Time to go...

Last pictures from France today!

 

It's time to go back to Stendal!

 

We've got lot of fun visiting with Nadia and we hope you've got so much curiosity and fun as us!

 

We have understood that this country is rich in monuments and places to visit and that even small villages have their stories to be told... So many things to see!

 

We hope we will back soon in France to visit others places!

 

For the present time, we are going to new horizons!

Bye Nadia and her small village GAS!

 

Last weekend in Gas

It was our last weekend within Nadia's family in Gas, France and we had some time with La�ticia, the youngest daughter of Nadia.

She showed us her "coll�ge", this is where 12-15y old are going to school (after it is "lyc�e" where her sister Chlo� is in Chartres)...It is a small one with 500 students coming from the various villages around. It is located in Gallardon.

She explains some facts she is proud of.The particularity of the coll�ge is it's got a seismic station for educational vocation. They sometimes register seisms from over the world.... and a few weeks ago they'd got a glider in the playground! In fact the oldest students can pass the first level of aviation patent associated with the gliders club near...

And guess what? Just in front of it, at our feet is flowing Louis XIV's canal... Do you remember our first visit? 

Oh! Is there blue sky? Yes! It was waiting for our last days...

Gallardon is a small town with some medieval houses, a beautiful church with a really high pointed steeple and the ruin of a old tower from its medieval castle (the only vestige), both are showing from far... Nadia is  wondering how the tower is still up and Laeticia had studied it: the wall is more than 4 meters thick, and the rest of the castle was destroyed in 1421, quite 600 years that this tower is watching over the village and was never destroyed... Strangth! It is called the "Shoulder of Gallardon".

 

Nadia's husband is taking train to Paris in Epernon, another town with medieval houses, wine presses and an old church with a beautiful inside. Laeticia explained that she'd got the possibility to visit the vault where there are an ossuary and a sort of mummified person, it was the vault of the "lord" of the place... She said it was really frightened... We are totally agreeing!

Far from castles, Royalty and others strange stories we've met those last days, Nadia has a hobby: gardening... Because there was a lot of wind last night, she needed to check her garden... Last time, the tempest had broken a fence. This time nothing... But she was surprised to see some flowers are already growing... And we made stock of parsley.

Sunday it was a great day, the Chandeleur... This day we eat "cr�pes", sort of fine and large pancakes... sweet or savory versions!

The old tradition says that if you are able to make jump a "cr�pe" and it turns in the air before it comes back in your frying pan, all with one hand and a gold coin in the other hand, then you will be rich all the year to come.

Nadias small village GAS

While coming back from our visit, we've stopped to have a view on Nadia's small village GAS ! Yes, it's really looking small while coming from a big town ! There is less than 800 citizens, one school and  the town hall... that's all! No shop... and country with fields and small forests all around! You can't do anything without a car, that's the problem but it's quiet and no pollution... no stress!

 Nadia's hubby says that it's nice to see stars in the sky, hear birds and breath pure air while you work in Paris. Some days you can even see deers, foxes and rabbits in the fields.  It's no price after a stressful day. 

 Hugs from Hans and Paul in the "deep France" as we say here.

Maintenon and Louis XIV's canal

 Today the weather was grey but with no rain, so Nadia took time to walk along the "Louis XIV's canal" with us.

What is it ? It's an unfinished project from Louis XIV's time. His Royal Domain of Versailles needed a lot of water for its fountains then it was decided to divert the Eure river near Chartres and use it through aqueducs and canals. This work was unfinished because of war and epidemic. From it remain the great Aqueduc of Maintenon and some channels needed to bring materials to build it. The one along the Voise river is still called the "Louis XIV canal" and is not navigable. It passes through a few villages near Gas.

 

 

Maintenon's castle is closed during winter time but we can have a look from outside. It was the residence of Mme de Maintenon (mistress then secret wife of Louis XIV).

Look how nice ! The unfinished aqueduc was keeping because it was supposed to give a "romantic touch" We can see it at the very bottom of the picture.

 

 There are bridges and canals and lot of green places in the town .... we even saw squirrels running

 We weren't able to see the aqueduc more precisely because the castle's park is a new golf practice and is no more free to walk ....

Nadia tried to show it from the road ... Do you see the arches with vine ?

 Then we have followed the Louis XIV's canal from Maintenon through a few villages. Paths have been  laid to walk along it. It's a beautiful ride with forests, stones bridges and Hans and Paul were playing with the ducks and geese

It was a nice afternoon to breath deeply and enjoy nature...

Choucroute

 We help Nadia with the Sunday lunch. First preparing the apples cake: one looking at the apples with cinnamon, sugar and butter ... the other turning the dough ....

We met a new friend: Stork the wood stork.  While eating some french "baguette", she explains Nadia and her family had lived 10 years in Alsace near Germany and then loved eating alsacian food like Choucroute .... which was the main course of the meal today.... Well we feel in our element !! 

and the cake was delicious too ..... Tomorrow we will begin to go and visit places around ... Lots to see !