A market

The most fun part of being in France, any part of France, one is bound to bump into a market. As I was walking back up to the village, I happened upon this market in full swing. A market, what fun, I thought to myself. The proverbial paella dish of course, the breads, the cheeses and everything else. I remember my first market in France 12 years ago. It was in Aix en provence and I fell in love with France. It's been my most favorite country ever since and still is. The impression of that first French market is indelibly etched into my psyche and I've never been able to shake even though I've seen markets with more character all over the world. I remember what I bought that first market in Aix en provence, a chunk of rustic farmer's bread and a chunk of home made sausage. I sat on the edge of the side walk and ate. That was 12 years ago, I was naive and impressionable and totally new to this kind of travel. I haven't stopped being that person, still excited about a French farmers' market.

Back up again

After dwaddling down to the bottom, I started back up again. It is a sweet little village and very quiet. It is very typical of a lot of French villages. None of the shops were opened, it was either still early in the morning or still early in the season. There was just a handful of visitors including me. This was in March this year. It is mentioned in Rick Steves' guidebook and anything mentioned in Steves' guidebooks are popular with Americans. I remember Leslie Stahl following him around Europe for a piece on 60 minutes. They were in a small Dutch village that if not for Rick Steves, no one would have even heard of, let alone visit. That is the Rick Steves' factor.

At the bottom

As I approached the bottom of the hill, I was suprised to find a river. It flows ino the Atlantic ocean and boats berth here and their owners live here. That wasn't the only surprise..... English is spoken here. It sounded like an English village. I guess there is an English expatriate community here, all of whom owns property and boats here. It felt more like Dinanshire.There is this tall bridge that joins the two sides of the valley and my bus back to Rennes would cross this bridge later. As it rolled across this bridge, I looked out the window and remembered I was just now at the bottom of the valley.

Downhill

I arrived by train on the upper village, walked to the new village and then onto the old village. The streets of the old village is of cobbled stones. I then came upon a medieval wall and gate which I entered and then it was downhill all the way. There were just the few of us visitors with a few elderly locals. It is very pretty and empty. Old stone and half timbered buildings lined the cobbled stone path all the way down the hill. It is so very well preserved. I think I read that they receive their fair share of visitors during the summer. I was here in Spring. Rick Steves wrote, 'if you have time for only one village, see this one'. I did!