Cognac Country

Fields of gold and Cognac vines, pretty villages, romantic architecture, the most friendliest people, even the Tour de France (making a return to the region after 20 years ) and of course BROCANTE .... 

The region is renowned for its Cognac and there are cognac vines as far as the eye can see not to mention beautiful sunflower fields too. The sunflower heads always straining to turn for the sun, there is always a little one facing the wrong way ..... aaahh bless.

Shall I take you on a little Tour?

I was really surprised to read that Angelina Jolie had visited this little village just before us. No doubt recommended as it was for us.It has a castle and a glorious chateau and the church has the most romantic architecture.Plus they have brocante markets there too! I will return!!

Here's the house we stayed in, it's style is called Maison Bourgeois.

 

This house used to produce cognac and the huge barn still houses the cognac vats.
 

Do you want to take a peak inside ....?

The front hall and the pool beyond, the kitchen, and salon were tres elegant.

The Master room was huge!

 
Great furniture, loved the armoires and outside was just as good,

































 great pool (note the budding syncro swimmer:))

A beautiful BBQ area and a wowey log pile ......practically an art piece.
Verdict ....... I LIKE!!!
We caught up with the Tour de France while we were here.
If you know much about it you will know that it started from London this year and travels through France, up mountains and all the way down to the the south of France back up to Paris. The cyclists can be on their bottoms for 8 hours without stopping.

Well we had to stand around in the hot sun for a couple of hours (which pales into insignificance really compared with what the cyclists have to endure).

Ya know how we all moan when the adverts come on TV for a few minutes well the start of the caravan ( the sponsors) presiding the tour is really like 2 hours of adverts going past at speed.
.... a bit like a parade or carnival at a very fast pace, only you have alsorts thrown at you, hats, bags, shower gel, key rings, paper ......... yes you scrabble for everything ...... the most reserved housewife will find her self scrabbling along the floor after every bit , yes even paper pleading for more ....... so unrefined :)))))) but fun!
Some of the sponsors.






















Oooo I could do with a nice cold drink!























 Take a LOOK Natasha The Australians are coming - they had kangaroos on top of their cars!!
Then finally what we had all been waiting for. The leaders of the pack - 15 mins ahead of the peleton. The white jersey in the middle won that day.















































Well that's all folks ;0) .........Did I forget something ........ OH YES.... !

BROCANTE!This is all the stuff I could manage, as you can see some great little lamps and a large frou frou one with sheer fabric -

And on closer inspection -Lots of scrap books with magazine scraps and art nouveau papers, even found a big roll of pink crepe paper.
























A large file of music and even handwritten musicFrench linen - 'Je t adore'






















I was after some old suspenders for my mixed media art and discovered loads in this box - well it all came together so I have 3 lovely pink corsets with their old pink suspenders, cotton stockings still in the packaging and loads of suspender spares still in the packaging.


































 

I love this old pin cushion doll from Limoge - but she needs some TLC.
 Loads of this lovely cherub fabric.



























 And last but not least my most favorite find. This chandelier with the palest pink drops in opaline glass.

Well I hope you enjoyed the trip as much as we did.