De captivants à banals, les articles et photographies de “The Baguette” sont une tentative de publier un journal de ma vie dans la Manche et de proposer un forum de discussion pour tout ce qui touche à la Normandie.
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Les cabanes form part of an actual farm that raises geese. The huts are constructed by using dry stone walling techniques--they are built by carefully piling up stones and wedging them with more stones. This work is done without any cement, mortar or...
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Before arriving at les grottes de Lacave, I made a quick stop along the Dordogne via the small village of Bastit. The river itself is quite calm and the region famous for its good food and wines. Those seeking excellent accommodations in the area need...
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One of my favorite films is Ever After (À tout jamais in French) starring Drew Barrymore and Anjelica Huston. The settings, the music, the costumes, the acting and especially the modern retelling of the Cinderella story have stayed with me these many...
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On September 10th I attended a typical French wedding here in the small town of Launaguet just outside of Toulouse. This was my first opportunity to see what a civil ceremony looks like for couples wishing to tie the knot in France. It’s actually quite...
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During the final days of my vacation, I spent some time in the countryside near Montbray. From there, I took a morning trip to Mont-Saint-Michel. It is truly one of the most amazing places in France if not the world. I’ve been there before and did not...
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This ancient market town owes its name to a Roman town called Lacciacium or Laaceio because it used to be surrounded by lakes. A few remarkable buildings have been restored, revealing some of the splendid red granite facades (especially along rue Dorée)....
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Valençay is actually in the Berry region but it can be included with those of the Loire Valley because of its period of its construction and its huge size, in which it resembles Chambord. Valençay was built in 1540 by Jacques d’Estampes. He had married...
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(Aquarelle : composition libre de François Callu, inspirée de l’architecture de différentes abbayes normandes.) 1 – La porterie (Gatekeeper’s Lodge) 2 – L’église abbatiale (Abbey Church) 3 – Le cloître (Cloisters) 4 – Le jardin du cloître et le puits...
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The sizeable ruins of Lucerne Abbey stand in an isolated spot in the pleasantly green Thar Valley. The abbey was founded in 1143 by two Premonstratensian monks following a donation by Hasculfe de Subligny, the great nephew of William the Conqueror. It...
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The Château de Balleroy was built between 1626 and 1636 by François Mansart for Jean de Choisy, Chancellor to Gaston d’Orléans . De Choisy’s descendants, under the title of Marquis de Balleroy, owned the château for three centuries. It is now owned by...
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