A Downtown Nantes Visit

Monday, April 11, 2011

Ron, Donna and I went downtown stopping by the main cathedral, the Cathedral of St. Peter and St. Paul.  Construction began in 1434 and was completed in 1891, a mere 457 years later.  As they say, something worth doing well is worth taking your time over.

Like all, beautifully constructed by artisans, not builders.

The faces are so varied and, often, puzzling, that one wonders exactly what they were trying to tell us.

And then, sometimes, there are no faces and you wonder if erosion, or disfavor, created the effect.










Inside the cathedral (courtesy of Donna)

The Nave

The Cathedral's view

The figure on the top of the obelisk is Louis XVI, one of only four commemorative statues of the king that survived the Revolution.












A short walk and we are at the Cháteau de la Duchess Anne de Britagne.  Anne is a revered figure in Britagne because of her efforts to maintain, if not the sovereignty of Breton, at least its political independence from the Kings of France.  To do this the girl married three times, two requiring annulments by the Pope.  Popes are convenient things when kingdoms and independence are concerned.  Her first marriage to Maximilian I of Austria, was by proxy one before her fourteenth birthday.  This didn't garner the Germanic protection for Britagne that her father desired and, after his defeat by Charles VIII of France and one of those convenient annulments by the Pope she married Charles VIII becoming Queen of France.  After his death, to again secure the political independence of Britagne, she married Louis XII after he obtained one of those convenient Papal annulments from his wife, Joan, daughter of Louis XI and sister to Anne's deceased husband Charles VIII.  Anyone have a scorecard at this point?

Atop the ramparts.

Inside the walls.

One of my favorite gargoyles

This was created to express my bewilderment upon discovering my brother shared many of the traits of Tim Conway's  half-stepping, shuffling old-man-in-slow-motion character on the Carol Burnett show.  You can time him through a 10-yard walk with a sundial.

A current resident of the Cháteau 

A local family in the moat.

Ron and Donna with Duchesse Anne

Ron and I at my favorite Nantes' watering hole, John McByrnes' Irish Pub.

Sunday Ride

Sunday, Apr. 10, 2011

Ron, Donna and I were up and out before the crack of noon.  After Le Croissic we thought we'd just tool around the local area some.   Stopped at the market at Talensac and picked up some great veggies and fresh rabbit for dinner tonight.  After dropping off the food we headed north-east up the Loire to see some France.

 A few miles up the river the village of La Chapelle Basse-Mer and the always beautiful church.

Love the gargoyles.  They're everywhere.

 Cat on a cool slate roof.  Not to be confused with Tennessee Williams' feline.




I frequently play golf at Ile d'Or on an island in the Loire River at La Varenne.  It's a beautiful setting so we drove over to check it out.  On arriving a treat: an antique auto club was just leaving after having lunch at the clubhouse.

Comin' at you

The Bridge to the island

We were so enthralled by the old cars we forgot to take pictures of the course, clubhouse, or Cháteau Clermont that overlooks everything.

We pulled out of La Vareene and headed up D761 to Champtoceaux.  This is a beautiful ride along the Loire.  Since I'm usually on Betsy whenever I make this ride I don't get to rubber neck like car passengers can.  Fortunately, Ron and Donna are champion rubber-neckers and they noticed a path along the bluff above us.  So, guessing correctly, I pulled into Champtoceaux and found the park overlooking the river. 

(In paths anyway)

 The path branched to an upper and lower section and Ron, as so often happens, took the low road, while I  took the high.

 

Pastoral to some.  Dinner to me.

(One of my best pictures)

We can't forget the wee ones, can we?

And, as always in France...the beautiful flowers.

We made it back to the flat with plenty of time to make up some great rabbit chilli with wine and the great French bread and a nice salad.  Welcome to France, Ron and Donna.

Family Visit - Le Croisic

My brother Ron and his lovely wife Donna ventured a long way from central Florida and arrived in Nantes Friday, the 8th.  I picked them up at the airport about 11:00a.m. and we've been going since.  In addition to the family "fix," all the sight-seeing is good for me.  They've about walked me down to a nub...but the weight is dropping and that's good.

Saturday morning we head for one of my favorite places, Le Croisic.

Ron and Donna at Le Croisic

 Tide's out.

Trying to tell time...en Francais.

 In the park several highly contested patenque games.
(I would say bocce ball , but that would be redundant.  Bocce is Italian for ball.)





Whenever all have "bowled," the team closest to the small ball gets a point for each ball closer than the nearest competitor.

The old "Hotel de Ville."

A short ride and we are in La Baule waiting on a sunset.

And it did.

Saturday Fun With Friends

Ran into Adrian, Jo, Eloise, and Morrisette at (of course) John McByrne's pub on Friday the 1st (of April...hmmmm?) and we decided to get together for another great meal at Adrian and Jo's on Saturday.  So, as dauntless as one of Tennyson's Six Hundred I once more entered the breach and, as before, found it delightful.  Great meal, good friends.  It doesn't get any better than this.

Jo and Heidi plotting something.

Heidi, Jo, Morrisette, and Freddie.









While Adrian was cooking and the ladies plotting I glanced at the TV in the living room and cracked up.  I have become quite the fan of rugby since coming over here.  It is patently obvious from the start that there are no "demi-portions" (wimps) on a rugby field.  It is a hooligan's game played by gentlemen, where football (soccer to us) is a gentleman's game played by hooligans.

In any event, as an alumni of North Carolina Statue University it goes without saying I am not a fan of North Carolina U.  And it always grates the living crap outta me whenever they, as they often do, beat us in (real) football.  And they do it wearing that pansy-assed pastel blue!  It just frosts me no end.  So, I glance at the TV and see guys playing rugby in pastel pink.  I almost fell off the chair.

Given the sport and the players, I can now say that pastel is okay for real mens games.  If these guys do it, it's okay.


Another great evening with Adrian and friends.  Thanks, folks.