Combleux along the Canal

Pages From Jan's Travel Journal: Friday, May 6 2022

After a simple breakfast of breads and spreads, Vincent picked us up for a little drive to the village of Combleux. It is a picturesque town situated on the Loire where he and Desmond had first met. The spring weather was absolutely perfect for a stroll along the Orleans canal. A large boat was anchored near an arched bridge. It had been lovingly restored and looked almost new. I believe it is used now as a bed and breakfast. 

Pretty houses were reflected in the calm water, as a heron hunted for lunch near the bank. Vincent had planned our own lunch at a charming brasserie, at which shaded tables overlooked the canal. However, they were open only for a private party, so we continued our walk. 

A peaceful scene along the canal

A home alongside the canal in Combleux

When we returned home, Desmond, Craig, and I lunched on leftovers and then began to pack for our next little adventure. Des had to leave for a few hours, to finalize the paperwork his new apartment. He was officially a homeowner! When he returned, we enjoyed a celebratory dinner of a baguette, pate, the fancy cheese from the medieval market, tomatoes, olives, pistachios, and champagne. We followed that with chocolate mousse and crème brûlée. Then it was an early bedtime for us because we would be leaving at 5:30 the next morning. 

A Medieval Festival

Pages From Jan's Travel Journal: Thursday, May 5 2022

Desmond had to work until 1:00 that day. Craig and I had a leisurely breakfast and then lazed around the house, but left around noon to meet our son at the Medieval market. We had missed the Joan of Arc festival and were looking forward to the market. Both Jeff and Arno had agreed to join us there.

 

The festival was held just next to the cathedral.

It was a brilliant spring day and as we approached the festival grounds there was excitement in the air. Banners and flags were fluttering in the breeze and we could hear the music of flutes and bagpipes. There were dozens of tents and booths set up within the walls of Campo Santo, next to the cathedral. Enticing aromas lured us to the area where the food booths were set up. We all chose grilled meat and vegetables, with cider or beer. The food was delicious! 

Very festive!

We enjoyed a delicious meal at the
Medieval festival in Orleans, France.

It was wonderful to see Jeff and Arno again and to catch up with them. After lunch, we all began visiting the booths. There were many different types of handmade wares for sale. Craig found a leather wallet and a belt which were crafted by a sweet couple who have been selling their leather goods for 20 years at that festival. We bought some artisanal cheese from the man who made it, some craft beer from another vendor, and shampoo bars from a booth selling lots of handmade products. Des purchased some mead, too. It was so much fun walking around and looking at all the items for sale. 

Desmond browses the wares at the festival.

There were also activities for the children. I loved watching the little ones excitedly racing around on stick horses, practicing their jousting. Toward evening, we began to head toward home. We stopped for coffee at a cafe along the way, sitting at the outside tables on Place d'Arc. Arno left for a few minutes, slipping into a music store. He returned carrying a beautiful little instrument that I think is called a finger harp. He strummed it a bit while we chatted over our coffee and enjoyed the lovely view on the square.

 

Place d'Arc in Orleans

                                      

We said farewell to Jeff and walked home through the ancient part of town, passing by the beautiful Hotel Groslot, which was decked out with flowers and flags in honor of the festivities. Stopping to say goodbye to Arno as he veered off toward his place, we then headed home.

 

                                             

That evening, we made a simple supper of bread and the fabulous artisanal cheese from the festival. We finished our meal with yummy strawberry shortcakes.

Good Food and Good Friends

 Pages From Jan's Travel Journal: May 4, 2022

We all slept late that morning and then had delicious apple turnovers with our coffee. A light rain was falling as we left for Fleury-les-Aubrais. Vincent picked us up at the station and drove us to his place. It was too wet to be outside in his beautiful garden, so we entertained ourselves inside. We had managed to coax Wailers out of hiding, but the beautiful cat was still quite wary of me and Craig. 

Vincent with his beautiful cat, Wailers.

Vincent had put together a delicious lunch of curry chicken which was served over couscous with golden raisins and chickpeas to sprinkle on top. There were some pan-fried sausages and a baguette as well. It was accompanied by a delightful red wine. After lunch, Desmond, Agathe, and Arthus brought out their instruments and played some music for us. Des played his viola with Agathe on her violin. They did a couple of duets which were very good. Arthus entertained us with his cornet. After that, we all played a long game of Mexican train. Around 4:00, Vincent served more gorgeous pastries which we all exclaimed over. They were almost too pretty to eat! 

What would you choose?

We returned home at 6:30. Desmond and Craig set up the patio table and chairs down in the courtyard where we welcomed Desmond’s old neighbor, Mathieu. We ordered burgers and fries from the Boucherie des Burgers around the corner. Since Covid, they offered only carry-out, but they were quite busy. It was a great meal and we enjoyed catching up with Mathieu.

Shopping and Stuff

Pages From Jan's Travel Journal:  May 3, 2022 

It was a beautiful morning, and we enjoyed a tasty breakfast of coffee, fresh raw milk, and bread still warm from the bakery, topped with cashew butter and jam or honey. And the morning would not be complete without cuddles from Azur.

Craig and Desmond set out for a long walk along the Loire. It was to be an eight mile jaunt, which would have been too much for me. After they left, I decided to go on my own little excursion. I took the tram to Place D’Arc where I did a little shopping. When my back began to hurt, I found a quiet table at Paul and ordered a café crème and a couple of mini beignets. I sent some messages to family back home before continuing  with my shopping.

I love these beautiful shopping carts.

I appreciated the convenience of the tram as it delivered me to Halles Châtelet, where I always enjoy a stroll through the many little food shops there. Colorful displays of macarons invite shoppers to choose their favorite flavors, or perhaps  discover a new taste sensation. I paused at the cheese shop, overwhelmed by the variety. Across the aisle, a produce stand offered fresh fruits and vegetables. Fresh pasta and bulk olive oil were available in the next aisle, and of course there was a wine shop, a butcher shop, a deli, and numerous other little stores. Across the wide hall are boutiques, gift shops, shoe stores, and much more.

I bought some linen napkins for Desmond as a little thank you gift. He always goes out of his way to insure that we have a wonderful vacation. I walked the rest of the way home, as it was just over the bridge. For dinner that evening, Des made a delicious zucchini-butter pasta topped with toasted pine nuts and sunflower seeds. Later, the three of us  went to meet up with Jeff for drinks. The bar was a popular place for billiards, and after a drink the guys all decided to play. I enjoyed watching while sipping on a refreshing Monaco. It was good to see Jeff again and we enjoyed hearing about his recent travels. He enjoys backpacking and has spent weeks at a time wandering all over France. When we left the bar, the evening was pleasantly cool and we thoroughly enjoyed the walk home.

Desmond and Craig enjoy a game of pool.

Kitchen Shopping

 Pages From Jan's Travel Journal: Monday, May 2 2022

Mmmm, fresh, warm bread for breakfast. With some Breton butter of Desmond's delicious jams and spreads, it was a great way to start the day. After breakfast, Des needed to run over to Vincent's place and pick up the flowers we had forgotten to bring home the night before. Craig and I loaded up all of our dirty clothes into a wheeled cart and headed to a nearby laundromat. We had a lovely view of the Loire from the front windows as we waited for our laundry. We had brought along our iPads and played a game of Scrabble. Before long, we were back home, putting our clean clothing away. 

A laundromat with a view

When Desmond returned, we headed out again to go to IKEA. After a long tram ride, we arrived and decided to have lunch there before looking around. It's hard to resist those Swedish meatballs! On Sunday, we had been to see the apartment that Des was in the process of purchasing, and were very impressed with it. We especially like the two balconies! Desmond had been planning his new kitchen, and we wandered through IKEA looking at cabinets and tile colors. I like the way the store is arranged, with little vignettes showing complete, well decorated rooms. It was fun to stroll through the "rooms" while Desmond took measurements and looked at samples. Before leaving, we picked up a package of their delicious chocolate dipped oatmeal cookies.

I love this table with the hearts!

That evening, Desmond had meditation group, so Craig and I relaxed and read our books. For dinner, we had an easy meal of a fresh baguette with two kinds of cheese, carrot sticks, pistachios, and the yummy cookies from IKEA. 

Craig cuddles with Azur

Gardens, Games, and Good Food

Pages From Jan's Travel Journal: May 1 2022 

We had a treat for breakfast that morning. Des made chocolate chip pancakes, which we slathered in Breton butter and drizzled with strawberry-maple syrup. Delicious! After breakfast we straightened the house while waiting for Vincent to pick us up. We were looking forward to returning to his home for a barbecue. The weather couldn’t have been more perfect and it was great to be in Vincent’s beautiful garden again. 

Such a pretty place to linger!

Desmond brought out the charcoal grill, and he took charge of cooking the Toulouse sausages and the chicken and veggie kebabs. The sizzling food smelled wonderful as the patio table was set with fresh baguettes and two lovely cheeses. One was a goat cheese that was beautifully wrapped in oak leaves, the other was a mild cow’s milk cheese. There was a tray of several different flavors of mustard for the sausages. I really liked the sesame seed mustard! Agathe had been busy in the kitchen, where she made some tasty cookies which we enjoyed for dessert with fresh coffee. It was a fun and delicious meal. 

Desmond and Craig at the grill

Vincent brought out his collection of heart-shaped stones, which I enjoyed sorting through. I love finding heart-shaped things and have my own small collection. Vincent presented us with some sprigs of lily of the valley. I love their sweet fragrance. May 1 is Fete du Muguet, or Labour Day, in France and giving these lovely flowers is a tradition dating from the 16th century. They are said to bring luck for the coming year. 

After a while, we all engaged in a fun game called Molkky. It was played with wooden pegs set up on the lawn. Using a throwing stick, we tried to knock down the numbered pegs. The score for each round was determined in a couple of different ways. We played in teams and it was a lively competition, with lots of laughter. That was such a fun and relaxing day.

Vincent sets up the Molkky pegs

A Picnic on the Loire

Pages from Jan's Travel Journal: Saturday, April 30 2022

Mmmmm, hazelnut pastries for breakfast! That was a delicious start to the day. A picnic on the Loire was planned, and we set about preparing food. Des made pasta salad, while I cut up carrots and red peppers into sticks for dipping into Desmond’s homemade hummus. We packed a fresh baguette and some jars of pate and terrine. 

It was a short stroll to the river and then a careful walk across an old stone spillway which led to an island in the middle of the river. There were lots of trees and bushes covering the sandy expanse. Stones and shells were scattered everywhere. The weather was perfect, with sunny skies and a gentle breeze. We placed our things beneath a tree and then saw Vincent and his children crossing the spillway to join us. Before long, Chris and his young son Robin showed up.

 

One of the lovely views on the Loire

Everyone had contributed food and drinks, which we placed onto a large blanket. In addition to what we had supplied, there were several kinds of chips, guacamole, sausages, cucumber spears, cherry tomatoes, cheese spread, sardines, wine, beer, mint lemonade, cola, and a large bottle of water flavored with fruit syrup. Vincent had brought a special surprise which he hid beneath a tree, saying it was for later. The leisurely picnic was very enjoyable, with the beautiful views and great company. 

Our Loire picnic feast

A peaceful view from our
 little island on the Loire

After lunch, most of the group played soccer or tossed a frisbee. I searched for shells and stones, and when I found a striped heart-shaped rock I tried to pick it up only to discover that it was just the tip of a much larger stone. I later found a few small heart-shaped stones which I collected as keepsakes. I walked with Agathe through some shallow water over to a tiny island. She found some vines hanging from one of the trees like a swing and we chatted while she swayed back and forth. Splashing our way back through the water, I stepped in some thick mud and would have lost my balance if it weren’t for Agathe's outstretched hand. 

Loire river stones

Several of us sat on the warm sand and watched Vincent, Robin, and Arthus play soccer for a while. When it was time for the surprise Vincent had brought, we all gathered around on the blanket. He placed a couple of pastry boxes in front of us and opened them, revealing the beautiful treats inside. Someone cut them into halves so that we could enjoy a pastry buffet. I wondered if French people take those delights for granted? They are always such artful surprises, as beautiful as they are tasty. 

How to choose?

Desmond and Vincent on the Loire

                                                 

Another lovely view

After that amazing dessert, we played, relaxed, or searched for some more pretty stones. Toward evening, everyone packed up their things and then walked carefully back over the spillway to return to their homes. We were tired after the festivities, but it had been an ideal day and after nibbling a few leftovers, we played a game and then went to bed early.