Walking in Sunshine

Pages from Jan's Travel Journal: Sunday, April 20 2014.

Craig and I awoke to a crystal clear morning and were soon ready to meet Desmond for breakfast. We picked up some assorted pastries at Au Petit Duc and carried them to Place D'Arc, where we found a table outside at a cafe. Craig seemed more alert and refreshed than he should have been, considering his long travel day on Friday/Saturday, and the 7-hour time difference. He was very happy to be on vacation at last, enjoying his first French pastries in nearly a year.

A lovely view at breakfast.

Place D'arc, Orléans, France.

On the right? The best lemon tart ever!

After our leisurely breakfast, we strolled over to the 15th century Renaissance Hôtel Groslot to show Craig the beautiful gardens there and to tour the inside of the building. As we approached, we noticed a wedding party in the courtyard, with a photographer busily setting up shots of the happy couple. We didn't want to interrupt, so we went around to the side of the building and entered the gardens. It was lovely to stroll through again and admire the gorgeous flowers in bloom. Craig was impressed with the gigantic old ginkgo tree which spread leafy branches over much of the garden. Once inside, we wandered around in awe, gazing at the tapestries and lovely antiques which adorn the rooms. Desmond narrated our tour with information he had gleaned from previous visits.

A view of the Hôtel Groslot from the garden.

Check out those chair legs!

Interior of Hôtel Groslot, Orléans, France.

Leaving the Hôtel Groslot, we angled over toward the Cathédrale Sainte-Croix. On such a beautiful, sunny day, the facade was practically glowing. On the inside, the cathedral was decked out in banners and coats-of-arms in honor of the upcoming Fêtes de Jeanne d'Arc. Though we had visited before, it's always worth a return. We were treated to a new sight - the wooden model of the cathedral as it was presented to the king before construction began in the late 13th century. 

Here is the wooden model of the cathedral.

A side view of the Cathédrale Sainte-Croix de Orléans.

For lunch, we visited a little kebab restaurant called "Real Food". We found a small table outside where we enjoyed our meal. The sandwiches were especially good because instead of using the traditional pita to hold the roasted meat, it was served in a hot, fluffy cheese nan.  

The rest of the afternoon was spent in doing laundry, shopping, and preparing for the evening meal. Des was planning "pizzaclettes" for us, which was a creation of his in which homemade pizza dough is topped with cheese and meat and then cooked in the raclettes oven. Fanny and her daughter, Jade, were coming to dinner and we were looking forward to seeing them again. The meal was wonderful and unique. Des made the best pizza dough ever!