Saturday in Segonzac

A real rest day today. 

Watched a very serious pétanque competition play out during the afternoon and evening, followed by presentations and a party for all the participants and spectators. A very interesting small village event. 

The cognac available in the local shop.  

Segonzac

An early morning routine is starting to develop with the weather the way it is. Another early morning walk around the village, a stop off at the supermarket- after we found where it was!

Parked up in the shade with great entertainment on the other side with the afternoon pétanque game to keep us amused. 

We have been entertained the past two afternoons with a fairly large group of locals playing boules - pétanque. Today a larger number than previous turned out to play. They take it very seriously and with great skill. We have noticed an old shed on the site. It is their club rooms with trophies on the back shelf.

A very serious game of pétanque!

Not being brandy/cognac drinkers, we are still able to appreciate the enormous value that cognac has to this wider community. Here’s a short snippet from one of information sheets available around the village. 

“The historic vineyards of Cognac have marked the identity of the Charentes region.  They have benefited from a mild oceanic climate that is suitable for producing a range of white wines that are perfectly suited to distillation.  It is this distilled wine that becomes cognac ... but only after many years of aging. 

After the distillation comes ageing which takes many long years. The cellar-master will then give the cognac its definitive and specific form  by composing an assembly of floral, fruity, spicy or woody notes from a selection of different distills (eaux-de-vie).

Eaux-de-vie must age at least two years to be called cognac – though many distills are aged far longer, gaining complexity and texture: honeysuckle and iris; hazelnuts and dried figs; vanilla and butterscotch; cloves and cinnamon.

While all cognac is brandy, only brandy made in the eponymous Cognac region of southwest France can be called cognac.

The region is broken into six sub-regions – known as crus – of which the grapes of Grande Champagne and Petite Champagne are considered so special they have their own appellation: Cognac Fine Champagne.”

So, there you are!

Not to be defeated, we again decided to revisit “La Cagouillarde”, the restaurant that wasn’t open last evening. To make a booking we followed the directions on their website, filled out an online form to make the reservation. We didn’t receive a reply so we just assumed that all was okay. Come the evening we threw on some “glads” and wandered down to the village. Yes, the restaurant was open, we ventured in, the chef looked surprised, checked the bookings (only two in the book!), frowned and mumbled a bit about email (obviously doesn’t like or check his own website email!) before calling his wife to ask her if we could be accommodated! After a short discussion we were shown to the dining area of this old fashioned auberge. We were the only guests at this stage! 

The early bird!

Shortly after the two other parties arrived, but it was nowhere near booked out!

To cut a long evening short - it was worth the wait, the food was delicious and the evening very intriguing - particularly when the host lit the fire next to us! Here she cooked the magret de canard gras grillé.

Heatwave in France but still the open fire in the auberge is lit to cook the meat!

The foie gras pâté was outstanding, as was the vanilla ice cream with cognac-soaked raisins and cognac. 

Other guests happened to be two English couples who have recently moved to the village. We had a pleasant conversation with them outside in the garden after our meal. 

Our chef who doesn’t check his email!

Overall, a very pleasant evening with delicious food. 

Back to our aire by 10.30pm to find another van just pulling in for the evening. 

Segonzac - Cognac Country

Another early morning walk this morning around this old village of Martizay - even found an old street with a 19th century photo - and the street scape has changed very little over this time. 

Purchased the daily baguette at one of the three boulangeries in this small village. Even at this early hour the French were stocking up on their baguettes for the day. 

After breakfast we left for another 200 km drive to Cognac country. 

On the way we passed some very famous as well as some very beautiful towns and villages, none more authentic than Angles-sur-l’Anglin, it is as if time has stood still.

Angles-sur-l’Anglin- a beau village!

The Cognac region is a beautiful part of the world and such a contrast to the agricultural landscape we had been accustomed to over the past three days. The gentle sloping hillsides are covered in vines as far as the eye can see. 

The village of Segonzac was where we were heading - right at the centre of the “Grande Champagne” - the quality grape growing region for the distillation process to produce finecognac. 

With another 38 deg, 3 x cold showers day, far too hot to cook a meal, we set to go to the local restaurant this evening, arrived only to find that it was closed! Its website indicated that it was only closed Dimanche (Sunday) and Lundi (Monday).  Got to love the French!

Martizay Today

We started with an early morning walk around Bonneval. We were out of bed by 6.30am and we did a forty minute brisk walk around  the village and canal. 

Early morning by the canal at Bonneval. 

A quick breakfast as the day was starting to heat, and, we were away setting our sight for a lovely area in Martizay. 

By 10 o’clock the temperature climbed to over 30° as we poodled along the very fertile planes above the Loire. We crossed the Loire near Blois and followed the river along to Amboise. 

The Loire with the Chateau at Amboise in the distant background. 

A quick stop to fill our LPG gas cylinder - only €7.00 for about ten days running our cooking and our fridge - and, it was only half empty!

By the time we arrived at Martizay the temperature had reached 38°. Shade all that mattered - and we found some - a little relief at the aire. The later arrivals weren’t as lucky for the local council had cut back all the other trees! To hot to do any exploring- perhaps early in the morning!

Wherever you go you come across old Chateaux. 

Another Day in Bonneval

France is heating up!  An early morning walk was the solution to battling the heat of the day. Put on our walking shoes - in my case sandals - and headed off to explore parts of Bonneval not visited yesterday. 

Waking to another sunny day - with two neighbours. The Ancient Abbey of St Florentin overlooks our vans. 

Quite an interesting place when you take a closer look. Water of the Loire River has been channeled off to form a moat like canal around the old medieval part of Bonneval. On the inside of the canal once stood the 13th century defensive fortification - now only a few towers (donjons) and some remains of the wall. 

Remains of the XII century donjons around Bonneval. 

The canal walk early in the day certainly beat the heat of the day. Fascinating to see all the houses that border the canal have purpose built wash-houses (lavoirs) at the foot of their gardens alongside the canal. 

Private laundry - lavoirs - areas along the canal. 

Today it seems that they are purely decorative, or a docking  area for a small boat. 

Note the jet vapour trails crisscrossing the French skies. 

Remains of one of the  medieval gates to the village is still a functioning access point to the village. 

As we progressed further around the village it was obvious the care that the locals take of their environs. Many beautiful gardens and garden boxes surround the village. We noticed, even, that hoses for a individual plant watering system had been installed along the edge of the canal wall. 

We liked this notice:

The rest of the day we did some chores and as well as being kept hydrated as the temperature rose into the 30s. 

Bonneval - Petite Venice de Beauce

On the move again today - Beauvais to Bonneval. Before leaving Beauvais we spent some time resupplying the fridge and the van. Called into a couple of supermarkets which took time, but away late morning for Bonneval. 

We were very mindful not to let the GPS take us very close to Paris - as it was trying to do. Large cities are places we avoid! 

So, with a little native cunning the co-pilot skillfully navigated a course that saw is cross the Seine at Mantes-le-Ville before heading south to Chartres, and then onto Bonneval. 

The Seine at Mante-le-Ville. 

The very famous cathedral at Chartres. It can be seen from miles away, dominating the skyline as you approach the city. Pilgrims would have been relieved as they ventured over the last hill on their journey. 

The day had gradually become warmer as we travelled into the afternoon. By the time we arrived in Bonneval the temperature had climbed into the 30s - not quite what had been forecast. 

Bonneval is a small old medieval village on the banks of the Loire. It has a series of canals surrounding the village from where the title of “Petite Venice de Beauce”. 

A short walk into the village after sitting most of the day gave us a glimpse of the character of the town. 

One of the seven ancient entrances to the old town. 

We have parked up along the wall surrounding the Ancient Abbey of St Florentin - not able to visit this for this is now a psychiatric hospital. By the end of the afternoon there were more than a dozen vans spread around the aire. 

Parked up in front of  Ancient Abbey of St Florentin. 

The Abbey has had a rather colourful, if not a tragic history, commenced in 857, fell foul of the Norman Vikings in the 900s, sacked again by Henry V during the Hundred Years War, burnt by the Protestants in 1568, rebuilt only to be sold off during the French Revolution. Now it is the property of the state and is used as a hospital. 

Sultry Sunday Beauvais

The heat wave across Europe reached us today - for the next week we are expecting temperatures in the mid and high 30s. 

Our UK neighbours, Anne and Steve,  were up and about early making ready for their departure- heading in an easterly direction. We farewelled them, and at the same time headed out for an early morning walk before it got too hot. 

The view across the city this morning - Pity you can’t hear the Bells tolling. 

We again walked down the hill to explore a little further around Beauvais checking out some of the remains of the old village and medieval ramparts. 

Statue of Jean Racine in front of the remaining ramparts of the old medieval city. 

Given that the town was bombed in 1940 and over 80% was destroyed, there are still some features of interest as we moved around the town. 

This is the oldest house in Beauvais. It was moved here ,near the cathedral, to illustrate what the size of the housing was like in the 13th century when the cathedral was built.  

It is easy to see how the medieval cathedrals totally eclipsed the surrounding houses of the times. What great vision by the builders - not that you always agreed with their motives!

Spent the afternoon relaxing and reading - even had a short nap too!

Evening with friends and neighbours!