Verteuil-sur-Charente

Still having problems with an overloaded computer! I really will have to download lots more photos and other files! Anyway I'll see how I get on, having already cleared some stuff onto a number of CDs!

Back to Verteuil!

Was your appetite whetted yesterday? I do hope so as I have some photographic beauties to show you today! I am rather pleased with a good few of these pics though I guess they wouldn't win many prizes! So! I mentioned that chateau! Well hang around just a moment or two longer, as first I show you the church overlooking the riverside. It in itself is rather spectacular, dwarfing the houses below.

We parked below the church near a beautiful house that quite took our fancy! It wasn't until we returned from our explorations of Verteuil that we met the owners - more of them later! That's Ian's car, second left! Snowy, by name!

There was a path leading uphill from the riverside, that Ian knew would give us a wonderful view, though he didn't tell me what the view would be of. We walked alongside a high wall that we couldn't see over, but climbed onto the rather crumbly looking wall on the other side, and looking over the high wall saw this.....

Ian loved to see the look of sheer amazement and disbelief on my face as I took in these special views. Having been before to all the places he took me to, he now knows what to show off in his new homeland area, and I can see why he loves to do just that! Is this stunning or is it stunning? There's more! Wait and see!

The chateau as it is now, dates from the 15th and 16th centuries but its origins go way back to the 11th. It belongs to a Count who is apparently one of the relations of the Rothschilde family. Apparently he visits the castle every few weeks, and is known for his generous and kind nature. There is talk that it may yet open to the public, though for the moment it remains private. It would take a week to see round something this big!!!

Anyway, there is no doubt that the chateau dominates the town. As I said before, there always seems to be a glimpse of it no matter where you are!

This was taken along the river from the car park. That was another lovely house, but there's the chateau in the distance beyond the bridge!

As we continued up the path (called Les Douves, I gather) that had given us that initial view of the chateau, we were able to look down on the rooftops of the town. Later I was to recognise Le Pont Vert, the green bridge, as we crossed it and looked at the views from there.

As we made our way through the town I couldn't help but take photos! It's the type of place you just want to gather up and take home, not wanting to forget an inch of it!

We met one of the natives - not too keen on étrangers - and walked along little streets still with views of the chateau, until we came into the town centre.

This I think, was the pièce de résistance - the view was breathtaking!

And so we moved on again to le moulin beside the Charente. This mill was built around the end of the 19th century though probably replaced an earlier one, that no doubt served the chateau. Today the mill is restored and working - you can see the millwheel and the machinery with all its cogs and belts, inside the taller building, behind the greenery on the walls - and the building also houses un boulangerie and restaurant. Apparently to be able to call oneself un boulanger or baker, one must make bread from scratch - none of this part cooked stuff from a supplier that is then put in the ovens and called home-baked! This one goes further than that and uses its own flour ground in its own mill.

Outside the mill, just about opposite the top of the steps to the river, the restaurant has placed a very attractive and tempting ice-cream cart!

You can choose from vanilla, strawberry, chocolate, pistachio, mango, coffee, caramel, nougat and cassis flavours, and they are served up in those wonderful waffle cones!!! Madame asked to take our photo so we were happy to let her do that!

The view of the chateau is quite amazing from any angle, and I took quite a few photos. I won't show you them all but I am tempted!

This one is taken from the mill corner and takes in the French tricolor, the attractive lamp, the boulangerie sign and the cafe umbrellas! Got to get as much as possible into a photo!!!!

Ian decided to take my photo sitting on the fence beside the weir gate and cogs, with chateau behind me, so with at least three photos of me in France, no-one can say "Where were you?" "Were you not on this holiday?"

So leaving the mill we walked round some more, to reach Green Bridge - le Pont Vert - for more lovely views. Imagine living here beside the river Charente...

On the other side of the bridge the view is of another old mill - a tannery, I believe it was! Opposite is a chambres d'hote, or guest house that was pretty spectacular. Ian squints in the sun as I took his photo with the GH behind!

So, back to the car we came again at last, and while I took one last look around me, Ian was off speaking to the couple, now out in their garden, whose house we had admired earlier. Surprise, surprise, they were English - from the Lake District - retired here in Verteuil. They had been lucky enough to get the house they wanted, did a lot of work on it and now have a little place to die for! Honestly! Ian and his "networking"! He finds people all over the place and chats to them, getting to know them! He's a friendly outgoing chappie is Ian!

Anyway Dick and Jenny took us on a tour of their lovely home. It is beautiful! They explained the changes they had made - walls knocked down, doors moved, rooms changed round..... Stunning! The kitchen was wonderful with a collection of old furniture taking the place of a modern fitted kitchen! It looked perfect! What surprised me though was that in some rooms the walls - yes, interior walls - were covered with harling, as we call it in Scotland - concrete rendering! It actually looked fabulous painted in beautiful pastel green in the bedroom, with white floaty curtains at the windows! Gave the walls plenty of texture! Too bad if you didn't like it! You'd have to plaster over it, rather than try to chip it off! Solid as mountains, that stuff!

We stood on the balcony outside the living room looking down at the river. A perfect place to be! No wonder they had this plaque over the arched entrance to their garden. It says Always have a smile! - and with that I will leave you for today. My last day in France wasn't over yet but the rest can wait till next time.

Talk again soon.