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Post by breeze on Oct 31, 2015 12:49:34 GMT
The highlight of the morning was the Manoir de la Gauberdiere. The owner was our guide, and she knows the place intimately since their restoration had been going on for years and they are taking care to do it right. She was able to recommend specific experts for masonry, plumbing, and so on for those of us who’d be winning the lottery. As you can see by the photo, work is ongoing. Madame’s voice was clear but her French came too quickly for us. Still, we’re used to being in the dark in France. She started with the history of the place. We understood that this is a typical manoir of the Perche of the late 15 century. On the main building she pointed out the fenetres a meneaux, the little stone sculptures around the door, and the carved emblem above the door. She showed us the simple freestanding chapel. Then we walked completely around the main building. The ancient toilets, up high, were used not just for human waste but for garbage, so some interesting finds turned up during renovation. The house now has a geothermal heat pump, using “the clear air of the Perche,” she said, to heat their house. She showed us the bread oven in the kitchen. Then she led us up the spiral staircase in the tower to the top floor, with original roof beams in good condition. She used the term “double faitage” which I think means two sets of roof supports. She pointed out a Saint Andrew’s cross, often used to stabilize the main roof beam. I’d seen one before but couldn’t remember which direction it ought to face.
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Post by breeze on Oct 31, 2015 12:41:22 GMT
It went awry immediately on Saturday morning. Our first stop was the lovely hilltop town of Belleme, for Metiers d’Art, whatever that means. I had hoped it would mean we’d get to see the famous chocolatier Charles Bataille at work, or look behind the scenes at the town’s award-winning boulangerie, but instead it was people with things to sell, mostly things they’d made. At 9 am only one place was set up, selling organic insulation. So here’s a photo of a pretty gate. A garden near Chemilli was supposed to open at 10 but by 10:15 but there were still no signs of life, not even a sign on the gate to say whether they’d be open or not. So I took a few photos and went away miffed.
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Post by breeze on Oct 31, 2015 12:29:32 GMT
The list changes each year. 2015 was our eighth J du P weekend in the Perche, and we’re still finding new places to visit.
Ordinarily when we go to France we don’t do much. Walk two or three times a day, eat well two or three times a day. Drive from one flowery village to another. Take it easy.
This weekend is the only time I feel the need to hustle. We want to cram in as much as possible.
It takes planning. The national Journees du Patrimoine website is no help on the village level. We have to collect fliers from every local tourist office in advance and then the Thursday before the weekend we buy the local newspaper, which lists just about everything.
It takes me about a day to decide on everything we might want to see, make sense of the open hours, find each place on a detailed map, and figure out a reasonable route with not much backtracking. Impossible! Luckily my husband E is willing to drive ridiculous distances, zigging and zagging, to fit it all in.
On Friday night I go to bed confused but with everything on paper, and on Saturday morning I wake up with a rough plan.
Usually the plan goes awry within an hour or two, since everybody takes the open hours as a suggestion, not a promise.
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Post by breeze on Oct 31, 2015 12:28:14 GMT
But what makes the Perche special as far as we are concerned is a particular architecture, the stone manor houses of the fifteenth century. Hundreds of these survive, most in private hands. A house-and-garden nut like me jumps at the chance to get a closer look. Here's an example from a previous year.
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Post by breeze on Oct 31, 2015 12:23:07 GMT
The third weekend of September is the Journees du Patrimoine in France, two days when historic buildings, some of them private, open to the public. They can range from a restored village bread oven to a chateau. We like to spend this weekend in the Perche region, which is mostly in the department of the Orne–as far southeast as you can go in Normandy. This is a scenic region of rolling hills, forests, green pastures dotted with apple trees and dairy cattle. Bucolic is the word that springs to mind.
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Autumn
Oct 26, 2015 13:48:23 GMT
Post by breeze on Oct 26, 2015 13:48:23 GMT
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Post by breeze on Oct 24, 2015 13:33:47 GMT
The Marquis de Lafayette is one of only five honorary citizens of the United States. (I would say six, since "one" of the citizens is a married couple.)
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Post by breeze on Oct 24, 2015 13:12:13 GMT
I don't think you need to dread a root canal. I've had several done. The first time the tooth before the root canal was so painful that the work itself was a relief, and I didn't have memorable pain afterwards. The next time, a friend advised me to take heavy doses of vitamin C, which she claimed had helped her. I did and that may have worked.
Really, I've lost track of how many root canals I've had, which is a tribute to my current dentist.
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Post by breeze on Oct 13, 2015 13:45:29 GMT
Claude Imhof, the mind behind the creations above, has a current exhibit at the headquarters of the Parc naturel régional du Perche, till December 6, 2015. Looks like he has added some new works. "Claude Imhof expose nos Errances plastiques à la maison du Parc. Des ateliers débats sur l'eau, les matières plastiques et les déchets sont également programmés." I can link to the park's facebook page, but not to the specific entry for this exhibit. www.facebook.com/pnrperche?fref=nfWish we could be there and this time look at all of it at our leisure.
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Post by breeze on Oct 10, 2015 13:54:35 GMT
Fascinating. You spoke of the large chains finishing their shopping by 2am. Would these chains be buying from Rungis only for their Paris-area stores? I assume that each chain would have their own distribution centers around the country. Now I wonder.
Bixa, was your curbside cow's head surrounded by a host of large flies buzzing around? None genuine without its own halo of flies.
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Post by breeze on Aug 25, 2015 1:07:53 GMT
Definitely these are chocolate box villages. Where are the Helen Allingham flower gardens that should be out front, though? You're toying with my English village fantasy!
Can you tell I read Lark Rise to Candleford during one of my formative periods?
We just saw on a French TV program a thatcher at work somewhere near the coast of Normandy. He was using reeds from the Camargue. He has enough work to keep him busy.
There's a village along the Seine, Vieux-Port, that's mostly thatched roofs (and Jaguars in the driveway), and the roof ridges in that area are always planted with irises. The TV thatcher said that's what would finish off the roof he was working on.
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Post by breeze on Aug 16, 2015 13:53:57 GMT
Mossie, I thought you were using a German word, just a guess since I don't know much German. Finally I got it.
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Post by breeze on Aug 14, 2015 23:37:53 GMT
Pretty snazzy, your new cushions.
You're able to look at that sunset every night? It's absolutely gorgeous.
What will you do now that everything is in place but the pergola, and you'll surely make short work of that. Is it time for a part-time job as a Wal-mart greeter? Not that you're that old. Not that you have Wal-marts near you. I'm just trying, and failing, to make a helpful suggestion.
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Post by breeze on Aug 13, 2015 2:44:53 GMT
I'm so happy to see photos of the Conservancy Garden. It was beautifully planted when I saw it. That was in October, and one section was full of a simple low chrysanthemum, Korean if I recall correctly. Single blossoms, almost like a simple dahlia. One of the gardeners told me they dig them up and save some for next year but give the rest away. I seriously considered driving to New York to get some to brighten my garden, but I never did. Wonder if they are still there?
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Post by breeze on Jul 28, 2015 0:19:12 GMT
We had 8" of rain this month. Usually our garden phlox are 30" or so, but this year they shot up.
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Post by breeze on Jul 25, 2015 10:28:01 GMT
There are some beautiful flowers shown here. I admire gardeners who can keep things neat while having a lush display. If it weren't for perennials, and volunteer perennials at that, I doubt our garden would have anything surviving, but right now the phlox are rampant. I'm so grateful they have spread, and who cares if the colors are not the choice of garden experts. I'll take what I can get.
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Post by breeze on Jul 23, 2015 21:39:52 GMT
Bixa, I have such faith in your taste in cities, food, traveling companions, pets, plants, and cameras that yesterday I wound up ordering the RX100 again, but this time from a different major retailer. As you suggest, there may have been a run of bad ones and I'm hoping that by switching from international retailer A to national retailer B I'll find a different run of cameras.
Just in case, I'm improving my phone camera skills, but I so hope that the soon-to-arrive RX100 will be The One.
Most of my photos were beyond help. I sure hope it ain't me that's the problem.
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Post by breeze on Jul 22, 2015 3:05:16 GMT
Tonight Amazon has kindly taken back another camera; this time it's the one they sent me to replace the first one. I could not manage to take good photos with the first one, but the second one had the same problem as the first so I figured I must be the problem. Over the past two months I became a student of this particular camera. I have the stacks of printouts to prove it. I have taken 800 lousy photos, pestered people who are better photographers than I am to try out my camera, gone online to a helpful board that specializes in Sony cameras, and called the Sony alpha team several times and emailed them sample photos. Finally, seeing bixa's photos of the Palais Garnier and Galeries Lafayette taken with the same camera convinced me that I was not solely at fault. Amazon was very reasonable.
Tomorrow I go camera hunting with the short list of cameras that you all have recommended above.
Not that there's a camera store in this area anymore. I may resort to Best Buy.
Thanks for sharing your information and inspiring me.
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Post by breeze on Jul 21, 2015 13:37:13 GMT
htmb, I am even more impressed. Have to be brief since someone else needs the computer (thinks he owns it). I'll get back to this, but thank you.
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Post by breeze on Jul 21, 2015 12:07:19 GMT
So if we were to see you in person, you would look backward to us?
I'd like to know what the three cameras are, and how the two of you with the casual grip manage to get such good photos. I'm asking seriously.
I can see how htmb gets results, using a firm grip, but you two wagglers have me baffled. kerouac is only using one hand! Daring!
Zen and the art of photography--some of us have it, some don't. And I may never get it.
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Post by breeze on Jul 19, 2015 20:25:11 GMT
I'm not sure I've commented on this thread, but it is way past time.
I've been amazed at the quality of the photos, your various destinations, your stamina, and not least your ability to add to the thread frequently on the fly, so to speak. Didn't you have to take naps after lunch or crash every evening? And yet you had the oomph not only to be a visitor, but to guide a visitor.
Htmb's Specialty Tours to Paris, I can see it's coming. Sign me up!
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Post by breeze on Jul 12, 2015 21:37:24 GMT
I must say, this is exciting! Bixa, htmb, and kerouac--three great photographers now in Paris. I look forward to a feast of photos. Htmb has been keeping me entertained for the past few weeks and it's about to get even better.
Onlymark, Mossie, get on your bikes. You could be there in a few days. Who else is nearby?
Yes, I also want to know how long you (bixa) and htmb will be there. Will you have time to get out to/back to the countryside?
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Post by breeze on Jul 7, 2015 19:07:58 GMT
I took your advice and checked Amazon, and there's one for $13.99 that looks like a possibility. Thrift shops first, though.
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Post by breeze on Jul 7, 2015 15:59:52 GMT
Last year we took a long trip and left our old camera at home. My phone took better pictures than that camera did. This year I'll be taking a newish camera and the phone will be the backup camera.
Some things I always take along on a trip are big IKEA bags. The blue one is earmarked for dirty laundry. We leave the yellow one in the car for anything we won't need again on the trip.
At home I have a basket of big, colorful snack bag clips on my desk. I use them all the time--to hold notes together or keep today's mail from getting lost or serve as a bookmark. They come in very handy on trips.
Because my husband is sensitive to strong fragrances, I take a pillowcase from home.
I pack a headlamp to use in bed at night, a cheapie from Lowe's.
Now if I could just find a lightweight raincoat.
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Jetlag
Jul 7, 2015 15:36:04 GMT
Post by breeze on Jul 7, 2015 15:36:04 GMT
Air France offers champagne and I drink four of their tiny glasses (two contributed by my husband E) and that helps me sleep. I ask for coffee but don't drink it so E can have four cups. He doesn't sleep on the flight, doesn’t even try..
Again at breakfast he drinks four cups of coffee. That keeps him going for hours.
In the past our flights used to arrive in France about 7 am, which is only 1 am at home. My husband's usual bedtime is later that that, and he's just had four cups of coffee on the plane, so jetlag for him was postponed. We didn't need to crash till after lunch--but then it was immediate, in the car, in the restaurant parking lot, for an hour or so.
Our flight arrives later this year. I'm going to suggest strongly that we nap in the car before leaving the airport.
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Post by breeze on Jul 7, 2015 15:18:09 GMT
Three hits of gorgeous color. I need to come back here in the winter, at a time when I really need a reminder that there is more than white in this world.
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Post by breeze on Jun 23, 2015 18:19:24 GMT
Ansh, I hope you do get to go back soon. Your photos are very evocative so everything you posted here I find fascinating.
At some point I'm going to have to come to grips with the geography of the city. Maybe by the time of your next trip or Bixa's I'll have it figured out.
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Post by breeze on Jun 22, 2015 16:34:40 GMT
Patrick, those are so dainty, and the blues are gorgeous.
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Post by breeze on Jun 18, 2015 3:15:39 GMT
As someone who travels particularly for food and architecture, I've been scheming to get to Istanbul. Looking forward to all your photos.
We've been reading a fascinating mystery series by Jason Goodwin set in 1840s Istanbul. Ansh, the serpentine column, which you photographed, features in one of them.
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Color!
Jun 18, 2015 3:02:31 GMT
Post by breeze on Jun 18, 2015 3:02:31 GMT
I've read that they did, komsomol. Pulling a few at a time was probably not too bad.
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