West of the Town

Saturday 27 October 2012

St Genevieve

This morning we walked up a track to find the St Genevieve chapel. It was not a planned thing, but we saw a sign to it and decided to follow the trail. It was steep and a little muddy, but it came out suddenly onto the top of the hills with splendid views.
St Genevieve must have been a little lonely - this is quite an isolated spot. There is a small building, far more than we were expecting, and a signpost indicating a pilgrim walker's route.
St Genevieve's chapel (right)

One of the panoramic views, which I take in sequence with my phone, had June just in the last shot. I warned her it was coming so that she could avoid getting in the view, but she walked in front of me. Her head in the left of the picture, very windswept because it was a very windy day, has greatly improved the picture.
Vines in the distance, and very little else (apart from a windswept June)

As usual, click on a photo for a better image.
The other side of St Genevieve's chapel, left, with the town of Couvrot at the end of the road.
We walked back down the way we came, in the nearby village it was a lot warmer.

Later in the day, June found herself at Blacy, and from the hilltop she could see familiar landmarks (radio mast and chimney not in view). Although on the other side of Vitry le François, she found she was at the other end of the pilgrim path, just 4km from this spot we visited in the morning.


Friday 26 October 2012

Trouble a' t'Usine

The car industry in France is not selling enough cars - not surprising really with the economic situation. France has several ways to combat these situations, including 'partial unemployment' and everyone going on holiday.
Where I am working, there is also a more drastic solution and people are being laid off. Details are sill under negotiation as far as I know (I am not very involved, being a temporary employee anyway) and there are lots of ad hoc meetings taking place. Often at the works gate as in this photo. I have no idea what they do there, perhaps there is a spokesman with information or perhaps not. I had to drive through this crowd to go to work (after lunch) and they parted to let me through. All very polite and civilised, if a little chilly at the moment.
Going though a time when there are people being laid off is never easy. It appears to be handled a little differently to the times I have known when this happened in England. It is my hope that there will be people who retire, who get work elsewhere, and as few in a bad situation as possible. The French are very pragmatic and sensible so I have hopes that they will be successful, at least as much as possible, in this case.

Monday 22 October 2012

The King at Ponthion

Let's go for a walk somewhere different.
12c church porch
The Champagne fields are nearby, and Vitry en Perthois is as close as any. But in the event we drove on to Changy, and then right towards Outrepont and then right to follow the sign that boasted a 12 century church.
The church was closed, but clearly very old and it had a lovely porch. We must return when it is open, Sundays 2 to 6 pm.
In the road in front of the church was a notice. It told you how old everything was, about the battle there, and about the village palace. That this village; in which the nursery school and the Marie are combined, and which is hard to find on a map even when you know it's there; that this village should boast a palace was intriguing. We set off on foot to find it.
The palace was somewhere in here
And find it we did. It's a green field (a wheat field when this map was photographed) and so I forgot to take a photo for the blog. But we were sure it was the correct site, there is a notice telling you all about it (about 12 words explaining it dates from about 725 and once housed the future Charlemagne).
Very interesting. Quite a big field too.
We wandered back to the car and the bats flew over our heads to tell us the sun had already gone down. On the way back there was a noticeable church lit up on a hill. It proved to be in Changy but when we turned down the church road we found everything fenced off. 'Graveyard works' was the excuse. There was nowhere to park and little sign of an entrance. Clearly this is a local church that people walk to. Home for supper then.

Sunday 21 October 2012

A Walk to Couvrot

Google Route
Today we went a little further out of town along the canal. I had checked that the route turns up at a small village, and so it did, just a few houses by the lock gate. The canal turned slowly left ahead and it was a lovely day so we carried on.
This time we arrived at a larger town and walked over the road bridge to see the name. Couvrot. A place we have been to many times in the car but never suspected we would walk there.
A check of the map on our return showed at was a 4km distance. We had taken far longer than the 48 minutes suggested, but then we stopped and enjoyed the views, strolled and took our time.
On the way back a boat emerged from the lock. We had had a hint of this event as we were walking out since the lock keeper had set off in his van along the tow-road. The 2 locks are 'manned' but there is only 1 'man'. As we returned the water by the lock was turbulent, unusual today since it was otherwise mirror-like. So we surmised the lock was in use. Sure enough, as we approached, a boat emerged, the "Follow Me", and duly chugged off in the direction of th Couvrot lock.
Glassy quality water,
as good as a summer's day
The 'Follow Me'
 
Canal toward Couvrot

Saturday 20 October 2012

Chaumont

Where shall we go this weekend? Well June remembered that Chaumont was on the way home from Mulhouse and that the roads were pretty on the way. She proposed to go in that direction and enjoy the views.
In the end, we did not find the views that we wanted to stop in and ended up in Chaumont itself.
Chaumont is quite a large town, with an old historic part that we inevitably ended up in. But not before we entered the town under the viaduct.
Le Viaduc -
For scale, there are people about mid picture
[Le viaduc] is 600m long with 50 arches of 52m. It is one of the most remarkable works of 'art' from the mid 19th century in Europe, perhaps the world.
Conceived by architect Emile Decomble, it was built to permit the train to get access to the high part of the town. The construction was completed in record time: 15 months to build 60,000 cu-m od maconary thanks to 2500 workers and 300 horses working night and day.
The works became an economic engine for the main centre. Partially destroyed on the 31st August 1944, it was soon rebuilt to reestablish the railway.
Majestic and imposing, it has become an emblematic figure for the town and has featured in many films.


Please
As you can see in the picture, it is possible to walk along the 1st level. Since we had stopped at the picnic spot from where this picture was taken, we also walked along. Until that is that June got a fit of vertigo about mid way and we returned with her clutching my arm!
So we ate and carried on into town, looking for the old quarter. It was relatively easy to find, despite the town being a higgledy piggledy mess of winding streets. I don't think we ever saw a straight street, all curved and often serpentined. The result of building on a hill perhaps.
Inside the church named 'Jean Baptiste'
We spotted the "John the Baptist" church. It was described on the outside as 'gothic', and as we opened the door to go in we were greeted with an extremely chill draft that set the tone for the inside perfectly. It was dark and gloomy. There were images of Christ's baptism, and several as this picture, of John's disembodied head. We left quite quickly for the much more pleasant warmth of the outside world. "Could you ever see people worshipping joyfully in there?" June asked. It took more faith than I have to say "Yes".
But the town has many pleasant features. Typical of the place are these turrets on the faces of many houses. Most are round, but some are square, and all house the staircase to the upper floors. Then there are the colourful windows and coal cellars along the winding streets. Photos below and in the photo album page.
Turret and start of staircase. For scale, the doors are small.

A particularly good example of house and turret.
Jesuit Chapel - click for picture view
And then these was the Jesuit Chapel, now part of the college and sporting an art exhibition, but light and joyful and beautifully decorated as you can see. We spent a little time in here looking at the pictures (photographs) to the sound of Pink Floyd playing 'Dark Side of the Moon'.
Woodland facilities.
Was there a downside? Well in this town it advertised 'public toilets'. Despite the smell outside we decided to try them out, but only one problem, they needed a 10 cent piece to operate and we did not have one. Saved from what may have been inside, we were still in need and recalled a facility on the way home. Here it is.
You have a choice here. The cubicle or the woods. June chose the woods! which says it all.

Friday 19 October 2012

Vitry la Ville

When you have been indoors most of the week, come Friday it is good to go out, even if it is just 20 minutes out of town. Just for somewhere to go, we visited Vitry la Ville. Some friends live there and so we thought we would see where it was.
We knew it was a village. What we did not expect was a château.
 
Château by the lake.
There was water all round the building and a small lake to the right. We started to walk round but the path came to an end allowing this photo but no further progress.
Whilst it is a nice photo, it would have been better if the marquee was not going up at the time.
The other side of this view is a church and graveyard, but more interestingly a family crypt for the local nobility. And it was open. From the commemorative plaques (all the same style despite spanning 2 centuries) it was clear that château life was hard as many died young. There were just 3 who lived to over 70.
Château front (the moat is straight, the panorama effect has curved it)
Gate protection
Since there is a moat all round, the front has a simple (modern) bridge and (ancient) gate.  The sides of the gate had complex spiky protection, the pieces numbered and bolted in place.
We took the opportunity to wander over the grounds and the churchyard before driving off down the tree lined drive. I had not come down this drive which passes through large (open) gates near the road, preferring instead the alternative side  entrance. However it was much more fun to go out that way, even if it was a little narrow.
I must find out what event is going to be put on in the marquee. It could just be the opportunity for a very pleasant evening out.
The tree lined drive
Without the marquee - how did I do that?




Thursday 18 October 2012

Walking in Vitry

This is the other part of the canal. And as we approached we noticed the yellow light flashing on the lock in the distance. Since the water was still pouring over the top of the gates, there was still a full lock. It gave us time to reach the bridge next to it as the gates closed at the other end.
Lock, bridge, and June
Just as we arrived the water stopped flowing over the top of the nearside gates. We watched as the water emptied and the boat was driven out of the lower water. Then as the lock closed and refilled. Although it appeared to be quick to us, if you have to negotiate lots of them I suspect you take a different view.
Francis was passing. Its 3 days to the sea in that direction, he said, pointing to where the boat had come from. I have no better information than that at this moment, and he offered no proof.

Saturday 13 October 2012

Walking out of Vitry

There are places we have not been. Through the tower block housing estate is one of them.  So we passed that way on Saturday. It was surprising. A little run down, but also open and not unpleasant. There were some local shops too, including a newsagent, a florist, and of course a baker.
And there was a very nice park to one side.
The park had play areas for children and lots of paved walks through the gardens. But we were first attracted by the high bank that ran along the left side. It looked like a canal, but from memory it was in the wrong place.
The canal is nearby, but this one appeared to head for the centre of town. We climbed the small bank and took a look. There was the canal. And just as it headed for the town it then stopped.
Indeed as we walked along, it became clear that this was just a large 'canal like' holding place for water. Connected to the canal proper by a pipe, there was also a block to stop any boats from using it. In the small inlet that it created before the navigation block, there were some fishermen.
We crossed to the other bank that allowed us to continue along the canal towpath. The canal turned right at this point so we had never seen beyond this point before. It was an easy walk to the lock gates. Just before the lock is a bridge over the river below.
The canal (right) over the river (left). [click image to see in viewer]
You can just see June ahead near the lock entrance.
The canal drops after this to the level of the river but does not join it. Instead it sweeps left then right on its way to Paris. We could have reached the next bend but the rain started just slightly and we took warning. Still, here is the view as far as we got.
Canal view round the first corner. [click image to see in viewer]
Whoever owns the house has a lovely quiet setting. There is much more of this house than is shown in this picture. Far left you can see the old walls of whatever it was that was once there. The canal passes these and swings right again.
But we turned back, passing through the park and the stream that is created from a bleed off the canal waters. We arrived chez nous just in time to avoid the heavier rain that started up.
I think we will be back.
Walking route - red trace.
You can see the 'dead end canal' next to 'Bas Village'.


Tuesday 2 October 2012

UNESCO Champagne

Picture of wrapper
As with my baker; I say 'yes' to the candidacy to UNESCO
 of the Champagne Houses, caves, and countryside.
I picked up a baguette today and it came in a packet advertising the Champagne area. See photo.

It appears that this area is wanting the fields, the Maisons Champagne, and their caves to be certified as unique.

Which they are: but only because here in France there are strict laws about where the grapes can be grown and still be called Champagne. You can make a champagne-like drink elsewhere, but you cant call it by the name. Perhaps it is just as good, perhaps not. Certainly some of the local products have done much to improve my opinion of 'real' Champagne.

But is it 'world heritage'?
Time will tell!

Terry