Lots of driving again today, this time southwest of Paris to Maintenon, France for a visit to the Medieval Gardens of Bois Richeux. Dating back 2000 years, this is one of the oldest farms in France, once employing nearly 500 farmers. We visited the walled manor house with its kitchen garden and medicinal herb 
garden. The current owner was kind enough to give us a personal tour. She tried her best English, but the heavy French accent was a challenge to follow. The plants told most of the story though, with raised beds of vegetables, medicinal herbs, and arbors. We were so far out in the country that we had no place to turn the bus around to get out, so we had to cut across a dirt farming road through a crop field. If you haven't experienced off roading in a tour bus, you haven't really lived. That felt like the longest, bumpiest dirt road ever. We find pavement, and head further southwest to the beautiful bucolic Loire Valley. Actually, outside the city, much of France is beautiful and bucolic. We stop for a late lunch in what I think was Amboise, the place where Leonardo Da Vinci died. Wish we had time to visit the Chateau d'Amboise, where King Francois I lived. At age 22, he had Da Vinci, who was 65, moved here just so he could enjoy his intellectual company. When the king tells you to come and move to his town, I guess you just can't tell him no. Da Vinci lived out his last years here at Chateau du Clos-Luce, which was connected to the king's chateau by a long tunnel, built so the king could come and go, visiting with Da Vinci as he pleased. Not many English speaking people here, but it was a charming little town and wish we could've stayed longer than a lunch hour.
Last stop of the day was at Chateau Chaumont sur Loire in Blois. This French castle dates to the 10th century and sits on a bluff overlooking the beautiful Loire River. We didn't get to go in the castle, but were able to tour the park-like gardens. They were hosting a garden art competition during our visit, but my art-ignorance hindered me from appreciating some of the abstract stuff. Back on the bus for the long ride back to the city. We make a pit stop at a gas station, with a one seater bathroom, of course, and a bus full of 7 guys and 23 girls and 15 minutes to be back on the bus or else. Us girls wait and wait and wait as time ticks away while the mensroom is vacant. One of us braves it and takes advantage of the vacancy with no problem. I can't say that I've ever used the mensroom before, but I don't really want to have to hitchhike back to Paris, so I guess there's a first time for everything, right? 5 minutes before the bus leaves, so okay I'll chance it. Of course, I come out to three guys standing in line. Je suis desole, monsieurs! American girl had to go. Didn't want to have to thumb it back to the hotel!
No comments:
Post a Comment