Friday, April 22, 2011

The French Countryside


Even when the sun is not shining the French countryside is beautiful at this time of year, whilst running an errand the other day, I took a wrong turn and got lost, after living here for nearly nine years, I still get lost and constantly discover new and beautiful things. Down here in deepest France the countryside is a labyrinth of windy country lanes and narrow tracks which often lead to small villages and hamlets.

This is my favourite time of year, the cycle has begun again and everything is coming back to life it is like witnessing the greening of the earth.  Whilst getting lost I discovered a whole new landscape, although only a few miles away from where we live this landscape is totally different, as you have seen from previous posts our landscape is breathtaking and dramatic, this landscape is a lot softer, gentle rolling hills, hedgerows and green, green fields.

If you are coming to France this year, get off the auto routes and take the D roads and if you get lost, enjoy it!







Whilst I was lost I found this very unusual and romantic, abandoned farmhouse in a tiny hamlet, I am intrigued by it, you don't often see farmhouses with turrets!  I wonder what the story is, I am going to have to find out more about it.



Back to our garden we have lots of gorgeous white blooms in flower at the moment.

Spirea



Clematis Montana



Pyracantha (Firethorn, it has masses of bright red berries in the autumn)


Wishing you all a wonderful and happy Easter.
XXX

20 comments:

  1. Hello Dash:
    Everywhere is looking so lovely at the moment, it is surely one of the most perfect times of the year.

    The countryside around you, as your pictures show, is pure heaven. We loved the church, almost straight from the film of Tess, and as for the turreted farmhouse well, something to be dreamed about. Your garden too looks wonderful, clothed in bridal white.

    We wish you a very Happy Easter.

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  2. Made me have a few regrets for my white garden in France, now I'm surrounded by flamboyant colours here...but it didn't last long. Always another garden to make...

    How I agree with your suggestion to people to get on to the D roads...there are so many gems just waiting for you.

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  3. So lovely. Isn't it nice to discover some unknown lovely area so close to home. I wish that I could do it here in LA.
    Have a wonderful Easter weekend.

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  4. Wishing you a fabulous weekend, Dash and thanks for sharing your adventure and brilliant photos!

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  5. Dearest Dash, I do believe you live in paradise! How lovely it all is! Happiest Easter to you!

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  6. Ah this is so lovely! And really lovely blog!

    x, Jesa

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  7. Beautiful. I could even smell the scent of the flowers from here. Have a happy Easter.

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  8. Hello from Brazil!
    Your blog is wonderful and I loved
    the flowers...
    I have a poem that says: after the long and sad winter the spring smiled to me...I believe you had this kind of feeling watching those beautiful flowers blomming...
    I would like to invite you to visit my blog as well. I have one poem in English that is called Winter Soul, I posted it in June, if you want to read it, comments are welcome.
    have a nice Easter!
    The name of my blog, in English, is Soul of the Seasons; Seasons of the Soul.

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  9. This is such an amazing pot full of beauty. I almost felt like I want to reach out through computer screen to smell this beautiful flowers!Thank you for sharing it with me.
    I am wishing you beautiful and very Happy Easter!:-)

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  10. Our family tradition is Boldly Going. Give us a map book and some Z roads and we're perfectly happy. You don't get to see any of the interesting stuff when you're sticking to the boring old motorways.

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  11. Dash, your pictures make me want to visit France, SOON! :)

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  12. How gorgeous!! I'd find myself getting lost often too! I love your white assortment of flowers and shrubs! And your clematis is so happy, I've been torturing one for a few years now but it keeps coming back. Not flourishing like that one you have!!

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  13. Dash ~ Thank you, thank you for letting me live my dreams of a French life through you! These photos are absolutely beautiful. We are STILL enduring daily rain so until I can finally get in my gardens I shall stroll and languish within yours. Merci!

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  14. Spellbindingly beautiful! We were talking about a road trip to France with some pals last night, you've tempted me even further. xxx

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  15. Beautiful!

    As far as the farmhouse is concerned, might it belong to a rather grand estate?

    You are lucky, all I seem to find up winding little D roads are dumped sofas and old tyres ;-/

    lotsaluv

    AX

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  16. Hi Ali, no, unusually it does not belong to a grand estate but I think someone at some stage had grand designs! Maybe it was a second son of a grand estate who did not inherit the country pile! I have found out it previously belonged to some Germans and they have just sold it!
    XXX

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  17. That farmhouse with the turrets is amazing!

    Your garden looks absolutely beautiful. You're totally putting mine to shame. I desperately need to plant something.

    All your hard work has definitely paid off xx

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  18. Bonjour!

    Where in the southwest are you? I'm in Fontainebleau and it's equally gorgeous here. I love your garden as well! I'm so glad I found your blog.

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