A building in Salers, with a restaurant operating out of the ground floor... I assume that tower houses a staircase. I wish I had gone inside to verify that.
The church in Salers, dedicated to saint Mathieu (St. Matthew). I wish I had gone inside.
The church in the town of Mauriac, just north of Salers. The church is called the Basilique de Notre-Dame-des-Miracles and was built in the 12th century on the site of an older chapel. I wish I had seen it from closer up than this.
The towers of the Château de Val, north of Mauriac and near the town called Bort-les-Orgues. I wish I had gone inside the château when we were there.
The Château de Saint-Chamant. We walked around the grounds, but the building itself was closed up tight. I wish I had been able to go inside. It's only open from July 1 to August 31. Is this another staircase tower?
The towers of the Château d'Anjony in Tournemire, south of Saint-Chamant. I repeat: I wish I had gone inside. It was closed the day we went there, because it was lunchtime. So we went and had lunch in a restaurant.
Well, you have a lot to look forward to, in "the fullness of time". Really, a lot.
ReplyDeleteIf my sister and our cousin had been able to come to France this year, we might have gone to spend a few days in Saint-Chamant. Since they live on the N.C. coast, the Auvergne landscape would be attractive to them. I don't think they see a lot of cows along the coast, but plenty of dolphins.
DeleteAll I could think of was the old nursery rhyme! If wishes were horses,
ReplyDeletebeggars would ride.
If turnips were watches,
I'd wear one by my side.
If "if's" and "and's" were pots and pans,
There'd be no work for tinkers' hands!
If wishes were fishes, we'd all have some...
Deleteune seule solution... y retourner !
ReplyDeleteOui, et dans l'Aveyron aussi.
DeleteHope you're able to get back there soon, looks very much worth it!
ReplyDeleteI shall return! Or I shall try.
DeleteAll this is familiar country for me. I used to take long walks around Mauriac with my mother's dog. Sweet memories.
ReplyDeleteStrangely enough, I don't recall setting foot inside Notre-Dame des Miracles. I was just a teenager at the time!
I don't remember hearing you talk about memories of Salers. I wonder what it was like in the 1940s.
DeleteBecause of the German occupation, it was very quiet and no tourist in sight! I don't recall seeing any German soldiers, because of the FFI (Forces Françaises de l'Intérieur) that I joined in early 1944.
DeleteFFI might be better known as maquis outside of France.
DeleteNow you have me wishing to go into that restaurant to see that stairwell. We will enjoy traveling more after going through this time.
ReplyDeleteNext time, right?
DeleteYour pictures bring back fond memories. That area certainly has many spectacular structures.
ReplyDeleteI’m back! We’ve had no internet for three days so I must catch up on your blog and Walt’s too.
ReplyDeleteI want to visit all these places, thanks for the photos and place names.
Glad you're back on line. Do you know why your internet was off?
DeleteThese are all interesting places from the outside -- I understand why you wish that you had had the opportunity to go inside.
ReplyDeleteInside versus outside, especially when it comes to chateaux, is often a source of disagreement between my wife and myself. I'll often say that all I really want to see is the beautiful outside, but my wife almost always wants to see the inside. If it's open, we'll usually both go inside, although occasionally I'll pass and instead take a walk around the grounds.
DeleteI'm kind of like you. But afterward I'm wondering what I missed by not going inside a château or a church.
DeleteThe issue really only comes up with chateaux, not churches. If my wife wants to go into a church, I'll pretty much always go with her. I figure there's no admission charge; it's not usually too time consuming; and I do find old French churches to be fascinating.
DeleteWhen I "miss" something on my travels, I usually say to myself, "...just another reason for me to return to that lovely, interesting, amusing, different (your choice!) place!" I try to stay positive.
ReplyDeleteMary in Oregon
I do that too. You always have to save something for later.
DeleteYes, but usually I ran out of time, or spent too long at an interesting place (what IS too long - when it is intereting?). I just enjoy traveling so much. I enjoy the culture, the places but most of all the people I meet!
ReplyDeleteEven if it is on a blog - like "meeting" you and Walt!
Mary
: ^ )
DeleteSeems like you need to go back to all of those places to go inside! I assume that in the places with the staircase towers that you just want to verify that there are stairs, and not climb them!
ReplyDeleteI do. If my sister and cousin from N.C. were coming over as we had started planning for, I might have taken them down there. And if I thought there was a good view from the top of one of those towers, I might be tempted to climb the stairs... Hope you are well.
Delete