Claude Monet

The estate of Claude Monet

Situated in Giverny, near Paris lies the Claude Monet house and garden. A large property beautifully landscaped with the famous lily pond and an abundance of flowers. It is a wonderful experience to walk the garden paths and take in the beauty and aroma of the many varieties of plants in bloom.

The large house is open to the public and wonderfully decorated. Each room has its own colour scheme. The kitchen is tiled in blue and white and the dining room is yellow. The living room is a calming light blue. Photography is not permitted in the house, but you may take pictures from Monet's bedroom window which offers great views of the garden. Everything inside the house was owned by Monet and is considered part of the museum. Touching or handling things is not permitted. There is a large gift shop where you can by prints of the many pantings by the artist as well as calendars and touristy memorabilia.

Claude Monet had his own personal bedroom but it is connected via the bathrooms to the bedroom of his wife Alice. The artists bedroom has a collection of paintings by other painters of his time, including Manet, Césanne and Renoir. There is also a large collection of Japanese woodblock prints displayed in various areas if the house. Monet drew inspiration from them. Monet was one if the few artists who became famous and wealthy in his own time.

Strolling through the garden is a photographers dream, the pond with its Japanese bridge and lilies is probably the most photographed. And all the flowers scream for close-ups.

The best times to visit Monet's house in Giverny is spring and autumn. But anytime from May to September is good. The plants all bloom at different times, so there is always something to see and smell.

A holiday to France should definitely include a visit to this beautiful estate.

Domme and Bergerac

The last two towns we visited were Domme and Bergerac. Domme lies atop a cliffside along the Dordogne river and offers wonderful views over the valley. There is also a large cave to see, however we did not go in. Called the grotto of Domme, it stretches under the village and has tunnels connecting to other caves.

When we visited, the town was very quiet and serene. We wandered through the flower-lined streets and admired the buildings that have stood the test of time. The town was built in 1280 by the French king Philippe the Bold as a stronghold for the regions wealthy.

The grid shaped fortified town had four large gates of which three still remain. In the largest of the four, the Porte thes Tours, the Knights Templar were imprisoned during their trial, and there is plenty of evidence in the form of wall scrapings, or medieval graffiti.

At the edge of town you'll find a large viewing area showing the Dordogne river and the lush valley. Later that day we wondered down to the river's edge and had a lovely picnic in the French shade.

the View is amazing

Then on to Bergerac and a visit to a vineyard.

This town was once the local wine and tobacco shipping capital of the Dordogne region. There is a museum dedicated to each of these pleasures. The town centre has been painstakingly restored to its former glory and is now a popular place for foodies, wine lovers and people who simply love to walk along the flower fields and river banks. Gastronomy is a big magnet here and people from all over come to sample the restaurant's fares.

The centre of town, known as the "Place de la Myrpe" hosts the market, where anything from fresh produce, flowers and fresh meats are sold. It's neat to see a perfectly plucked duck on display, head still attached to identify the breed, the same goes for chickens.

This town lies on the St. Jacques de Compostelle pilgrimage road, and pilgrims would take a rest stop at St. Jacques church. The old cloister nearby is now a popular wine showroom.

Blue shutters; Shelagh's favorite

Mailman's visit

Just after lunch we went looking for a local vineyard offering wine tastings. Guy had researched a Chateau with large vineyards and we were off to give it a try. Chateau de Monbazillac is located just outside Bergerac and has lovely grounds to walk and huge vineyards. Off to the side is a modern building where the wine tasting goes on, of course there is also a well stocked store with bottles of wine for sale.

The chateau is open to the public and upon walking through the castle it seemed much smaller than the way it looks from the outside. The steep roof is built so that archers can be under the roof, but still fire at the enemy. We tasted two white wines and four reds, and decided to buy six bottles of a type of red wine that was on special production to the Dutch royal family. We aged it for three years minimum and it tasted just alright. Too bad.

the view from the chateau

We would live in this province of France anytime, the scenery, history and daily goings on are a joy to experience. If you ever get the opportunity to visit this area go for it. Aquitaine is a wonderful scenic place and not to be missed.

More Dordogne...

During breakfast on one of our warm, sunny days, we decided to visit Sarlat, here's the story...

Old Market Square

Located in the Perigord Noir lies the medieval town if Sarlat la Canéda, or simply Sarlat. Arriving by car it does not take long to see the signs pointing to "Centre Ville". The old centre of this town dates back to the 14th century when a Benedictine Abby was established there. Modernization over the centuries has mostly happened elsewhere and the old town centre is pretty much the same as it was 600 years ago.

There is no shortage of eateries

A typical storefront

The buildings along the cobble stoned streets are of the local umber stone and exude a warmth that causes people to stand back and take all the pictures. Small eateries and cafés along with the usual tourist shops line the streets, but some of them have some wonderful creations by the local artisans on display. The pottery is exquisite.

Spices and Herbs galore

As it happened it was market day in the old town centre and the local growers were there with large selections of fresh vegetables, cheeses, sausages and a variety of breads and cakes. There was even a Dutch vendor selling cheeses from the low lands. At about noon the entire market broke up and the town was returned to its normal quaintness.

We stopped for lunch and had a local dish, some sausage and potato dish that is not worth writing home about, but the wine was good! I guess that some restaurants, in a town over run with tourists, eventually cave in to getting away with serving a quick and very profitable few dishes to cash in on the summer holiday season, too bad, but understandable. We learned, and moved on.

The menu here looked great...

Eventually we returned to one of the artisan's shops and purchased some pottery, egg cups and a white wine decanter with an ice compartment in the centre. They are still in use today, albeit infrequently.

The umber stone of the region 

Plenty of little bars...

The day ended like all the others, relaxing in the garden at the dinner table, chatting and sipping wine. Guy had discovered a local canoe rental place and we decided to make that the next day's adventure...

Sleep came easy and the next day, after breakfast we headed for the canoe rental place, located at a local camp ground.

Each canoe is supplied with a waterproof container for all those things that must stay dry. We were given a simple map of the river and the camp host showed us where to get out at the end so he could pick us up. The whole trip should take about four hours, but we told him to give us five hours so we could stop and various places to take pictures etc. we had also planned a stop at a village called "la Roque Gageac", for a beverage break.

Chateau Montfort, photographed from the canoe

We launched the canoes and paddled off along the shoreline and found that it was quite shallow from the dry weather during the months of July and August, so we had to stay in the middle of the river. It was only about waist deep for the most part. The gentle current took us along the scenic shores and the views were awesome. Every once in a while we would stop to take in the scenery.

Chateau Montfort

Soon we came upon the spectacular view of Chateau Montfort, a privately owned castle  glued to the cliffs above us. We later walked outside the castle and discovered that it was no longer open to the public.

Some old pillars in the town of Montfort

Cruising along we passed the town of Domme, and decided to go there later in the week to have a look. Our lunch stop was next and we pulled the canoes ashore at the town of La Roque Gageac. We found a nice place in the village and ordered beer and wine. This town is mostly vertical and built up along the cliffs where once cave dwellers lived. It is my understanding that the caves may also have been used for mining. It's a beautiful village with great little places to eat and relax. Our trip ended just past the bridge at Castelnaud La Chapelle. Here the camp host was to pick us up and by the time we were all sorted, he pulled up with his car and a trailer designed to carry eight canoes. What a great day in the French sunshine! 

12 days in the "Dordogne", France...

Once settled in at our home in France, Shelagh and I went for an exploratory walk in the  village. We came upon the cemetery and went inside. We both like cemeteries, and the ones here are quite ornate, with large tombstones and ornaments. Most of the graves were covered in framed photos of young children and newlyweds etc; it's like a way to include those passed on in current events. We walked on into the centre of the village and figured out where the butcher, baker and grocery stores were located. Then we came upon the local hotel, a small auberge with a restaurant and a nice terrace. We took a seat outside and ordered a half liter of the local wine, very tasty, and sat there in the French country side being completely blown away.

Dinner was on me that night and I chose to cook a Hungarian goulash, big mistake, it needs to simmer quite a while to tenderize the beef. Although the dish tasted okay, the meat was tough, bummer! Next time I'll use pork tenderloin.

We had dinner "al fresco" at the picnic table, and that is where most dinners were served during our stay. The night air was warm and comfortable, we had some wine as the sun set and the stars came out. In the country where city lights don't spoil the upward view, the stars are a magical display of distant mystery. Guy, who used to be a merchant marine, gave us a quick lesson in astronomy. We were shown the big and little dipper as well as Orion and Cassiopeia. Fascinating stuff to see so far into the universe, and then to be told that the light you are seeing was sent here millions of years ago, some of the stars we see today may no longer exist! It makes you feel very small in such an enormous space.

We tumbled into bed at around midnight and slept like the dead...

Up in the morning Shelagh and I went into town and at the bakery we bought one baguette and four croissants. Breakfast was on in the garden with some boiled eggs, our bakery treasures and fresh jams and cheese from the local merchant. Coffee and fresh juice rounded out the extravaganza. After cleaning up we went for a walk around the country side and came upon fields of corn and sunflowers, both just past production and a little dried out. We saw the Dordogne river up close a stuck our feet in the cool water, knowing that a swim was in our future. Along the walk we met a chasseur (hunter) and asked him how it was going, "Sa va?" his reply "Mais non!" a bad day for pheasant.

Guy and I took turns in the kitchen during our stay in Carsac. It was a good routine and we had some excellent dinners. Our last stop of the day was always at some grocery store to find what to make for dinner, it set a precedence for future holidays.

Rocamadour

During dinner we discussed what we would do the next day and we decided to go to Rocamadour, a village famous for the discovery of the bones of the apostle Zacchaeus, as legend has it, but also an important pilgrimage site of prayer. The town is glued to the cliffs of a deep gorge and it is exquisite. On the way there during our drive Guy spotted a sign advertising an ancient fortified mill, so we took a detour, paid the modest entry fee and got a guided tour of how the workers milled grain into flour using the river's current for power. Fascinating machinery and ingenious impellers that could be lowered into the river to drive the grinding stone.

The grinding stone

The view from the mill

The entrance to Rocamadour

Little shops

Looking up

The path to the church

Upon arrival in Rocamadour we wandered the streets all the way up to the church that tops the town. The views are amazing and it leaves you feeling a bit strange when you realize that this town is about 1000 years old. The streets were built for donkeys, so car traffic is nearly impossible. We had plans for a late lunch here but restaurants close between 14:00 and 17:00, so we had to be satisfied with some ice cream. A lovely day was had by all and we went back to our little house in Carsac for a nice dinner and idle chat in the garden with some of that lovely regional wine...

On to the continent...

After our short stay in England with my stepmother Jet and her husband Frans we took the ferry from Harwich, Parkeston Quay, to Hoek van Holland. There are two types of ferries running between Harwich and Hoek van Holland. The slower traditional one, travel time about seven hours and 45 minutes, or the new faster one with a catamaran hull, travel time about four hours. We took the faster crossing. Once boarded, the ship moved away from the harbor quite slowly, but once in open water the speed picked up. We enjoyed a lovely lunch in the upper restaurant of the ship with a great glass, or two, of wine. All this was a gift from Jet and Frans, including a few days' stay at their lovely home in Elmdon, Essex. Upon arrival in Hoek van Holland we were picked up by my brother Bart and he drove us to his home in Utrecht.

Nephew Alexander

Brother Bart and nephew Marcel

Starting the fire

Sister in law Wilma and Alexander

Wilma and Shelagh

A stainless steel house on a small foot print
most of the house is under ground

The under ground part

the Dom Tower

Here a series of events began, it had been 10 years since we had been to Holland, my original country of nationality. When Shelagh and I got married, my siblings promised us a day we would never forget, but since we took so long to cash in on this gift they increased the gift to last a week. We took up residency in their attic apartment.

Once settled in we went outside and had a lovely glass of wine and a barbecue dinner in the sunshine. We chatted the night away catching up on the last decade. It was the first time we met our two youngest nephews Alexander and Marcel, we had already met their older sister Dorette, but after ten years it was like meeting her for the first time too. Sleep came easy and the next day we headed into town for a tour of Utrecht.

Utrecht is a university town and the city is alive with the young vibe of many students. A walk along the canals of the old city centre shows you all the little pubs and bistros where you can take a load off and people watch for a while. This city has an amazing charm, and is easily navigated. We stopped along our walk at a pub and had a beer with a "broodje croquette" a hotdog bun filled with a deep fried, breaded ragout sausage. Try one, you'll love it! Then we boarded a canal tour boat and got a view of the city from the water, the tour guide spoke three languages and everyone who was a tourist got the full meal deal on the city's history.

Then dinner time came and we went on to a nice downtown restaurant, very posh, and enjoyed a magnificent meal, we were treated like VIPs. A night cap of scotch and we were off to bed to get ready for our next adventure...

In the historic city of Arnhem there is a zoo. Simply put, this place is quite amazing. We gathered here the next morning for "Family Day". The day was organized by my sister Jobs and her partner Guy. We were made familiar with the plan of the day and everyone participated. All my siblings and their children were present. The zoo is called Burgers' Zoo and Safari Park, and it is very much devoted to keeping its animals in an environment as close as possible to their natural habitat. The visitors stroll along paths and elevated walkways to view the animals. It is quite interesting to watch the lions from an overpass 3 meters up. The aquarium has passages that are completely submerged under thick glass covered walkways. The fish swim over you, quite a different orientation.

At lunchtime we were all to gather at the food court for our specially made lunch box, which included a little bottle of wine or beer for the adults, and a juice or soda for the kids. The next stop took us to a quaint restaurant where we all enjoyed a great dinner and some speeches about our long awaited return to Holland. What a great day we had, and when we were all done we went home with my sister and partner Jobs and Guy.

Guy and Shelagh sailing on "Oubaas"

Reflections

Canal sailing

The next morning we headed to a marina to go for a nice day of sailing on Guy's sailboat. A traditional steel hulled flat bottomed sloop, built to last. We spent the day entirely under sail, except for within the marina, and I was quite impressed with the agility and speed of this heavy looking boat. We enjoyed some lunch in one of the many villages that line the Friesian lakes. The day was perfect, and although the sky was cloudy it stayed dry. Back at home we had a lovely home cooked meal with plenty of wine and cheer. Then we prepared for our morning departure to France.

We were off to the Dordogne region in the province of Aquitaine, France. In a small hamlet called Carsac. This little place is near Sarlat la Caneda in the Perigord. We drove from their home in Drachten, Friesland to our first stop, a town called Gien, famous for its fine china. Along the way we bypassed Paris and we vowed to return some day and check it out. Once in Gien we started the hunt for a hotel and it  did not take long to find the hotel "Le Rivage" a lovely place on the river Loire, and got settled in.

The evening was spent walking through the town and eventually settling in a little restaurant, so French, so inviting and comfortable, it was like in the movies. I actually ordered frog legs, they were yummy in their garlicky sauce. The wine flowed without shame and we had a ball. I finished my dinner with a selection from the cheese basket, some chevre, some Roquefort and some brie with crackers. Guy and Jobs treated us that night to dinner, once again, part of our wedding present. Once back at the hotel Shelagh and I enjoyed a little nightcap in our room by the window overlooking the Loire river. So romantic.

We got up relatively early the next morning and enjoyed a delicious continental breakfast in the hotel restaurant. Back on the road we were not far away from our destination. We found "Maison Strand", our little home for the next 12 days after a short search and got moved in. This small house is owned by 25 members, of which my father and his wife Jet were one. Upon my father's untimely death, Jet became the shareholder. She graciously lent us her two week share that year for our enjoyment. In the next blog post I will write about our experiences in the Dordogne, France.