My neighborhood...for a month!

6/30/2016

Bonjour mes amis!

If you've been following along with me, you know that I have just returned from a wonderful month in Orléans, France.  Normally, when one goes to Orléans, there are places to visit that are integral to the visit...most of all, seeing Joan of Arc on her horse right in the downtown area...

And enjoying all the people and architecture, and of course, the merry-go-round!

When my younger daughter, Ms. Emerald, arrived for her visit with us, she wanted to walk around the neighborhood where we were living, so together, we shot the photos I'm sharing today!

We didn't hesitate to see how long the walk was to the Boulangerie!  Only two blocks...not bad!

I wish I could have seen the inside of this next big home!

There was a large, treed "round about" parking area that held markets every Thursday afternoon!

It's just so fun to explore an area that is so different than any other place I've lived!

How I love all the corbels below the balconies...and you just can't go wrong with wrought iron!

Another place I'd like to see the inside of...

While we were wandering, a Mail Lady came toward us...on her bike!  I asked Ms. Emerald to snap a picture.  You don't find this every day in the U.S.A.!

We were fortunate to be in Orléans during the Rose season!  These speckled ones really caught our eye!

So what do you think of my neighborhood?

Tomorrow I have something else fun to share with you!  See you then!
Jan

Rainy day Museums in Rochefort!

6/29/2016

Bonjour mes amis!

It was raining in France...again!

What were we to do?

GO TO THE COOLEST MUSEUM...EVER!!!

All of these photos are scenes at the Musée Des Commerces D'Autrefois...

Basically, it was a Museum of Trades of days gone by...

So, there were scenes of a Pub, Pharmacy, General Store, Tailor Shop, Patisserie, Blacksmith, Dry Cleaners, etc....you name it, you could find it here!

The collections were amazing and so well displayed!

Though we were in Rochefort, France, you could envision a similar Museum in the United States!

We had so much fun peaking in all the corners...gazing at all the stuff!

It was a couple hours well spent!

Unfortunately, when we finished this Museum, it was still raining, or threatening more rain, so we decided to go to La Corderie Royale!



This 374 meter long building is considered the "Versaille of the Sea", the Naval Dockyard.  This was Louis the 14th's brainchild.  It is where all the naval rope was made.

This was a very interesting place to visit, too.  We got to see how the rope was made from start to finish.  The building was so long, so as to make the meters and meters of rope for the ships.

What an amazing craft!

You can see just beyond the building out to the water.

We were told that the other side (the sea side) of the building was more beautiful, because Louis wanted it to be really impressive as ships came in.

And that concludes our time in Rochefort!

Have a "jewel" of a day!
Jan

Rochefort, not to be confused with Roquefort!

6/28/2016

Bonjour mes amis!

As we were leaving the beautiful Bed and Breakfast Home I showed you yesterday in the tiny village of Puyravault, France, I asked Dr. J if we could drive down the street first to the little Church that sat there looking abandoned.

Of course, I know that any time I suggest a Church visit in France, Dr. J would never turn me down.  There might be stained glass windows!

Really, I just wanted another perspective of the village, since it was so charming...

There was not a soul around, but Dr. J decided the Church might be open, so he bent over to get in the tiny door to view the inside.  Meanwhile, I sat in the car (because it was starting to rain) and my eyes followed a black cat slinking around and then I admired the pretty blue wildflowers that dotted the edges of the stone Church walls...

Next, we were on our way to Rochefort, France.  This is not to be confused with Roquefort, as in roquefort cheese, which I know we could buy in Rochefort, but the two are entirely different.  Rochefort is a city near the coast again, and it was recommended to us for a visit.

As soon as we parked the car, I was just happy to sit and view this little courtyard, with the beautiful architecture of the house in the background.

Then, Dr. J led us into a Church right off.  It was just a short block away, so it made sense to stop here first.

Once Dr. J was satisfied with viewing and photographing stained glass windows, it was time to take a little walking tour through town...before it rained!

This is the Post Office!  Isn't it an awesome building?

I can't get enough of wrought iron railings, shutters and window boxes...oh, and the occasional boulangerie (bakery)!

Back through the courtyard...

I didn't expect to see palm trees in this city, but they were all over!

And then, there was a Marine Museum.  We chose not to visit it this day, but we did visit two other places that I'll tell you about tomorrow.

We made the right choice with the rest of our day!

By the way, did you know that I love Roquefort cheese in France, but I really don't like it in the USA?  I don't mean to confuse you.  I thought I'd just make that comment.

Have a "jewel" of a day!
Jan