a very French garden - les jardins agapanthe

Here is a wonderful address to bookmark for the next time you are in Normandy.  A garden that is definitely worth the detour.  Les jardins Agapanthe, home and showroom to a very talented landscape designer, Alexandre Thomas;   a garden to drool over from April to October.

One of the houses in the garden ... love those oeil de boeuf windows on the roof ...

box bushes and vintage garden furniture are to be found at every turn...

 I asked Alexandre about his use of coarse sand all through the garden.  Visually it is very calming and peaceful, but I wondered how it interfered with any planting.

Turns out his soil is quite heavy so he simply plants where he needs to, then recovers the ground with the sand to make it look tidy, and to stop his visitors having muddy feet!

 all the right accessories :) ...........

and if you go in the spring or summer, you get to see many other flowers that I didn't see out this time, including of course the wonderful Agapanthus, that give the garden its name.

and finally if you want to know more, and can't get to visit straight away, you'll love this book, published recently and packed full of wonderful pictures.

the quiet before the storm

We are in-between cottage guests for a couple of days, and  yesterday morning I slowed down a bit and came across these bluebells in a wood!  It is good sometimes to enjoy a quiet time before the storm  :)

This weekend will be one of the busiest on the fair calendar, and the guests who should have come have had to postpone to July!  So I shall be tearing around Normandy alone picking up goodies as I go!

  A carpet of bluebells in a wood works for me, every bit as well as a field of lavender.  A sight I remember from my childhood; I just love the luxuriant colour, a real carpet of flowers, hope you enjoy them too.

PS.  I have just realised that this is the 800th post I have published on this little blog - 

whoever would have thought I had so much to say!!   Bonne journée mes amis.

french brocante tours

Wandering away from the holiday season for a while and thinking aloud about a project I have for next summer.  I'd love to have some input please.  

I'm thinking of offering brocante tours here in Spring and Summer 2011.  Along the lines of long weekends including brocantes, good food and wine, private château and garden visits, country walks, possibly a trip to Giverny.  Never straying further than an hour away from our valley.  Accommodation either in our cottage or in nearby  B&B's in friends' châteaux or country homes.

Of course there are companies out there offering this sort of thing already.  Mine would be low key, small groups, never more than I can drive around in a large car.  Personalised and pampered.

I know I can always count on you for an honest opinion and loads of good ideas, so tell me, what do you think I should be offering?

Thank you so much for your help.

Le Clos de Mondetour

Here's a wonderful place to stay, just two minutes from our house.  Le Clos de Mondetour belongs to our friends Aude and Gregoire Jeanson.  Aude and I ride together, our girls are friends and our boys play rugby on the same team, so the route between our front doors is well trod!

Although they have lived in the property for longer, it wasn't until five years ago that they started renovating the main part of the building, and by the same occasion created their guest rooms.

The house was originally built in the 16th century, and over the centuries it has evolved.   When taxes were raised on windows, all the large windows  were even bricked up.   At the beginning of the 20th century it became a farm and stayed that way until Aude and Gregoire arrived.

Aude has a great sense of colour, and that combined with the antique pieces of furniture that have come from her family, and the many bits and pieces she finds in brocantes and local auction rooms, she has created a comfortable and elegant interior.

Her guests enjoy a breakfast and sitting room, with doors leading onto the garden.  On the first floor there are two ensuite bedrooms,   I can never decide which I prefer;  this is the red room with the toile de jouy on one wall.  The large windows make the room bright.  I love the way Aude has picked out the red of the toile de Jouy in the antique floor rug, and books.

The view from the side window is totally peaceful,  you're likely to see horses, either Aude's or  those of her neighbours.

Across the landing is the green room, one wall covered in a beautiful green chinoiserie paper, and such pretty light coming in through the bathroom window.

I love the bed heads, the antique bed linen, and most of all , I love the interior shutters.

Now, here's a little bonus that you only get to see because it's me taking you here.  I've been given permission to show you some of their family rooms too!  Their huge living room, with more curtain length than I've ever had to hang!

and a very happy, colourful kitchen, which leads onto the family dining room on one side and the guest breakfast room on the other.

So don't ever say that you have no good reason to visit Normandy.  Don't forget, Le Clos de Mondetour is only 20 minutes drive from Giverny, and just an hour from Paris or from Deauville.  Even better, both Aude and Gregoire speak excellent English,.  Like Mary Poppins it's  "practically perfect in every way!"


PS  I seems that there are problems in  leaving comments here today, I'm so sorry, I don't know what this is about.  If you would like to comment but can't manage please send me a mail and I'll post your comment later.  Thank you.

staying in our valley - chez Marianne

 

 

As I try to encourage you to come visit, today I'm not showing you a grand château but a charming property, les Buissonnets, just along the valley from us.

 

Marianne is Swedish  but settled in France a long time ago.  Around her home in the valley she has created a beautiful property with guest rooms, lakes, horses and the space to hold wonderful weddings.

Isn't it funny how, no matter how long you live some where, your original nationality will always be there, discreetly in your roots and inner self.  So it is with Marianne.  Despite her long love of France and the many years she has lived here there is still a distinctly Scandinavian touch to her way of putting things together.

Around her property there are several little houses, each beautifully decorated, providing sweet little homes away from home.

 

 

 

The grounds are beautifully looked after, roses, cherry and apple trees and of course the lakes.  And you know how much I love a lake!

 

When Marianne's guests want a quiet day they can take a book and a blanket and find a quiet spot on the property beside a lake or the river.  Heaven.

Voila!  Another little gem in this valley, another example of why it's a good idea when travelling to see as much of the real France as possible.