Good Day Out

 

7^TH May 2018:

 

LOIRE VALLEY HAS LARGEST LOVELY JAPANESE GARDEN

 

Now right in the Loire Valley, we set off early to find the largest Japanese gardens in Europe.  Parc Oriental de Maulévrier was no more than a forty-five minute drive away.

 

IN LUCK – EXTRA MOONLIGHT TOUR TONIGHT

 

We were so lucky!  When Graham reached the pretty little pavilion to buy our tickets he learned that this was one of the few dates when we could return in the evening for a guided tour in the dark.

‘Special features will be lit for you as you pass’ he was told.  He happily handed over 9 euros each for this double experience.

 

WE ENTER DREAMLAND:

 

We followed a small crowd through a shrouded oriental gate to find ourselves in a sort of sunlit dreamland.  Our path ran alongside a long, thin, lake; but if we turned aside we could look down onto a charming garden of rocks and water, acers, cherry trees and azaleas in bloom – and sculpted dwarf trees.

 

 

A PAGODA, WATER AND STATUARY

 

At a bend in the path we came across a Japanese teahouse like a small pagoda with a high-domed tower.   Next to it a little museum, built in a style that closely resembled English half-timbered Tudor – but not quite.  The roof and windows told you ‘This is Japanese’.  Tasteful, intriguing statuary was dotted around.
While Graham descended the steps to photograph a foaming whirlpool, I further explored on my mobility scooter, and found a quite different aspect in the ‘upper lake’. Quiet and smooth, edged with trees – it was left natural this time. 

 

 

TEMPLE BELLS – A SUNKEN GARDEN

 

I carried on around to the far side of the lake and presently found myself outside a temple, complete with god and goddess.  I paused – and bells and soft cymbals sounded.  Then, glancing to my left, I saw shallow steps leading down into the sunken garden, so I parked my scooter, pulled my stick from the back and set off to find Graham crouched low, now absorbed in ‘shooting’ the length of the lake.

‘Did you notice the water gushing from under a tiny bridge beneath that path you left me on?’  I asked.

 

THE RED BRIDGE 

 

We happily chatted before we parted; he to quickly walk around the top in order to join me.  Until he found another subject – the red lacquer bridge that started to span the lake.
We both waited until numerous couples had finished taking ‘selfies’. We were happy listening to the faint, slightly enchanting music that wafted towards us.
Graham was at last able to crouch, and stand, and move around, in order to capture the ‘perfect’ picture of this attractive feature.

 

 

JAPANESE VISION

 

The shoreline was cleverly planted with bamboos, acers, and more of those otherworldly ‘sculpted’ trees.  We appreciated anew the unique Japanese veneration for utilising space and form.  The artful placing of pagodas and ornamental fishing lodges enhanced this.  It seems that only after they feel they have ‘got all these elements right’ that they then search for just the right colour to add.  Nothing in this beautiful garden seemed to have sprung up by chance…  Man’s hand was evident everywhere. 

 

THE BONSAI WORKSHOP

 

Before we left we took the fairly long walk up the hill away from the lake, in order to find the usual ‘facilities’.  These proved to be next to the ‘Bonsai Workshop’.  I am in two minds about bonsai. While some of the tiny trees are breathtakingly beautiful (especially in that place, where they were created by experts) I can’t help deploring the stunting and mangling of the natural plants.  I get quite confused about it. 

 

THERE WAS ALSO A LARGE SHOP SELLING PLANTS

 

We were at the beginning of our holiday.  There was no way we could accommodate even a small plant in our overcrowded car, so it was relatively easy to quickly pass through.  No need to avert our eyes.
It was very hot that day (perhaps the day our dashboard read 93°Fahranheit?) We were really not hungry – I cannot remember seeking lunch anywhere.  We simply returned to base and rested on our bed, reading.  When we went back in the evening at nine o’clock we already had our tickets, and joined a shorter line. 

 

LANTERNS BOBBING TO MUSIC

 

We were each handed a paper Japanese lantern attached to a long, slim bamboo rod.  Graham stuck mine into the back of my scooter-bag.   As we followed the guide down the left-hand shore of the lake we were able to see across to a long line of bobbing, colourful lanterns. *** They made pretty patterns, reflected in the water.  It was all very romantic.  As we moved along, soft music and bells, and even snatches of poetry (in Japanese) wafted towards us, along with the scent of the blossoms lining our route. 

 

A FILM SHOW

 

When we reached the bottom of the lake we were led aside to where forms were set out in front of a small screen.  We were shown a rather naïve film; a sort of children’s fairy tale, using paper-cut-outs for both the sets and the figures. *** It was a tale about greed and retribution, and I was not surprised to find the ‘punishment’ somewhat savage.  World War Two taught us that the Oriental view of justice and fairness could differ from ours – which should not be surprising. Japan was cut off from the West for many centuries. 

 

BORED, I MAKE A DISCOVERY

 

Another little film started.  I got a bit bored, and already sitting on my scooter, I just slipped away, and so had all to myself a view of the sculpture of two Samurai, which had seemed fairly ordinary earlier in the day.   Lit up, it was like a golden line drawing.

THE SAMURAI SCULPTURE IN LIGHTS

 

I immediately went back to Graham and whispered to him.  He was grateful to follow me, and unimpeded by the crowd, he took several good shots of the sculpture, which he agreed now looked altogether much more impressive.  He thought it was like two wizards  fighting it out with force fields.

 

 

 

I TAKE A RISKY PATH

 

Coming back up the other side, we crossed in the middle and without intending to I found myself ahead of our group.  All alone, driving my scooter along an extremely narrow little path bordered by bits of rock.  Soon I had to decide to try and negotiate an even narrower tiny humped bridge.
There were now people just behind me in the almost total darkness, and I‘ll never know how I succeeded in getting back to the path without mishap.  But in so doing, sitting low on my scooter I saw the little bridge lit up from some lovely angles, so I waited for Graham to catch up.  We quite lost the crowd, as he took shot after shot from a variety of positions.

 

 

THIS JAPANESE GARDEN – SOMETHING ‘DIFFERENT’

 

That Japanese Garden is Something Different.  It is both intriguing and beautiful, and Graham and I can thoroughly recommend it.

www.parc-oriental.com Parc Oriental 49360 Maulevier

 

A SURREPTITIOUS FEAST

 

We found the house in darkness when we arrived back, but with such friendly hosts we felt quite at ease entering the kitchen and making tea, and a small snack from our remaining bread and ham in the ‘fridge.  Now that it was cooler, we felt ravenous – but also, after our long day in the open air, we were yearning to creep upstairs and collapse into that comfortable bed.

 

We can confidently recommend a stay with Yvonne and Stephen in their interesting and beautiful house.  They are very friendly people who go out of their way to give their guests every comfort.

Les Trois Puits: 2, rue de la Civette, 79290 Brion-près-Thouet, France

(A fitting end to our first week of holiday).

 

Text by – Jackie Usher, SWWJ. (aka author Debbie Darkin, & ‘Graham Liverpool’ on Trip Advisor.)
Photographs by – Graham Usher.