Chateau Vaux Le Vicomte

Having a quiet day today, had a wander down to the village centre for baguette for lunch. Wrapped in a small square of paper with diagonal corners twisted together to enclose the bread, still warm from the oven, and hence bendy. It changes shape as you walk home from the boulangerie. The ladies in that shop are lovely, really helpful and understanding of my limited vocabulary, but willing effort. Had a few not so pleasant retailers who are quite rude when you ask for things in stilted French. The first time I declared I was from Nouvelle Zealande proudly, but also as an excuse, the other times I've just thought, be as rude as you want, you unpleasant person, don't expect to get my custom again!! I would hate to think that anyone in New Zealand would be as rude to someone who didn't speak English, but I guess I'm being naive.
Anyway, I digress. It is market day in Milly today, they were just setting up when I was down there, but fresh cheese, fruit, flower stalls and a few others too, I didn't take my camera, but hopefully they will still be there a little later.  Soon we are heading out to the supermarket, now  some you would think "oh what a laborious chore", but not to me. I have been itching to venture into one since setting foot on French soil. I find they are a great introduction to a new place, prices, what people buy, different brands, pretty lay out... oh the joys are never ending. I've just been using the coccinelle (ladybird) which is the local little 4 square equivalent.

Yesterday was a big day. Well a quiet morning, Di was unwell and spent the day and evening in bed sleeping, with frequent toilet stops, but Hilary and I went out with Jackie, Josie and Elena to Chateau Vaux Le Vicomte which is about a half hour drive from here through the golden fields and many little villages.
The Chateau was built in the 17th Century when Louis the XIV was king. It was built by Nicholas Fouquet? who was the then Chancellor of the Exchequer. It was very grand in its day, and the 33 hectare gardens designed to match. Unfortunately for Nicholas it was too grand, and upset Louis who thought Nicholas was acting above his station and organised him to be tried for  treason. The courts found him not guilty but Louis was not satisfied and organised for him to be incarcerated anway. So he spent the next 15 years locked up, I suspect not in the same standard of prisons we have today judging by the displays in the basement of the Chateau.

The chateau as you approach from the roadside. Huge semi moat with very large black carp in residence.

Hilary in front of chateau

One of the many fountains

On top of the bell tower, camera facing gardens

Child's chair in front of the fire-place

The stairs up into the dome

Formal garden, photo taken from the bell dome.

Looking back towards the road from the dome

Entrance foyer

One of many ornate ceilings

The video of the "dance"

     The cook hard at work                                                    Another ceiling adornment

 We didn't really have enough time at the property, not that you could hope to see it all in one visit. We "did" the Chateau itself pretty extensively, Hilary listening avidly to all the audio-guide and having discussions with jackie who was also very attentive. I did the typical whirlwind, look at everything but not listen intently to all the chatter. We didn't really get to see the gardens, I had a few minutes wandering while the others had some lunch and fed the carp, but I didn't get more than 50  metres from the chateau. It is privately owned and definitely needs a bit of a freshen up. Ceilings are cracked and need a repaint (reminiscent of Christchurch actually) and the garden is in a state of re-build with the plan to try to make it more true to the original design. I'm not actually sure what else is there in the 80 acres,  I don't think flower gardens, though there is a plan to plant some near the buxus parterre I believe.
We had a quick look around the shop before leaving for home, I was shattered, I've had a few short nights sleep and I think it caught up with me. We stopped off at a friend of Jackie's for a chat and quick cup of tea. Karen is English, due to have her first baby in two weeks, and a week ago fell down stairs and broke her wrist, cracked a few ribs and got extensive bruising. She had surgery on her wrist (pins inserted) and is now in a fibre-glass cast and collar and cuff. She asked me all sorts of health advice, I was happy to give orthopaedic advice and pain relief but drew the line at Braxton Hicks vs labour contractions ... it's been a long time since I did obstetrics!!!!!! Karen's husband is the chief engineer with the Renault Formula 1 team, so consequently at this time of year spends a lot of time away from home, so she was pleased to have friendly advice given.

When we arrived home Di was still crook  in bed. We were going to go out to dinner at one of the local restaurants and though Di was feeling foul, she OK'd us to go while she supervised a sleeping Elena.  I was feeling pretty shattered myself, exhausted I think, hot and cold, and fearing I had contracted the plague, but I went to dinner with the others. It was lovely. A real French restaurant experience with aperitiffs I had a "kir" which is a white wine with creme de cassis (blackcurrant) in it,  (named after the Mayor of Dijon, Monsieur Kir (1876-1968) it was accompanied by a plate of goats cheese wrapped with bacon on small baguette (probably not baguette at all. There are many different "French breads" here which aren't all baguette). There was also some "rilletts" which is a bit like braun I believe, pork and bacon fat smeared on bread basically. Sounds so gross, tastes so good, not good for the hyperlipidaemia though!  We ordered entrees and mains, Hilary and I shared as I wasn't feeling overly peckish and I knew being exhausted wouldn't help my digestion. We ordered cannard (duck) on a bed of baby spinach leaves (raw) and a sweet and sour dressing (not Asian style). It truely was delicious, the spinach had red currants and sesame seeds sprinkled on and then a dressing with some cider vinegar I think and honey with maybe a touch of garlic. I had the greens and one wee wedge of cannard, Hilary protein loaded, eyes wide and lips smacking. This was accompanied by more fresh baguette and a pleasant white wine. For the main Hilary ordered lamb (agneau)  which arrived in the middle of a large white plate, a decent chunk of melt in the mouth, on the bone with rosemary (roti)sticking out of the hole in the middle of the bone lamb. I presume it was the elbow? rather than the knuckle, but it was another healthy helping of protein and received similar luxuriating in heaven facial expressions. This was accompanied by a little ceramic pot of mashed potato, very creamy and garlicky!!! Though we were supposed to share I was pretty replete, I had a blob of potato and one small mouthful of lamb. Again succulent and full of flavour.
As I was fading fast and thinking longingly of bed, Hilary and the others decided dessert might be a good idea. The other three chose a raspberry shortcake (not like ours) type thing, whereas Hilary went for a plate of 4 separate tasty morsals. Citron sorbet, vanilla icecream (not like ours)- real vanilla bean (with black specks) a small creme brulee and a chocolate thing like the ones smart chefs on master chef try to make with a spongey type outside and a molten chocolate centre.  She managed it all and would have kept going given the chance!! She and Josie were in their element. We got back just after 10.30 and I fell straight into a coma.

I had a sleep in this morning, didn't get up until after 8. Since we left NZ I think I've been up by 7 each day if not 5. Many of you will know I'm not particularly fond of early mornings, but it is a good chance to catch up on blogging, have a cup of tea and check my emails (and have some calm before the storm).

We went to the supermarket this afternoon. It was huge and fascinating, it's like a cross between the biggest Warehouse you've ever seen and the biggest supermarket. I concentrated on the groceries. Lovely fresh fruit and veges, the law requires all food to have prominently displayed its country of origin so you can make a conscious choice if you want French or Spanish strawberries for example, or plums from South Africa. I must admit I was driven by price more than ethnic origin, so we have strawberries from Spain for dinner tomorrow, plums from South Africa, apples from France, a pineapple from I don't know where (Diana chose it) and black grapes from France too.
The cheese aisles!!!! were much fun, I've never seen so many different cheeses, I picked 4 or 5 different ones to see what was good. One in particular was pretty good, got a thumbs up from Hilary which is the first she has been OK with. I must make sure I write down what it was, because that will be useful food for later. The cheese here is very reasonably priced, a reasonable wedge for just over a Euro ( close to $2) and Brie/ Camembert, much bigger than ours for a similar price (i.e one euro). Wine has great variation in price, it is possible to pick up a number of white or reds for less than 1.50 euro a bottle, I haven't tried them all yet but those I have tried at that price are certainly drinkable, and would cost four times the price in New Zealand.
The French are chocolate mad...... you don't seem able to get a biscuit that is chocalate free and finding a simple non chocolate or non sugary breakfast cereal also provides a challenge. 
We had a quick visit to the Toys'R'Us which was very similar to any toyworld in NZ and prices quite similar too I think.
Home for dinner and a quiet night in.