Loire Valley, Castle Valley

We all slept in until 9am the day after Hell Day for the Bag Family.  But I woke with a start:  “Shit!  It’s Bastille Day!”  Bastille Day is similar to July 4^th in the USA.  Whereas at home stores are still open - this is France!  They close for two hours every day just for lunch.  I felt panicked.  Were we going to be able to get groceries?  Do laundry?  We NEEDED to do laundry.  The girls and I had no clean underwear and  only a few clean clothes.  (Peter somehow always has less clothes and less laundry.   MEN!) 

So as my PJ clad family was settling into the couch rubbing their eyes and drinking milk and coffee,  I jumped in the car.  And yes, I was commando (too much information?).  I saw a Intermarche (chain grocery store in France) when we drove in last night.  I brought the GPS, but decided to wing it.  We were in a small town surely I could find it…. Please, please, please be open…. Yessssssss it was OPEN! 

So began my first lovely morning in the Loire Valley.  I was able to slowly browse the isles without kids yanking at my pants and desperately asking me for chocolate (Sophia), gum (Madelyn) and toys (duh, both).  Next I drove into the village center and headed to the TI (tourist information office).  All… by… myself!    I figured out our castle viewin’ and wine tastin’ game plan.  The Loire Valley has everything: Wine for mama and real princess castles for the girls.  We have been calling it Castle Valley rather than the Loire Valley.  For Peter…. Hmmm… its farmland ie no rocks for climbing.  Well, maybe it doesn’t have everything…

Our first?  Châteaud’ Ussé is supposedly the true home of the Sleeping Beauty story, as well as, inspiration for Walt Disney’s castles.  We figured that was a good bet and the girls were officially awed.  Madelyn took a ton of pictures.  We were able to see most of the castle, including the attic (Peter and I thought this was uber cool – bunch of old stuff gathering dust in an ancient castle), the church, cellars and the stables.  The Château had a good collection of different types of horse drawn carriages with descriptions of what situations they would be used. 

Ummm... Madelyn?  Big, old, amazing, real castle behind ya... 

but Mommy these pebbles are sooooo neat!

Our second day was spent at a castle catering to kids, Château et Jardins du Rivau (http://www.loire-castle-rivau.com/).  We did not hear one complaint from MJ and Phia all day except having troubling seeing during the jousting competition.  We first toured the castle, then we had lunch in front of the castle, then we watched the horse/knight/jousting show and finally walked around the grounds.  This Château had people walking around in medieval costumes and entertaining the children (well, and us too): sword fights, juggling, etc.  They also had a chance to explore and try out medieval competitions like sword fighting, archery and jousting.   

lunch next to the castle

lunch time entertainment

live jousting competition

the castle grounds were filled with artwork; very cool

Phia practicing her skills at sword fighting

trying out a cross bow (yes, yes, it has a soft end)

on the playground

After dinner in our tiny apartment we headed to the pool.  A brother and sister played tag with Madelyn in the pool while Peter acted as interpreter.  Julian and Monique didn’t speak any English and MJ didn’t speak any French but kids have an international language called play.

Our days in France have been very slow and unrushed.  I just love it.  At home as soon as my legs swing out of the bed and hit the floor I am running to accomplish everything in our over scheduled lives.  Here we have no timeline or deadlines. 

We have been waking up late around 8:30am or 9am.  First item on the agenda, after a cup of cappuccino in our apartment, is  a run to the boulangerie for bread and croissants.  We finally get ourselves brushed, washed, shoes on, organized and in the car by 11am.  We sit down for a lunch out around 1pm and are done around 2:30pm.  Then we continue our activity until about 6:00pm.  We head back to the apartment to make dinner for ourselves and swimming pool time.  Bed time has usually been no earlier than 11:00pm for all of us.  Refreshingly different than at home, but Peter and I still have these nagging thoughts… “they should be in bed now!”  And then  “oh ya, we have no schedule to keep… ”  Is it really kids that need the routine or the parents?

We are all starting to feel sad about heading back home.  None of us want to leave.  I am looking forward to being in my home again, but I am not looking forward to the commitments and requirements.

~Lisa

July 16