On Life in the Loire

What a fantastic turn this adventure has taken! The French have a reputation for being a little arrogant or snooty. Not for the first time on this trip, I have been made to realise that reputations count for very little. I have been charmed.

I enjoyed a wonderful evening in Paris with Daniel and Marji (who I had met in Petra) and a stroll around the botantic gardens and Chateau Vincennes, before savouring the delights of the village atmosphere and meeting up with Ben in the afternoon.

Ben and Nathalie, along with Chloe (4), Madelaine (3) and Emmanuelle (1) have made me an honourary member of the Walker clan and I have adored getting a taste of the family life in the French countryside of the Loire Valley. I have been mauled by three scantily clad young women on the trampoline, dutifully lost swimming races and been summoned to read bedtime stories :)

It has been awesome to catch up on some of the other changes that Ben and Nathalie have made since my last visit (the wedding in 2002). They have transformed a musty, rarely used space into a comfortable and roomy apartment, ruled by three active young girls. Not content to sit idle, they have also been branching out and are in the process of transforming two run down buildings in the nearby village of Chemille sur Indrois. In one direction, you look out on the church in which Ben and Nathalie were married and, in the other, the balcony takes in theafternoon light across the lake. The first building has been masterfully completed and would make a perfect venue for a future Merritt family reunion!

My time however, has not been completely consumed by relaxation. On Sunday, Ben and I jumped on our bikes and rode the 60km to the Chateau at Cheverny. We were joined there by the Walker women and spent the afternoon lazing over a picnic and exploring the expansive grounds. Yesterday, Nathalie and I joined Ben for lunch and spent the afternoon musing over potential future real estate purchases. For a mere 1.7 million euros, a genuine chateau could be yours; but then Im not really sure whether I could confine myself to only 28 bathrooms!

Today has been golf, followed by lunch at a local pub. Tomorrow we are venturing down the road a little to watch the travelling roadshow thqt is the Tour de France. The rolling green hills and majestic architecture are utterly captivating. With the abundance of friendly people and the opportunity to linger over four courses and wine for 11 euros, I know I will be back. Who knows, with a little encouragement, I could find and renovate a place in need of a little TLC and secure for myself a little piece of paradise.