This starts our Mouton photos. The sign at the entrance to Mouton
This is Mont Saint Michel on the coast of Normandy, which we attempted to visit on the way from Paris to Mouton. OK, so it wasn't really on the way, but we hoped to make a quick visit. We couldn't get near the place for people, so we cut our losses and headed for Mouton.
The sign on our temporary home
Front of house, showing front door
The only entrance to the house, into the kitchen
The entrance to the barn, opposite the front door
Kitchen bench etc of house
N'other view of kitchen. No, I don't have a kitchen fetish. Well............................
N'other part of kitchen
M at work on dinner in aforementioned kitchen
Stairs leading out of kitchen. OK, well maybe a little, tiny fetish.................
Bed (top of stairs).
Other bed in other bedroom. No I definately do not have a bedroom fetish.
A little road where we went for a walk. The countryside is just beautiful and it is especially enjoyable to see different vegetation and topography to Oz.
Looking back t'other way.
Behind (or is it in front.....whatever) the village is this lovely little stream. This was taken at what was the village washing spot (I think they washed clothes, not bodies, here).
In the other direction (upstream) the water comes out from under a house. It may have been a mill or something water driven, otherwise, why would the stream run through there?
Closer view of water emanating from under house. You wouldn't want to try this in Brisbane. No houses were harmed in the taking of this photo.
Same view, different camera setting.
Da Choich (the Church) at Mouton. We visited, but as we got close, this little old lady scuttled (yes scuttled, it's my story) out of the house opposite and locked the church. Not having any of those blasphemous Ozzies in that church, nosiree!
We went on a day trip to the Il De Re, a little island off the coast of France, accessible by a bridge. No ordinary bridge this. No, this one costs you 16.5 Euros (about $30AUD)! They really see you coming with the tolls over here. Travelling from Paris to here, we effectively equalled our fuel cost in tolls! It makes for expensive motoring, but everybody drives - like a bat out of hell - everywhere. Except on the Il De Re, where half the population of France, men, women , kids and bald-headed babies ride BIKES! ALL OVER THE ROAD! I didn't hit anybody - I think. Oh, the subject of this photo is a lighthouse out in the Bay of Biscay (just for Deb).
A part of the beach on the island, looking towards a major industrial and port complex on the mainland.
A lighthouse in the Bay of Biscay (for Deb).
Closer view of the lighthouse. The passing ship is heading northwest, towards the Atlantic.
Another lighthouse around the headland. There is a small beach here, but it was fairly cool (not frosty like Melbourne) and people were packing it in. They probably got on their bikes........................
M doing her homework at the lunch table, her hat firmly on. The wind was pretty fierce - enough to blow a red dog off a chain.
M's Paris hat. It beats wearing a San Francisco hat in France, doesn't it?
A little local church on the island
A village square in front of the church. I tried to get it without the bikes. Fat chance!
M and I at that Mouton sign again. We will be leaving Mouton tomorrow for Mougins (pronounced moo-je, sort of). We will be sorry to go.
The bridge over the Le Son-Sonnette, just down the road from the house, over the little stream that runs through Mouton.
The stream from the bridge
Monet, eat your heart out! A lilly pond on the little stream near the bridge.
The signs at the intersection over the bridge. Aunac is a very attractive town, with all services and mod-cons.
Sign post to Mouton near the bridge.
The stream from the road bridge.
This is a little laneway leading to the back of the church, just three doors down from the house.
Coming up to the back of the church. We tried this way to see if we could beat the little old lady who locked it on us a previous time.
Eureka! We made it inside! This is the inside of the little church at Mouton. It is Byzantine in design, with very thick walls and a heavy dome, but interesting, neverthless.
M checking out the church. The flowers in the church are magnificent. The largest dahlias I have ever seen, and my Mum used to grow beauties.
The outside (street) wall of the church. Mass is only seldomly celebrated here. Not too many attendees, or celebrants, I suspect.
This is a 'new' house at Mouton, right on the corner in the middle of the village. It looks like it has been under construction for a few years at least. Note the clearance from the wall to the roadway. Real mirror-scraping stuff around here.
The rather imposing gates which lead to the property of our back-door neighbour at the house. This is a large property with a very nice house.
On the opposite side of the road from the 'new' house is the sign to the Mouton pottery, run by Joe and Sarah. They are the 'caretakers' who look after the keys and stuff. This is also the road to Mansle (pronounced marn).
A back view of the 'new' house. Note the hand pump sticking out of the weeds near the back window. It must have a well! The interior is nowhere near finished.
This place, opposite the pottery, has a "A Vendre" (For Sale) sign on it. Any takers? Check out the place next door. A "renovators dream" as the realos call it. I call it a wreck.
The 'main street' of Mouton, outside the church.
That stream again, near the washing place. Better shot, I think.
There's the water of the stream coming out from under the house. More daylight, better shot, I think.
This is the 'washing machine' at the washing spot. Stream water flows through it. Maybe the 'washers' used the curved rock faces to wash the clothes, I don't know. Anybody shed some light on what goes on here?
Another view of the 'washing machine'.
This is the outlet from the 'washing machine' to the stream.
A modern footbridge over the stream further downstream and what looks like the remains of an earlier structure. How earlier? Archeology is not my strong suit, but posibly 17th century.
M taking in the view fro the bridge.
View downstream from the footbridge
View upstream from the footbridge.
A little stream flowing into the main one. The confluence of two mighty streams......................
Nice stream view. Kylie will probably correct my framing and composition, but I've got an Aldi camera, so that's it.
Looking upstream from the confluence.
Another junction of the streams.
This is typical of the farmscapes in the area. A lot of barley or oats (can't tell if they are harvested) and sunflowers are farmed in the district.
The track from the stream leading back to the main road near the main bridge.
This is how we picked up the keys to the Mouton house - in a childs shoe! Novel!
Keys in front door shutter, Check out the length of chain.
Keys and chain on a table.
Door shutters closed for the last time.
Little garden at the front door.
More of the garden.
M took this photo of the shed door.
This will end our Mouton photos, so you know where the next series starts. This is what you see when you leave Mouton, which we will regretfully do on Saturday.
