Les jardins de Marqueyssac

 

These are the most beautiful and most visited suspended gardens in the Périgord area!  

While the property has been owned by the same family since 1692, the gardens are only since the 19th century.  Based on the Le Nôtre school of thought, they were modified and embellished by Julien de Cerval.  Influenced by Italian designs, De Cerval planted thousand of boxwood trees, mixing design to reflect the beauty of the countryside and the hills around the property.

The surrounding views

The gardens

All 150,000 boxwood shrubs are pruned by hand twice a year at the end of spring and at the end of fall.

While the boxwoods are quite beautiful and intriguing, the gardens hold many other hidden treasures:

The arched walkway:

The waterfalls

The peacocks who were born in the park and roam freely

And last but not least the mansion 

La roque- gageac

La Roque-Gageac is a gorgeous small village clinging on to the cliffs overlooking the Dordogne river. 

Impregnable, this is the only village that was not captured during the Hundred Years' War.

The Dordogne river has always played an important part in the village's life, both for commercial fishing, and for handling the gabarres (the river's traditional flat-bottomed boats, carrying cargoes downstream.

Nestling between the cliff and the river, it enjoys a genuine micro-climate which has permitted the planting of exotic gardens of Palm and banana trees, giant bamboos, bougainvillea.

The village's narrow streets wind their way between fine old houses, the 12th century church and overlooking the Dordogne river.

Why La Dordogne?

The Dordogne is one of the most beautiful and diverse departments in France.  The area is quite large, perhaps two hours drive from north to south and a similar distance east to west.

PERIGORD NOIR - THE SOUTH-EAST In Perigord Noir, there are many of the most famous castles, towns and villages of the Dordogne region, many in spectacular locations, and with fascinating histories to tell.

PERIGORD PURPLE - THE SOUTH-WEST well known for medieval towns such as Bergerac, on the Dordogne river and with a lovely historic centre, this is a region to discover bastide towns (medieval new towns founded in the 12th-13th centuries). The countryside north of Bergerac is generally forested hills, while to the south one is more likely to see fields of sunflowers and extensive vineyards.

PERIGORD VERT AND PERIGORD BLANC - THE NORTHERN DORDOGNE. Less visited than the southern Dordogne, the north also has its share of market towns and castles, beautiful scenery and picturesque villages, including Perigueux, 'capital' of the Dordogne.

My visits and research are focused mainly on the area of the périgord noir.

Méli mélo about French schools

It was nice to see that younger school children still use cartables!  These are the cute briefcases used by younger French students as backpacks!

Beautiful façade of a collège (nope it is not the same as in English!  A collège is a middle school in the French system)

Note the three words engraved under the  three windows of the second floor:  liberté, égalité, fraternité

Translated, this sign says: "in the memory of the students of this high school, deported from 1942 to 1944 because they were Jews, innocent victims of the nazi barbarism.  With the aid of the government of Vichy, they were exterminated in the death camps.  More than 120 of these children lived in the 14th arrondissement (that neighborhood).     We should never forget them!

Musée Rodin

When in Paris, Musée Rodin is well worth a trip!  Especially the gardens!   It only costs 2€ per adult and 1€ per student.  The gardens are exquisite, charming with beautifully trimmed trees and gorgeous rose bushes of all colors.  But of course the attractions are Rodin's sculptures.

Auguste Rodin of course is the French Romantic sculptor from the late 1800 and early 1900.  However, what was amazing to me today besides his amazing talent bien sûr, is his incredible sense of business.  In 1900, Rodin erected his own pavilion in the place de l'Alma to coincide with the Paris World exhibit.  He filled it with 150 of his own sculptures thus bringing in several private commissions and bigger success!

Why gargoiles?

Notre-Dame’s gargoyles are very famous! I’m sure you’ve heard of them before. But do you know what they’re used for? They were built into the ends of the gutters to drain rainwater off the roof; since the gargoyles extend far off the side of the roof, the litres of rainwater from storms fall far from the walls to prevent damage. The chimeras are used as simple decorations. Most of them are on the façade, seated on a gallery, watching the people below and scanning all of Paris. The sculptors really used their imagination on these statues. They are animal and human figures, half-man and half-beast, grotesque, horrific, fantastic creatures with eagles’ beaks and wings, lions’ talons, serpents’ tails… Although some of them may be frightening, they remind us that all creatures are the work of God, so they deserve His love and salvation.

TF1 news report on the village of Domme (in French)

http://www.wat.tv/video/villages-perigord-domme-5-6tbsz_2eyxv_.html