Gardens at Eyrignac Manor

We spent a long day driving around and visiting different sites and my people were a little tired, but once again favored me with a visit to these out of the way gardens. The property of Eyrignac Manor is about 500 acres, with about 100 acres of manicured gardens. When we bought our entries, the cashier gave Nicco a scavenger hunt to help occupy his little mind while the grown ups enjoyed the gardens.

This is the courtyard at the entrance.

The path from the top to the gardens themselves was lined with these horse-head posts.

A lovely archway.

Nicco liked the avenues of shaped bushes, but he was dying to run around and in between all the mazes of trees and bushes. Sadly, it was prohibited to walk on the grass.

There was a Chinese pagoda at the end of one path. Nicco left his mark in the sand.

Pretty...

We finally came to a spot where walking on the grass was allowed. Nicco was so happy.

Pretty...

You can rent these houses for vacation between €500 and €750 per week, depending on the season.

This section was called the White Garden. There are over 700 bushes in 5 varieties. Beautiful.

Entrance to the white garden.

Next to the big fountain in the white garden. It was very hard for my boy to resist playing in the water.

So pretty. Breathtaking. As usual, pictures don't quite do the place justice. It would be nice to come in the spring. They only plant white, yellow and blue flowers. I bet it is spectacular. Maybe we'll come back.

Picnic by the River and the Crystal Cave

My sister-in-law told us that we could picnic right by Le Bournat, but we looked and looked and drove and drove, and were just about to picnic on some random side of the road when we finally turned a corner and found picnic tables.

A nice view for a picnic, right?

These houses were built right up against the mountain, like the buildings near the fortress.

The delicate stalactites and stalagmites inside the cave. Nicco really wanted to touch. There was only one place where we could touch called the dirty stalagmite because people just can't resist, but the oils in our skin change the composition of the minerals so the calcium (I think...) doesn't stick, then the stalagmites can't grow.

These perfect little triangles are formed when the water with whatever minerals drips into a stagnant pool of water. Nicco liked the perfect little triangles.

Winged Victory, just like in the Louvre.

Le Bournat

Le Bournat is one of those old time places where they preserve the lifestlye from 100 years ago. We've enjoyed the Littleton Historic Museum and old Tucson, which are similar to Le Bournat. Apparently, if you come during the busy season, there are actors at every station who really play up their roles as cooks, breadmakers, school teachers, farmers, and other entertainers. We were there off-season and there were only a couple of rather unenthused workers there. That's understandable, I suppose, when the majority of the visitors were old folks on a bus tour, but in that case you might think they would charge off-season prices. You would be wrong. We managed to have some fun anyway.

Nicco got to ride around in an old wagon. That was fun for him.

I think this is where they kept bees and collected honey...the impressive thing here is the roof, how the rocks are set layer on layer.

The little church

The farm

Pottery shop

I'm not sure this tractor is from 100 years ago. Then again, Europeans were living in chateaux when Americans were still living in cliff houses.

Nicco was most impressed by the windmill. "Did you know that windmill is 100 years old? And do you know what powers a windmill? The wind."

Barrels at the winery

Bottles at the winery

The farm, again.

You know how you can tell this is the pig pen? Because of the pig statue on the post.

Hay loft

Old time funhouse mirrors. Nicco had fun looking at himself with 4 legs and no head, or 3 of him, or with really long legs.

Hop-scotch on the playground.

Sitting at a school desk.

My favorite thing was the view. I just like the pretty buildings and the gardens.

Chateau Beynac

On our way home from our adventuring the other day we passed by this fortress on the hill. My people indulged me and stopped by the side of the road (which is no small feat in some of these old villages, by the way) for a picture. Patrice indulged me further and drove up so we could get a closer look.

A row of houses lining the street (yes, that is the street) right up against the side of the mountain.

The outer defensive wall of the fortress. The castle was built some time in the 1100s. It is kind of awe inspiring to walk on the same cobbled streets that so many people have walked for centuries.

The front door and gate.

Papi and Mamie had quite enough walking and climbing for one day, so they waited patiently below near the cstle while Nicco and I took an extra walk up the hill to see the lookout point. Just look at that stone wall...no mortar, just stones stacked carefully and tightly. Amazing.

Again, amazing. Well worth the extra walk.

Another chateau across the way.

A sign outside the potter's place.

Amazing. Have I said that already?

The Treehouses

Papi spent several months planning and building a playhouse for Nicco. The first thing the boy wanted to do when we arrived was see the tree house. We barely put our things down before Nicco asked about it, and like a true kindred spirit, Papi was anxious to show it off as well. Papi and Mamie really went to town. They lined the path with balloons and gave Nicco the key to his house...we practically have to drag him away for necessary things like eating and sleeping. It is hard to decide who is happier, Papi or Nicco.

Nicco's eyes were as big as on Christmas morning. He thinks it is nice of his dad to share. He doesn't quite comprehend that they are actually his own toys now.

Patrice reminiscing a little with one of his old toys.
Papi has a tree house too. He and his buddies hunt palomb, which are kind of like pigeons, but not quite. They use pigeons to attract the birds they hunt. We think the hunting cabin is as much about the 10 year old boys who inhabit the minds of Papi and his friends building a tree house as it is about the grown men hunting. Anyway, Nicco wanted to see Papi's cabin in the forest. 

It is really high with lots of steep stairs.

Nicco and Papi at the top, opening the roof to see the view.

Nicco said, "You can see the whole world from up here!"

...And it is true!

Going back down.

And the tree house from the ground. Nicco was amazed at Papi's treehouse and now he comments on the heights of things...that tree isn't as high as Papi's treehouse, or that bird is flying as high as Papi's tree house, for example. 

Peas in a pod, those two.