We have previously only driven through the town or visited the Super U supermarket on the outskirts, this side of town. The supermarket is a nice one and the choices are great!...more on the food later.
First...we found a War Memorial, just after Waz said that we hadn't seen any...so far, obviously!
The Memorial is in front of the lovely Cathedral in the center of town. The lovely plantings were everywhere.
We thought that if we parked behind the Cathedral, we would be able to find our car, such is the manner of French Villages....lots of little streets that one can easily get lost in. Fortunately the town wasn't that large, and we could always see the spire of the Church, so no problem finding said car.
The streets are invariably clean and well cared for. Few if any derelict homes in the town central, though the same cannot be said for the outskirts, where there are many old and run down buildings. By old, I mean centuries old!!
I always said I wanted to live in France in an apartment with a window box and Red Geraniums growing therein...how Romantic!:)
Le Centre Ville (town center), which has a couple of roundabouts, a square, to the right, in this photo, and with some pretty planter boxes full of the last of the summer flowers, and parking. The houses are all attached, and it isn't until you get towards the end of the street that you find the semi-detached, and the completely detached houses. They might even have gardens, on the outskirts! These places might have garages down the back alley...if they are lucky.
There is good bus service between towns, it seems, and people appear to make good use of them. Children are bussed to school, in these parts, and it all appears very orderly, unlike some of their American counterparts.
Of course there was much more to the town than just a couple of photos....well, not, actually...and we needed Kitty litter, so off to the supermarket yet again....they are beginning to recognize us now:) for better or worse, lol. I'm the weird lady that takes photos of all the food:) I did explain that I am a New Zealander, in the hope that it might explain the strange activity! They smiled politely and nodded sagely..I think it was sagely...I might never know! Je ne comprend pas! (I do not understand!)
I get a bit excited in Supermarkets, so while Waz was off doing the decent thing and finding the Kitty Litter, I was ogling the gorgeous fresh...FRESH...fish...so many different kinds. I should make this a quiz, to see how many you recognize, but I don't think you would succeed very well...but go ahead, if you like!
No extra points for this one!
Aren't these shells gorgeous! I don't know what they taste like, but was very taken by the aesthetics of the whole thing!
Bear in mind this is a small regional or rather town supermarket. The town would have a population of around 2,544 (1999 census) people, and there are other supermarkets in nearby towns. This is the bread selection at the end of the day. I know you cant read the names or prices very well, but I can tell you that the prices are small.
Oh look!! more fish!:) I had to show you the Atlantic WILD Salmon, at 17euros per kilo. Good price, and it looks wonderful.
So, then we found ourselves on the road to Redon, except we never got there. Instead we bumped into..almost literally...Gacilly, which has a pop. of around 2,277 (1999 census! lol)...Waz isdoing the research tonight!....anyhoooo, this was a totally inspired bumping of the best kind.
The town is on a hill, and we parked on the wrong side of the road, as they are apt to do, in these parts...any parking space, anywhere! and walked up the hill to one of the main streets, where we encountered an Art Happening. It looks like this small town is full of Art Atelier, and we found a few of them.
Looking up the road to the top of the hill, from where we parked in Gacilly
Looking back down over the gorgeous garden opposite the car.
Rather like this fella!
. There was plenty of outdoor artwork and photography. I believe this is part of an Arts Festival.
This door and surround had obviously been newly painted. Loved the color against the traditional 'Pierre' (stone) house
Of course this alley way says "Walk down me" to us, so off we go!
Of all the Typical French Scenes one might find at the end of the Rabbit Hole:) A Vespa with a wicker Panier (basket) on the back. Tres Jolie (very pretty)
The grape vines outside this home had grapes dying on the vine. We could have sat underneath and eaten till we were full to busting!
And then we had to go home....to find a bathroom. We were sure there was a public toilette somewhere in town, but couldn't remember where we had seen it, or was that the last town? who knows, so crossing both legs, we made our way back down the hill and a quick trip (French Rally Driving style) back home down the country roads. I can zoom up the long driveway in second gear, faster than Nikki Rikonnen (Finnish Rally Driver...forgive the spelling!)
And now we come, yet again, to food.
I love the prepared foods in France. These are Lardons. They are pre-cut chunky bacon which flavor the food only. I use ordinary thick cut bacon and do the cutting myself, in the USA. Loved finidng these ready made, because the knives in our apartment wouldn't but pussies foot, as the saying goes.
How the Lardons are packaged. .97 euros, thanks. for two!
And joy of joys....I found, in the cheese sections, something I have been talking about for years...something I used to eat of lot of in Aussie, to be exact, and finally found it...Walnut Cheese.
Heaven sent!
Waz has a new favorite...Mousse de Canard....Duck Pate. It is the smoothest loveliest pate you could wish to eat! That with Roquefort cheese on Ciabatta! For lunch!
And, following such a lovely chicken dinner, we had to have one of the prepared Tarte au Citron (lemon tart with meringue) Meringue, with fresh raspberries and Crème Anglais (custard) superbe!
I know you will all be drooling by now!! well, I hope you are:)
Time for bed. The cup of tea is over, and it is bed time.
I have another couple of days to tell you about, but it will have to wait until tomorrow..Sunday.
Au Revoir, and Bon Nuit.
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