Once upon a time the little market town must have been a thriving place . Now it's a quiet backwater. The population has fallen by three quarters as agriculture declined and folks moved to the big cities in search of employment. All that's left of its heyday is a parish church the size of a cathedral and streets of empty sixteenth and seventeeth century merchants houses out of all proportion to todays needs. What young couple wants to take over the running of a rambling, draughty townhouse? Today, opposite our parking spot there is a particularly fine sixteenth century house with two large mounting blocks set into the stone work. How chic it must once have been. Fading grandeur is now giving way to a collapsing roof.
Sophie is not interested in the architecture . She wants her croissant, a drink .....
So starts a quiet Sunday in deepest, deepest France profonde with an inquisiitve Polish Lowland Sheepdog. Another 30 degree plus day lies ahead.
I think I'd like to eat here :https://www.therosedeal.com/restaurant/
11 comments:
The restaurant menu sounded delicious - but what are "Gypsy eggs" ?
Being 'Presbyterian' in my eating habits ( unlike The Font ) I won't be trying to find out.
Warm here too, and Inca is now stretched out on the cool tiles, recovering from our walk around the neighbourhood.
Presumably the Merchants' houses will just be left to decay until they fall down, such a sad end for such splendid dwellings.
I read recently that a remote village in Sicily is selling houses for 1€, and Brits are keen purchasers! The mayor is desperate to bring new life to the area, and hoping young couples with families will buy. Most of the houses look uninhabitable, but the main concern is for a good WiFi connection!
I once asked a local in a crumbling Dordogne village who would e er buy that roofless, floorless multi-storied house with the freash new 'for sale' sign on it. She replied "the English". It struck me how the locals wanted modern (or modernized) homes just like the rest of us, but they don't want to lose the character of their towns and villages either.
Hari OM
Just eggs baked in beside the bacon and some chorizo/spicy sausage, I think...Yxx
Hari OM
That is a method used in OZ back in 2008... and the caught on!
It is very sad that these are not being taken up and at least divided into maybe two, or possibly three apartments (which is largely what happens in Scotland). YAM xx
The biggest and best sign that the pandemic might be easing off? The return of pictures of cakes to this blog! Thank you!
Does any part of France do the "buy a home on the cheap if you fix it up" thing? I read about it happening in Italy. Not sure if it's having the intended effect though.
I'm always sad to see such beautiful structures fall into disrepair. They would be impossible to build today but could live forever if maintained.
Such an elegant snout, worthy of a PONS princess! I have never seen rounded mounting blocks—it's always interesting to lean something new. The food certainly is elegantly presented.
It's too bad that the Italians from yesterday's hotel advert couldn't invest in a few of the market town townhomes. It's beautiful farmland for the whole farm-to-table thing, and those 16th century buildings are really beautiful.
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