Sante-Emilion

Monday dawned to be a beautiful, clear, sunny, perfect spring day.

 Golden sun highlighted the all important mist.

 This region is famous for Sauternes which rely on the mist of the two rivers to heighten the sweetness of the grapes.  But rain near harvest destroys them!

 

All important Boat Drill was quick and easy.  Don your life vest and show up in the right spot.  

Be checked off the list and go back to enjoying the scenery. 

 

 However Elva and I didn't mind it all.  We had our own private lifeguard!

 In this region, chateau is simply a name for a grape farm, not necessarily fancy at all.  

Those were in the Loire Valley.

 The ship bell tells us that the Viking Forsetti first sailed in 2013.

 When we docked in Libourne it was easy to see why these are called the LongShips!

 At every roundabout our motor coach we followed the signs to St. Emilion.

 The vines stretched out in every direction.  Every tiny town had a church steeple and although the people are not practicing their religion, the churches are all protected and mostly under renovation.  Churches were not bombed during the war or destroyed during the occupation.  

Germans were afraid to upset the conquered populations by attacking them.

 This wine processing 'plant' is quite different than the chateau, seen below, that owns it.  

The juxtaposition was kind of funny.

Strange people always wander into my photos!  Just kidding, I didn't give Elva any warning that I was taking a picture of the castle.  She thought I dropped something and was awkwardly bending down to pick it up.

I am going forward from here because where we are today has a very poor internet ability and we are parked directly next to another boat which might be using some of it in this small suburb of Bordeaux.  The pictures really tell the story but ....just won't upload! (Trying again! Two days later!)

 Another lovely chateau - winery farm house.

 Two views of a monastery wall that some how continues to stand centuries after the Duc d'Aquitaine demanded that the monks and nuns, two separate buildings, move their monastery because it blocked the view from the castle for defense purposes.  The cloister was rebuilt inside the new wall. They were not fast enough to knock it all down before there was an attack and they never finished the job.

"The town was named after the monk Émilion, a traveling confessor, who settled in a hermitage carved into the rock there in the 8th century. It was the monks who followed him that started up the commercial wine production in the area."  (Wiki)   It was, however the Romans who first planted vines here.  They had always done well on the slopes but the Romans needed more wine for the troops, after all water was thought to kill you.  And in some cases because of sanitation, it did! 

There is a monolithic collegiate church here, named for the saint who had miracles accredited to him which always were in favor of the common people and peasants.  Not a Saint I was familiar with but who seems to be a worthwhile reminder of sacrificing oneself for the good of others who can not defend or take care of themselves.

The church took so long that the style is sharply divided into Gothic and Romanesque architecture.

St. Emilion is always depicted with a closed book because he was thought to know a great secret.  But he apparently kept it well as no one knows for sure what that might be!

The appellation of St. Emilion is for sweet wines, particularly Sauternes.  The town is built at the top of the côte'.  The word Côte simply means slope as in gentle hillside.  However when the town is built on it it means lots of medieval, uneven, stone steps!  The small area between rivers means the slopes can take advantage of the morning mists to sweeten the grapes.  The 'noble rot' eats at the drying fruit on the vine and that locks all that sweetness in for the vintner.

 Definitely a tourist town.  Pubs, cafes, and artisan shops.  A walk to the overlook and then a steep cobbled walk down to the lower town.  History and church and castle up top, spending tourist euros down below!  I think all 861 wineries had shops in this little place!  And yes, they will be glad to ship it home!

                     View up to the church.  See the tiny people at the wall looking down on us?

                                                        Cloister converted to shopping.

The drive out and back on different roads was through a beautiful countryside with a variety of chateaus.  They always take the scenic route going and the more direct passage on the return trip.  We passed some that are apparently famous as they have number one classifications, but sorry, the names did not mean anything to me. 

Today was the VES party.  The Viking Explorer Society met on the Aqua Vit Terrace for a variety of cocktails.  Hotel Brian from Scotland arranged this which was different for us.  It did include the additional shot of killer liquor for the toast, but the Captain did not offer it and merely was on onlooker.  I think he does not actually speak English as he nods and smile a lot.  It was fun and we are meeting new people who were not on the pre-trip of the Loire Valley.  No one from the Polish extension travel further into France with us but they all returned home.  I am hearing from s few by email already!

I finished the day with seeing a beautiful sunset.

Dinner in the dining room and more drinks made for a fun music quiz as the entertainment.  Not our best effort ever.  I did place some of the blame on the girl pianist singer with us for the whole week.  She sang everything with a gravelly, slurred, French Cabaret accent.  You haven't heard These Boots Are Made for Walkin' or New York New York until you have heard it done that way!

Although we were in Libourne we did not tour it until Tuesday.

Afloat Again...Almost and Sort Of!

Saturday morning we were up early and had our luggage from our room at seven.  After breakfast we boarded the bus at eight and soon were on the way to begin the next phase of Europe 2017.  It would be a most of the day bus ride to Bordeaux from our comfortable hotel in Tours.  The schedule for the transfer would be the usual, hour and a half to the first 'technical stop.'  Then another hour to the two hour tour and lunch break, another hour or so to the second technical stop and then on to the final destination.  This is for our sake, especially since European law says the bathroom on the bus can only be used if the bus is parked!  Sort of useless.  And partly for the driver who is required to take two 20 minute breaks and a 45 minute one in each eight hours of driving.

Interesting note.  At the potty stop were maybe 75 trucks parked.  Semis filled the parking lot.  Turns out in France between 8 a.m. Saturday and 8 p.m. Sunday, they cannot be on the road.  The exception is if they have spoil-able food or live animals.  Sounds like a good idea to me but maybe not to the drivers who were standing around talking to each other, maybe planning a strike as the French are prone to do.  Some trucks had black out curtains drawn.  Didn't see any hookers loitering as you sometimes do in the States.

Our first stop, before we left Tours, was at the Basilica of St. Martin to see what we couldn't see the day before.  The unusual tomb of two small princes.  It really was remarkable.  I loved that the Guardian Angels were holding the pillows of the little boys.  They were preparing the church for the Easter Masses so we made just a quick stop and set out for Poitiers.  Carmen was great at giving us a lot of history but after eight hours on the bus it all sort of blended together so I really can't recall a lot.  I was sitting in the front seat opposite her and she kindly answered all  my questions.  They seemed important at the time but no clue what they were!  But I did inquire about her family, and her life living in the city center of Paris, and about life in France in General.  She was very excited that in mid July they will begin using a high speed train from Bordeaux into Paris so her next tour she will be able to be home in two ours!

At the first stop, where it was cloudy and cold, the men's rest rooms were closed for cleaning.  So we shared!

In Poitiers we had a walking tour, The market square has a large farmers market all around the permanent indoor market place.  There was also a large, modern mall with a grocer on the -1 level.  Viking's plan was for us to buy lunch items at the open air market and eat don the bus during the long afternoon ride.  Elva and I had sandwiches and snacks already so we visited the giant town square, the tourist offices, wandered through the market and were glad to be back on the bus and out of the weather.

At the second technical break, the women's rest rooms were closed for cleaning so you guessed it!

On our way to the Viking Forsetti we passed the exits to the towns we will be visiting during our week on the river.  We arrived only delayed briefly by the closing of many of the main roads in the town of Bordeaux.  Actually city, the metro area is over 900,000 with about 250,000 of those living inside the city wall area.  The roads were closed because this was the evening of the Night Marathon.   Last year over 19,000 visitors run the race and an even larger crowd was reported to be preparing to run soon after we arrived.

We were not welcomed aboard until we were actually on board.  The Program Director hopped on the bus and she seemed lively and invited us to start our trip by joining the wine tasting on board.  We showed our passports and were checked off the list in the lobby and went down to our lowest deck cabin.  Tiny!  No big window like on the Elbe but heated floors in the bathroom are a good trade off.  Our bags were delivered to our room and by the time we washed up and went to the wine tasting it was ending.  The people who arrived to begin all their travels had had a walking tour and celebrated their arrivals with the wine and cheese.

Feliz, the PD, welcomed us aboard and gave her port talk for Saturday and Sunday.  The Hotel Director, Brian, explained that there would be a deviation from the program because the ship propeller had damaged and although it was replaced the engine needed repair.  A large chunk of wood had got caught in the screw.  Instead of sailing on Sunday, we would bus to Cadillac for our tour and tasting.  Some people were very upset.  Also upset were the several people whose bags had not made it to the ship.  They were either at deGaulle or Bordeaux in the airport.  Seemed to be more disgruntled people at the start of this sailing than is usual, especially on Viking.  Part of the luggage issue was the five hour shut down at deGaulle due to a power outage.  Some passengers got caught in that and couldn't get through Customs and really, nothing would have made them happy.

We did not go on the night walk because the marathon had that messed up as well.  It was supposed to include a tram ride to see the city lights but the tram was on the race route so wasn't running.  We went night-night!

Easter Sunday dawned grey and gloomy but not cold.  When our cabin was made up last night the crew had sent Lindt chocolate rabbits to our room wrapped in shiny gold foil.  I surprised Elva with yellow Peeps bunnies this morning.  Elva and I had breakfast on the terrace and joined the bus tour of the city.  Still altered by the  fact that the barriers from yesterday were not yet removed.  Not a big problem as our buses literally were the only vehicles on the streets.  Stores were closed and we saw no one walking about.

We made a stop at a monumental fountain and spent an hour and a half at the museum.  Much of the time was learning about the slave trade!  Weird.  But it seems France is culpable for that.  After lunch on the terrace we set out for a 45 minute bus ride to Cadillac (pronounced Cad-e-ac. The double L is pronounced as a y or long e.)  And yes. the car is named for the home town of the explorer / business man who founded Detroit.

Cadillac is a walled city with some of its towers a part of the wall still intact.  It has a castle with an interesting history, as do they all, which ended up being a women's prison and then a reform school for girls. Back on the bus we headed to the Sauternes region and a wine tasting.  At the Chateau Rayne Vigneau we sampled three white wines beginning with dry, going to 20% sweet and on to 60% sugar!  The medium one wasn't bad.Why am I on a wine tour, not for the wine but for the beauty and history.  I did have reinforced all the viticulture knowledge I ever might have had.  Elva pretty much ends up with double helpings as after a sip I am done.

The return trip on a bus filled with snoring farmers and ranchers from Wyoming and Montana was not fast enough to suit me!  Of course, these fellow passengers are still having jet lag, had wine at lunch and tried three more in the afternoon, so sleeping wasn't not a big surprise!

Back in our cabin we quickly changed so we could begin our evening with the welcome aboard champagne toast and proceed to dinner where more wine was served.  I had iced tea and diet Coke.  During dinner we sailed for two hours, out and back, testing the now repaired and very quiet engines.  From our table we had a beautiful view of the broad river as we sailed under bridges and out to where the ocean going vessels can begin to unload or load their cargoes.

The evening entertainment was, you guessed it, a lesson in identifying the wines of Bordeaux and four tastings!  Elva is sleeping, I am writing to you, and then tucking myself in for the night.

Chateau Visit, Chateau Viewing, Tours Tour!

This morning dawned bright and clear and we set our early to be among the first to arrive at Le Château de Chenonceau.  When we arrived there were only a couple of other buses and a few cars.  France is having their nationwide two week Easter break so places have been crowded and we wanted to have a good look at the small rooms of this 'lady's chateau'.  Unlike yesterday's visit to Chambord which  was over the top in size and decoration a lady's chateau is smaller and more tastefully, according to the times, decorated.  A King's chateau is to show his power and strength.  A lady's is to show her refinement and skills at pleasing the men in her life.

This particular chateau is know as the House of Three Ladies. It was given to his mistress by Henry II of France, Diane de Poitiers, in the early 16th century.  She modified it from a hunting lodge or country house into her place to rendezvous with her lover.  She commissioned the construction of the arched bridge and oversaw the planting and design of the extensive gardens.  She was his true love.

When Henry died his widow, Catherine de Medici forced the mistress to swap chateaus with her.  Henry had always been happiest at Diane's and so Catherine wanted to cherish his memory there.  Catherine was then Regent of France and spent fortunes on the chateau.  gala parties and night time exhibitions of fireworks became common entertainments.  As our guide, Carmen, keeps reminding us, they did not have television so had to do something!

Cathrine enclosed the delicate bridge and it became the ballroom.




The chapel is large and ornately decorated for place of worship in a private home.  Below is only one of the sets of stained glass windows.

This well know Virgin with the Blue Veil hangs on one of the chapel walls.  Above and to the left is the balcony where the princesses could be a part of the daily Mass without moving more than a few feet from the large bed they shared.  They were lazy and would immediately return to its warmth at the last Amen!

There were a great many pieces of fine art hanging on almost every wall.  It was all original which is often not the case due to age, greed, and the destruction of so many conflicts and wars.  In one room there even was a Peter Paul Reubans with his typical cherubic figures.  What a total surprise, and still in its original frame as well.

After Catherine's death the chateaus passed to Louise de Lorraine, her daughter-in-law.  When the luckless Louise's beloved husband, Henry III was assassinated she dressed in mourning the rest of her days.  She also removed or covered the beauty of the house and hang black tapestries on all the walls.

Louise Dupin became the proud owner  in 1733. Her literary salon at Chenonceau was frequented by the likes of Voltaire, Rousseau, and Marivaux.  She saved the petite castle during the French Revolution because she claimed it was 'essential' for commerce  since it was the only bridge across the Cher for many miles!

Marguerite Pelouze bought the chateau in 1875.  Chateaus were easy to acquire as most owners could not afford to maintain them.  They were happy to unload them on unsuspecting buyers.  She had it almost completely restored to the Medici period when her money totally ran out.  It was seized and sold for taxes.

In 1891 a Cuban millionaire was the first man to own it since Henry II first gave it to Diane de Poitier. During World War I it became a military hospital.  World War II saw it bombed by the Germans in 1940.  As if that was not enough, the river flooded and caused extensive damage. The owners helped people escape to free France be hiding them in the chateau and then taking across the enclosed bridge.  One side of the river was German occupied and the other was not.  In 1944 the palace was bombed by the allies.

"In 1951, the Menier family entrusted the Château's restoration to Bernard Voisin, who brought the dilapidated structure and the gardens back to a reflection of its former glory.^"

 Leaded glass windows make any view enchanting.

 The rooms were fully furnished and in this tiny sun room this Crown of Thorns arrangement of fresh flowers from the garden was particularly stunning.  The 'basket' was filled with egg shells of different sizes and topped by tiny brown quail eggs.  I think the addition of sea oats gives the flowers a sobering but graceful downward focus.

 This is just the hallway to the exit!

 Grapevine, ostrich eggs, bare branches about to leaf out, and fresh flowers give needed height and solidness to the stunning arrangement in a long, tall hallway.  The arrangements in every space were Easter and Spring themed.

 The lazy princesses bed that three of them shared.

 My favorite display featured slim, sharp cornered, white vases with tiny birds perched on them.  I was hoping they would be for sale in the gift shop.  

But they were not to be the gift I brought home for my girls.

 One display included this clever 'natural' hedgehogs.

After leaving Chenonceau we had a short motor coach ride to Amboise.   Here the chateau viewing had to be delayed because it was lunch time and weary, early rising tourists are not to be kept from refueling.  Elva, Bill, and Barbara and I ate at this Patisserie.  But being well behaved adults they all had Quiche Lorraine and I had a delicate, french pastry filled with 'Jambon and Gruyere.'

 After lunch Elva and I previewed the Chateau d'Amboise.  I love lilacs and they do not grow in the South. When I was in France a couple of years ago in April Ruth and I had dreary weather and so they were not blooming then either.  So I am enjoying these even more so.

 We had eaten our delicious lunch so had no room for this clever cone.  I which we had tried it.

 We crossed the river for a great view of the chateaus and found a great view of a great man as well!

 Some part of his anatomy was particularly shiny so I had to sit on his lap!  Although everyone laughed at first, all the ladies and many  of the men followed suit, but not as tamely as I did.

Our next stop on the way back to the beautiful Chateau Belmont Hotel and Spa was for our tour of Tours.  By now my head was pretty full and I am sure you can find lots of information if you ask my Uncle Google or Auntie Wiki.  But Tours is a lovely place with half timbered houses still preserved and is a bustling university town as well.

  But like most of France seems to be, Tours is under reconstruction and renovation.  Carmen was surprised a couple of times, this is her first tour of the season, by closed roads and dusty construction.   The first construction redirection of our tour was at the old St. Martin's Church.

 The Church of St. Martin extended from the distant tower to the one we are standing by, and beyond behind us.  It was destroyed during the War.  By the time funds had been raised there was street running through the old site so the new Basilica was built nearby and smaller although it does have two domes.

 We entered the church but since it is Good Friday services were being held and we could not move around it much and could not gain access to the crypt.  As in all Catholic churches, like this, and most Christian churches noon to 3 on this day is always very solemn and prayerful.  Although France is a Catholic country there is only a small percentage that are practicing so the church was far from full.  Nuns were singing with beautifully sweet voices and old French hymn.

 

 The legend of St. Martin is that he shared his cloak with a beggar and so he is always depicted as tearing the coat and handing it down from his horse.  He was a soldier and was not at first accepted by the hierarchy but became a priest and pastor at the demand of the people.

 The inscription on the well says, "The well is not too deep, the rope is too short."  

Eloquently thoughtful for this university town.

 I think the top apartment overlooking the busy square would be delightful!

 

 A whole between the pavement and the basement has been put to good use to feed the cats that apparently keep the small restaurant rat free.

 Not in great focus, but I snapped this gleeful little girl as she ran merrily through the courtyard of the new art gallery!

 In keeping with the modern art theme of the converted convent, the door bars are at a jaunty angle.

 

Immediately recognizing a Calder when I see one, I wondered if he is still alive? 

 Rabelais has a smile on his chiseled face as he oversees the town of students and artists.

 This monument is new and recently installed to commemorate the 'Sammies.'  

The soldiers of Uncle Sam's army during World War I liberated Tours.   

It stands adjacent to the Wilson Bridge..

 We drove to the cathedral but Stations of the Cross were being offered so we headed back past the old city gates, seen below, where tax collectors accosted all who came and went. 

 We went home.  After a repeat of yesterday's harrowing bus turns on the narrow lanes of Tours we were safely back to our room.  Elva and I went to the pool house but since there was no hot tub she enjoyed the warmth of the area while I swam.  After she returned to get her book and go to the main guest house, I tried out the wonderful hamman, Middle eastern for steam room, and the sauna.  After a shower I took my book to the solarium and joined Elva.  Soon Cathy and Cindy joined us in the pleasant space.  The wine tasting had been cancelled so while I drank water the ladies enjoyed a glass of local wine and bar snacks of cakes, chocolates (Elva shared with me) as well as petite finger sandwiches and olives.

What a great day.  It was a real 'tour' de force of enrichment and pleasure.