French Idyll

I promised another chapter of the French Idyll so here it is:

These photos were taken one afternoon when I went with a friend to a nearby village which had several of its buildings set out as they might have been in times past a sort of walk round museum piece.

This was a little garden attached to one of the homes - filled with old fashioned plants and herbs.



The names of many of the plants were written on the little terracotta flowerpots - an idea I always intended to copy but never did - sound familiar?! The beds were bordered with the sort of tiles they use on the roofs in our part of France - looks good eh?




This was the lavoir - most villages have one and we even viewed a house which had one in the garden when we were looking to buy. How would you like to have to do your weekly wash here?! No machines or tumble driers in those days! Mind you it might have been quite companionable to do one's laundry with the other ladies and have a good natter at the same time but I am not sure I'd like it much in the winter!




This was the school - just one room - the stove in the centre took me back to my own schooldays when we had such things as the only form of heating and used to fight to get a place near the "tortoise" as they were called here in England in the winter. No central heating then. I didn't notice if the children had carved their initials or other messages on the wooden desks - probably not as they would have been far too well behaved for that.



Miss, or should that be M'selle or perhaps Madame?, would have sat at the big desk at the front and woe betide any chatterers - one of my french friends said they used to tape your mouth up if you talked! Imagine that, if it's true, you'd have the inspectorate down on you like a ton of bricks wouldn't you and that would probably be the end of your teaching career here. But maybe that is why the french children are usually so polite and well behaved?! Think of having to sit up straight on those narrow wooden benches all day too.




A wander round the rest of the village and we came across these lovely floral displays. We had hoped for a cup of tea but the little cafe was closed as they so often are in France!



Do I miss it all? NO although I do miss my friends of course.

We went to Lyme Regis yesterday and the scenery en route was stunning - I'll let you see the pics later. So no I prefer to be back here where I belong but there were some lovely bits to our time in France too.


Enjoy the remainder of the weekend.