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Published: April 17th 2018
.A few months ago we watched a programme on Islamic Gardens by Monty Don. Travelling around Brittany the idea of the paradise garden came to mind. Everywhere was yellow. The colour of springtime. Broom and Gorse blooming alongside the road. Spring is certainly much more advanced than back home. Primroses and Cowslips line the banks. They are such pretty and delicate flowers. Flashes of mauve from the early spring Orchids. The fields look like a patchwork Persian rug. Tiny white daisies with their yellow eyes, dandelions, lilac Ladies Smock and the pale blue of the dainty Forget me Nots.
Our destination today was a 12 space motorhome stop close by the town of Fougeres. It was going to be hit or miss getting a spot . As it is a free aire it was likely to be full. One thing we have noticed is that French love the free spots and will park anywhere they think they can get away with. If we got one then it would be a bonus as it was within a stones throw of the town and its wonderful castle. Arriving at the aire what a surprise. There were quite a few spaces left. Hardstanding
and dry. We found one next to what looked like an electric charging up point and another further down. We chose the further down one. Glenn commented that no doubt by the evening the aire would be heaving with more than the maximum number of vehicles parked up. He even laid a bet that the access road at the side of us would be filled by someone . I laughed and said no chance - surely not.
The walls and the castle are impressive with their ramparts and pepper pot roof. It has to be the most fairy tale castle we have seen. Photogenic does not come into it. We didn't walk far before click, click , click , click could be heard as we took photograph after photograph. To the north of the castle lies the Bay of Mont St Michel. To the south the Ile de Normoutier, . We are in what were know as the Breton Marches, an area that played a part in the histories of both Brittany and the Kingdom of France. The castle entry fee was 17euros. The French don't do cheap entry for us pensioners. We have to pay the plein tarif
the same price as any adult with an income from work. Hardly seems fair when in Greece we paid half price entry to all the monuments. The cost here though was offset by the free night at the aire.
There were no guided tours. We were allowed to wander where we wanted, Our tour started at the mill race. What a noise. What a torrent. The mill wheel was turning and I hoped the town used the water to produce electricity. It was such a waste if they did not use it. We walked through the medieval gatehouse built in the 12th century which had no blind spots in the circular structure.
Beyond the gatehouse were the towers. How many Hallay and towers does one castle need? Fougeres had its Tour du Halley and it Tour de la Hayed St Hilaire both built in the 13th century. Steps up each of them. We did some climbing building up an appetite for something to eat and drink. Steps up to the Tour Coigny where we met up with one very young loved up couple sheltering from the rain. We braved the drizzle and walked the ramparts overlooking the Barbican
and the Coetlogon Tower which was in ruins by the 18th century. Inside we found ourselves looking at the Outer Ward - a large green space . Children ran about excitedly. I remember how mine used to enjoy running in these empty spaces, jumping in the rain puddles and shouting to each other. This was the centre of the castle where the villages went in search of safety during times of war. Along the edge were barns, ruined stables, workshops and a chapel plus a handful of veg plots.
As the rain came down more heavily we went for shelter into the Gobelins Keep and then the Melusine Keep. Our feet were aching from the climbing in the rain by now as the steps became ever slippery. Through the postern gate and the Amboise Tower brought us to the end of our trip.
Our next task was finding a magnet and having a coffee. Getting the magnet was easier than finding the coffee. Oddly the town seemed empty and the shops closed. A deserted town on Saturday is a strange thing. Where are all the people we wondered? The Lower quarter felt and looked like a ghost town. We found the tat shop. We purchased the magnet and found an almost empty café. We were later to find out why the Lower town was so deserted but for now the task was to buy the coffee. A macchiato please , no response, an espresso , silence. What about a cappacino? Still nothing . I ran out of ideas for coffee when a lady on a computer nearby shouted you can have coffee with milk . OK then looks like that's all we are going to get. We sat in the corner and the coffee was brought to the table with a cup of hot steaming milk. If there is one thing I hate it is coffee made with hot milk but as that was all we were going to get it had to do. The only good thing about the coffee was it got us out of the rain.
So what is the plan for tonight ? We have found an auberge for some dinner. We will walk around the castle at night and see it in a different light. We plan to walk up to the new town and see what life there is there. Join me later for our walk by moonlight around Fougeres. It should be spectacular.
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Dancing Dave
David Hooper
Fairytale Castles
There is something about castles that fascinates me too, Jennifer. Yet I only recall seeing them in Ethiopia and Bolivia, which were complete surprises. Something to look forward to if we ever hit Europe by the look of it.