Did you know……

Tasmania is 68,401km sq with a population of 515,000

Singapore is 719.9km sq with a population of 5.607 million. Wow !!

BUT what a vibrant, clean, safe and fun place to visit.

How I have loved the varied and often poignant crosses that are found all over France.

Protection for homes, farming fields, the entrance way to villages, schools and of course the village church. Oh… I nearly forgot the crosses in the beautiful, if somewhat stark, graveyards I have wandered on my own. (Mal does not share my fascination for graveyards).

This is my farewell post to France…

Au revoir France….. goodbye until we meet again.

Today we drove towards Belgium…….

Villers Bretonneux testifies to how Australia and France are united by firm bonds created by mutual gratitude and recognition. Like other countries, Australia came to the support of the “mother country” at the outbreak of war in August 1914. Together with New Zealand, they created the ANZAC. Their first action on the Somme took place on the 23rd July 1916 at Pozieres and later in April 1918 at Villers Bretonneux. This was a very significant battle for the Australian troops who stopped the German push at Villers Bretonneux over the 24th, 25th and 26th April, preventing Amiens from capture. 46,000 Australians died during this war in France with 11,000 with no known grave. I really do not need to say…war is such a terrible thing.

The ANZAC dawn service is held every 25th April at the Australian National Memorial at Villers Bretonneux where we visited today. A very moving place.

What a beautiful villa we have found for our last week in France.  Owners Sophia and Frederick have made us welcome with relaxing breakfasts and even a delicious dinner with them last night. Sophia gave us a guided tour around Vertus yesterday, and even organized the most humorous private champagne tasting with a very amusing, if somewhat eccentric local sommelier. A perfect place to end our France holiday.

We are spending six days in the Champagne Region west of Paris before heading  back to Paris to begin our long haul home. I am not kidding when I say grape vines are everywhere. Every spare paddock right up to backyards and towns are vines after healthy vines. Even on the roundabouts !!! The region and it’s people are passionate about champagne. From my bedroom window I watch the vineyard workers at work, oh, except during the two hour lunchbreak when they head home or to the nearest bar.

La Roque Gageac would be one of my favourite villages of all. After we discovered it on a previous visit to France, we returned today to explore some more. Located in south western France on the Dordogne River, the village is perched against steep limestone cliffs.

La Roque Gageac is believed to have been inhabited during  prehistoric times and still boasts the cliff side ruins of a fort built in the 12th century. After a major rock slide, the site was closed in 2007 but can still be seen from the village below.

Well all I can say is that Mal and I agree with the way the French respect and love their dogs.

Yes, dogs go everywhere, restaurants (even Michelin Star), cafes, bars, government offices, hospitals, shops……….  wherever humans go, dogs go !!!!!

All shapes and sizes… Molly would love it as she is a well behaved cafe dog in Australia.

Are you sick of photos of old buildings yet, and I mean old. Fortunately for us, we are not.  Everywhere you look, drive or wander is another incredible structure. What stories they could tell. We visited a  village market today to buy steak, veggies and of course wine to cook a late lunch in our villa…. The meat was carved off a large slab of some sort of meat (not too sure what part ) then beautifully wrapped with care and placed in my  basket. And yes, it was perfect. Among many things, I will miss my basket when I leave.

Domme is a commune in the Dordogne in south west France.  It was founded as a stronghold in 1281. Only 600 years older than our home !!!! We are so lucky to call it home for the week. High on a hill overlooking the countryside it is a perfect example of an ancient walled village. Roses cover the walls everywhere I look,  so i am a happy girl ! We visited here years ago together on a previous visit to France, but only for an hour, so were determined to return.

Our beautiful little village that is home at the moment, Domme, woke me up to two different environments this week on my walk to the boulangerie to pick up my baguette for breakfast. A tiny village mounted high on a hill, busy during the day with tourists, but we are made feel like locals, after hours, with the small local community.

What can I say….wow.  Najac is another beautiful village. Najac is on a steep promontory that domiates the valley of the Aveyron River. While we loved Provence, the countryside here in the Dordogne region of France is lush and green, similar to Tasmania in spring, autumn and winter. We stayed a night near Najac before heading to Domme, where we have booked into an old stone apartment in the ancient village for a week.

We leave Provence tomorrow to head north west, so spent today visiting the villages of Pontvieille and Maussane Les Alpilles, wandering the streets and markets, and enjoying a special lunch.

Hopefully you are not too tired of my photos, but the blog and photos create a wonderful memory for us in the future. France is such a complex, yet beautiful country with something different and often amazing around every corner. Photos cannot do it justice.

Pigeons calling,  dogs barking,  woman gossiping away in their beautiful flowing language from one high window to the other,  men talking loudly in words I unfortunately cannot follow while smoking what seems an unending cigarette and drinking another morning espresso or wine.

BUT the bells. How I love their sound which never fail to bring a smile to my face. I love knowing that the bells have been ringing for centuries in this ancient country and will continue to for centuries to come.

Click on link

Lucky I drive a French car. This must be why I like them . I love the classics you see driving around the streets of France.

Built 50 AD… yes very old. This UNESCO World Heritage monument, an ancient Roman aqua duct, crosses the River Gardon near the town of Vers Pont du Gard in southern France. It is the highest of all elevated Roman aqua ducts and I have to say, I am pleased we did not have to cross it in our canal boat last week !!!

Les Baux de Provence is a French village in the Provence Alpes-cote d’Azur region of southern France. It has a spectacular position in the Alpilles mountains, set atop a rocky outcrop that is crowned with a ruined castle. A true walled village built in the 10th century. Amazing !!

Walking kilometers today, we have visited the Monastere St Paul de Mausole where Vincent van Gogh was taken in, after the episode where he cut off his ear. We enjoyed the walking tour through the village and countryside that inspired Vincent, following the 19 panels displaying reproductions painted by the artist during his stay in St Remy. It was very sad reading how patients such as Vincent were treated for ailments such as depression and bipolar in the 1800’s. After leaving the hospital, we made our way back to St Remy for lunch before visiting St Martin’s church built in the 11th century.         ( Note song  : Don McLean….Starry Starry Night )

Our second visit to St Remy de Provence is certainly not disappointing us. The charming town of St Remy, while quite touristy, is full of restaurants and beautiful French inspired shops with loads of character. Plenty of laneways to explore during our week long stay here. Our accommodation at Mas Des Tourterelles is perfect and within walking distance to the centre of town. St Remy de Provence is overlooked by the Chaine des Alpilles, a range of the Pyrenees mountains in southern France . St Remy is one of the oldest towns in France and has been home to many artists including Vincent van Gogh who painted 150 canvases when he spent time here at the St Paul de Mousole hospital, which we hope to visit later in the week.

Such a beautiful tiny village

While wandering the streets of France, the many different doors leave me to wander what lies behind. Some stand proud and beautiful, while others look sad and neglected, most are probably hundreds of years old. So much character. What stories these doors could tell.