It seems so French – plonking down an open-air museum in the middle of a field; no board, no fee, no attendant. Somebody (perhaps a mason) had cast copies of a plethora of beautiful and often vastly amusing carvings. And perhaps not finding a museum to pay for them (just conjecture) had found a field to place them in.
We walked on raised ‘duck boards’ through two quite long avenues of intriguing bits and pieces of architectural art. Statues, incredibly intricate pillar capitals, slabs and busts – all absolutely attention-grabbing and entertaining. It is discoveries like this that are the rich rewards of DIY touring – because they are so totally unexpected. LUVit!
We have no idea where the originals come from, but some seem incredibly old. Instead of writing a long post about what we found, we felt the images speak for themselves.
Cats HeadHorseman and Child
River Spirit
Fallen Capital
Fallen CapitalRepeat Foliage PatternMadonna and Child
After our lunch we charged on for Coquelles, to find our Kyriad – cheap, and only 10 minutes from the Channel tunnel.
We arrived in a snowstorm at minus 2 degrees Celsius. The ‘lady’ receptionist was indifferent to the point of rudeness. She said we could not have a fresh coffee from the dining room – only one from the machine in the hall. We said ‘Please – We will pay. We have driven all the way from the other side of Poitiers.’ She reluctantly poured us each a small cup from the pod machine, charging €1.25 each, which was very expensive at that time.
I wished we’d opted for the evening meal there. The starters looked temptingly good, but we had declined, sight-unseen. In the event, after travelling some further miles, we could find nowhere. Our last night in France ended in the hotel room, nibbling a stale baguette end and drinking water. Serve us right for being such snobs…
In the morning there was an equally terse young man on the front desk, who reluctantly offered us a tiny cup of coffee for €2.50 each. Gerroff!
FOLKESTONE – AND HOME!
29th November.
White Cliffs of Dover
It was minus 2°C when we scraped the ice off the windscreen of our car, and we left with totally empty bellies for the EuroShuttle entrance ten minutes away. We were lucky, and grateful, to be able to drive straight onto the train standing ready – an hour earlier than we’d booked.
THE FULL BRITISH
Emerging at the other end we turned into Folkestone High Street and discovered ‘Dawn’s Delight’. There we enjoyed enormous Full English breakfasts with steaming mugs of tea for the amazing price of (if I remember aright) of £2.95 each – such a refreshing departure from most of Rip-Off Britain!
And after that we had a ride through frosty scenery all the way back to Cousin Clive and Marion’s house in Somerset. We gave some of Claude’s precious woods to a happy Clive. We called Marion in and invited both to pick ‘first choice’ of the Christmas presents we had bought. We also unloaded some Basilicatan and French goodies for them; but all this only after a cup of tea!
They live on the Somerset Levels and as so often, kindly fed us and put us up for two nights.
We returned home late in the afternoon on December 1st. 2016.
WE HAVE OUR MEMORIES TO ENJOY – WILL WE MANAGE TO GO SO FAR AGAIN?
We experienced amazing scenery; majestic mountains and lovely lakes: warm seas, hot sands – and in both France and Italy lots and lots of history, both ancient and renaissance.
BUT WHEN ALL IS SAID AND DONE,
THE GREATEST REWARDS IN TRAVELLING ARE THE PEOPLE!
(Clicking on the names above will take you to some of the posts describing them)
We have made so many good friends through travelling. Since that holiday we have had invitations to stay as personal houseguests from four of our B&B hosts, and have enjoyed boundless hospitality. Others, as stated, have nursed us and been very generous. The family from Thiers (now firm friends) stayed with us in early May 2019. They were intrigued by the mirrors we judiciously placed to ‘enhance’ the space in our tiny courtyard garden.
We hope we will be visited by the other friends we made – and that their bookings will always be full.
When we got off the ferry and had disentangled ourselves from the mish-mash of cars noisily entering and leaving the port we found ourselves on a fast highway. All Graham’s attention had to be on his driving, so he missed seeing the new range of mountains that marched along with us. We were in the Pollino National Park.
HECTIC HIGHWAY – ALMOST MISSED THE TURNING
So hectic was the traffic both ways that we almost missed the turning to Castrovillari.
This narrow road ran between rather barren grassland at the foot of quite a high mountain. It was flanked by trees, and some scattered, rather dull 1930’s-style houses and then small warehouses before the town started in earnest. Above the tall houses, churches and municipal buildings we caught glimpses of snow-covered peaks of nearby mountains.
Oh dear, I thought, wondering if I’d made a bad choice when booking. The SatNav took us through an equally uninspiring edge of town until a small sign on a wall pointed us down what very soon turned into a lane.
Snow-covered peak
BACKWARDS AND FORWARDS – WE SEARCH IN VAIN –
We went down to the bottom, as we thought. There were a few larger houses of some age, and they had B&B signs. None was the one I had booked. We were a bit desperate, and at last I persuaded Graham to ask two local men walking their dogs. (Note: why are men so reluctant to ask the way when in a totally strange place? It’s probably the first thing most women would do.)
WE HAD TO ASK THE LOCALS
Those nice men did that Italian thing of ‘walking’ our car a considerable way further down the deserted lane. After quite a while we found ourselves facing two large cast-iron gates. One of our guides spoke into an intercom. The gates slowly swung open for us.
Casale Valleverde
WE FEEL LIKE HONOURED GUESTS.
Casale Valleverde, Castrovillari, Calabria.
We really did have trouble finding this house. It did not look promising – UNTIL WE ENTERED THE GATES…
Paradise! We entered a truly lovely large garden even in mid-November, and a gracious, artistic private home. As we drove through the gates we could see the pantiles of the house through the gnarled branches of olive trees. We wove through what seemed like an ancient olive grove. We were later told that the the house was a restored farmhouse. It sat in the midst of very old olive trees. This dwelling was like nothing we had seen before. it was now the height of modernity; quite beautiful.
The track winding between olive trees
We were welcomed like old, honoured friends by the twenty-year old son. Mother was in Rome and Father out on business. However, this pleasant young man (whose English was impeccable) sat us down in comfortable armchairs. He gave us English tea and homemade biscuits before showing us our simply furnished but comfortable room with luxurious en suite.
A FAMILY-OWNED TRATTORIA
Old Olive Tree
Our host presently came in. He spoke impeccable English, and gave us information about the area: Its history, and the amenities it offers visitors in the present day.
After sharing aperitifs, he drove us into town, to the very door of an excellent family-owned trattoria. It offered the very best home-type cooking with professional sophistication. The daughter of the house had her little friends in. They had much fun and argument adding up our bill. It was perused by her mother before being handed to us – and was quite correct.
We can’t remember the restaurant so if you happen to stay at Casale Valleverde then do ask them for the name as the food was wonderful.
When we returned to Casale Valleverde we were offered wine and Limoncello, or cognac. We exchanged toasts with father and son, sitting around the log fire.
AN EXCEPTIONAL HOSTESS – AFTER 2 HRS SLEEP SHE PRODUCED A FEAST
Although she had caught the night train from Rome, Signora still got up at 5am to bake cakes for our copious breakfast, taken on the sun-baked terrace. I remember in particular an enormous bowl of beautifully arranged fruit of every type. I was amazed to look up to see this stoical lady energetically cleaning the full-length patio windows.
This family really spoil you, and are full of information to share.
After a short wander round their beautiful, extensive garden we waved goodbye and were on our way. This is a very special B&B. You will enjoy gracious living at a reasonable price.
