I know it sounds glamorous, but it was
bloody cold growing up in a castle.
-Chris de Burgh
I know it sounds glamorous, but it was
bloody cold growing up in a castle.
-Chris de Burgh
“Though you may leave Paris, Paris never really leaves you.”
― Janice Macleod, "A Paris Year"
This was our first leg of the journey with Big John. He met us at the far end of Jardin des Tuileries where we enjoyed lunch after touring the Louvre. The city gave way to pastoral scenery as we eased into bus time, our drive from Paris to St. Fargeau clocking in at a little over 2 hours.
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An oasis in the French countryside. Our hosts Rachael and Alain made us feel like old friends dropping in for a weekend in the country. Members of our tour group were the only guests, some staying in the main house and larger family groups like ours staying the night in these quaint cottages. Our first hotel with LAUNDRY facilities.
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After 5 days of fast-paced city touring this was an idyllic evening of rest. The adults tasted the wines of Burgundy (with a bonus Champagne to celebrate Alain's birthday) while the kids swam and played soccer along with our hosts' children. We all came together for a glorious buffet full of fresh local food prepared by Rachael. What a wonderful opportunity to get to know each other better!
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"...The lark's on the wing; I couldn't help thinking of this Browning poem when we spied a local snail on our way to the market in Saint-Fargeau. We had a gorgeous day with perfect weather for exploring the town center. Ragen and Big John got us to the market prior to opening and we had time to visit the local Boulangerie/Pâtisserie, creating a pastry-picnic for breakfast before purchasing provisions in the market for later in the day.
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Travel Tip Keep on budget, bring a picnic lunch sourced from the local market or grocery store. |
Learn Something New
What I found fascinating was how few written records there are to guide the project. They had castle building plans and accounting ledgers but no specifics of HOW to accomplish the construction (most tradespeople in the middle ages were not literate). Much of the building process has been trial and error. Originally the Guédelon master-builders used saws to cut beams and shingles but found the wood often rotted. After consulting with an expert whose family has been in the trade for generations, they realized they needed to split the wood, which keeps the grain intact and sealed, resistant to water. Now their shingles last 3 to 4 times longer. |
Guide Gems Rick Steves guides have a large skill set, and tonight that included being a stylist. I had no intention of dressing up, but Ragen pulled the perfect dress from the rack and cinched me in. Travel is about stretching out of your comfort zone. Leaning in to feeling silly playing dress-up made the night all the more enjoyable. |