#2 on the list of fairytale castles... Ussè
This was the one that inspired Sleeping Beauty.
After an hour on 'D-roads', winding through quaint French villages, we arrived at Ussè. The parking lot was small, few cars were in it. We entered through a cottage - a rose covered cottage with geraniums in the window boxes.
Before us; turrets, 3 stories of majestic château, pointy roofs and all. I did feel like is stepped back in time...to a medieval fairytale, complete with old witch, Prince Charming, spells, romance and destiny.
Following the spiral staircase up the turret, we found small rooms, secret passages and views to take your breath away. This castle was different though. Each room was a painstaking recreation of a moment in time. The witch casting a spell, princess pricking her finger on a spindle and falling into a 100 year sleep, Prince Charming braving 100 year old morning breath to kiss her awake!
Then there was the attic in all its dusty, cobwebby glory. Chests overflowing with rolled documents, furniture, mirrors and clothes. The Disney movie theme song to Sleeping Beauty played in a loop and I found myself with the need to dance like I had a pretty gown on. Me... Princess Aurora!
We explored the gardens, stables, Chapel and caves. Inside the caves, traditionally a pave for wine making/fermenting/storing, there were more mannequins! This time though, it looked more like the 1980's had arrived and 3 of their finest were up to no good. Shenanigans involving drinking that wine, I think! Hahaha.
It was hard to leave this place, it's village and general area but we really wanted to be in Bayonne by tonight.
Ooh, don't forget lunch! We stopped in a random village and entered the local bar/cigarette shop. The menu was in French, which is difficult enough. On top of that it was written in European style cursive and the owners spoke not a word of English. Charades were not cutting it! Starving little foreigners that we were, we put a finger on the menu items and apparently ordered a couple of things.
Out came Marks cold salted fish with veggies, salad. Mine was more suspicious. There was meat for sure. It was mostly cooked and luke warm - shiny and fatty with arteries or something, through out. Was it chicken giblets??? If it wasn't, then it was poultry organs of another variety and honestly, it doesn't matter too much, the small differences, at some point.
I ate it. Partly to be polite, partly because it was that or nothing.
Something our host called Tiramisu was served next. It was not Tiramisu! The cream was that delicious heavy whipped sort - with creamy lumps. The lady fingers were missing and instead I found poached pears or similar and a chocolatey sprinkle on top. It was yummy but it was NOT Tiramisu.
We ended in Bayonne. The sun setting over the river as we ate pizza on the patio and washed it down with chocolate cake and wine.
Tomorrow I begin my solo Camino. Today my head and heart filled with an anxiety- excitement mix .
This was the one that inspired Sleeping Beauty.
After an hour on 'D-roads', winding through quaint French villages, we arrived at Ussè. The parking lot was small, few cars were in it. We entered through a cottage - a rose covered cottage with geraniums in the window boxes.
Before us; turrets, 3 stories of majestic château, pointy roofs and all. I did feel like is stepped back in time...to a medieval fairytale, complete with old witch, Prince Charming, spells, romance and destiny.
Following the spiral staircase up the turret, we found small rooms, secret passages and views to take your breath away. This castle was different though. Each room was a painstaking recreation of a moment in time. The witch casting a spell, princess pricking her finger on a spindle and falling into a 100 year sleep, Prince Charming braving 100 year old morning breath to kiss her awake!
Then there was the attic in all its dusty, cobwebby glory. Chests overflowing with rolled documents, furniture, mirrors and clothes. The Disney movie theme song to Sleeping Beauty played in a loop and I found myself with the need to dance like I had a pretty gown on. Me... Princess Aurora!
We explored the gardens, stables, Chapel and caves. Inside the caves, traditionally a pave for wine making/fermenting/storing, there were more mannequins! This time though, it looked more like the 1980's had arrived and 3 of their finest were up to no good. Shenanigans involving drinking that wine, I think! Hahaha.
It was hard to leave this place, it's village and general area but we really wanted to be in Bayonne by tonight.
Ooh, don't forget lunch! We stopped in a random village and entered the local bar/cigarette shop. The menu was in French, which is difficult enough. On top of that it was written in European style cursive and the owners spoke not a word of English. Charades were not cutting it! Starving little foreigners that we were, we put a finger on the menu items and apparently ordered a couple of things.
Out came Marks cold salted fish with veggies, salad. Mine was more suspicious. There was meat for sure. It was mostly cooked and luke warm - shiny and fatty with arteries or something, through out. Was it chicken giblets??? If it wasn't, then it was poultry organs of another variety and honestly, it doesn't matter too much, the small differences, at some point.
I ate it. Partly to be polite, partly because it was that or nothing.
Something our host called Tiramisu was served next. It was not Tiramisu! The cream was that delicious heavy whipped sort - with creamy lumps. The lady fingers were missing and instead I found poached pears or similar and a chocolatey sprinkle on top. It was yummy but it was NOT Tiramisu.
We ended in Bayonne. The sun setting over the river as we ate pizza on the patio and washed it down with chocolate cake and wine.
Tomorrow I begin my solo Camino. Today my head and heart filled with an anxiety- excitement mix .
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