my block of land in Gellibrand I want to have somewhere else to live in France as I can't afford to buy a house in Australia unless I buy out in whoop whoop and then I may as well live in France!.
It was lovely visiting in Viville- on day one the village fete was on which consisted of gathering for breakfast, driniking red wine, eating young garlic stems, cheese,pressed meat and bread, then many of the villagers went for a walk, but as there was lightening and thunder we decided to return home, and then a lunch which took all afternoon; I won a ham in the raffle, something incredibly useful to win when you are about to fly home, but I am sure Jane and Michel will enjoy it! I loved wondering aroudn their garden which was about to be ploughed for the vegetables and enjoyed seeing Jane's work looking fantastic on the stone walls of their house!
Yes that is the Jambon de Montagne I won.
Jane and I waiting for the TGV- i hate photographs of myself I always look like a have swallowed a cow.
One of the tapestries at Abbaye aux Dames, where you can also rent a room in the monastery if you are so inclined. I omitted to record who designed the tapestries but they were worked on by groups of local women and adorn the walls of the church.
And Jane's lovely work.........
A piece of Jane's work made with "flower power"- a technique Jane has perfected. This particular piece was made with pansies from the garden.
And a lovely pink peonie rose which was gingerly opening it's petals int he rather cold and wet weather.
We did go sightseeing one afternoon to Saintes and Royan and I think I can safely say i could very much fall in love with this region especially a bit away fro, the sea- rolling hills, bits of forest, vineyards for the famous cognac, old stone buildings........Tomorrow I fly home and this trip will have been the stuff of dreams......
It was lovely visiting in Viville- on day one the village fete was on which consisted of gathering for breakfast, driniking red wine, eating young garlic stems, cheese,pressed meat and bread, then many of the villagers went for a walk, but as there was lightening and thunder we decided to return home, and then a lunch which took all afternoon; I won a ham in the raffle, something incredibly useful to win when you are about to fly home, but I am sure Jane and Michel will enjoy it! I loved wondering aroudn their garden which was about to be ploughed for the vegetables and enjoyed seeing Jane's work looking fantastic on the stone walls of their house!
The angel at Chartres Cathedral , where my friend Christine and I went on Monday to do some serious photographing!
And Jane's lovely work.........
We did go sightseeing one afternoon to Saintes and Royan and I think I can safely say i could very much fall in love with this region especially a bit away fro, the sea- rolling hills, bits of forest, vineyards for the famous cognac, old stone buildings........Tomorrow I fly home and this trip will have been the stuff of dreams......
4 comments:
I'm very happy for you. And I hope it tastes as good as it looks.
hi dijanne - safe travels back to the outback! sounds like vivelle would be a great place for you to settle when its time to move - i'll come visit! glad to spend some time with you in beaujolais! vive le viville! xox
The tapestries in Saintes were designed by Jean François Favre. I saw them in 2008 but I wasn't able to find out much about the designer.
Here is a link to Favre's website http://jeanfrancois.favre.pagesperso-orange.fr/index.htm
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