L'Ardèche

Last weekend the fam took me to stay with them for a few days in the country, en Ardèche.

I must say, it's an adventure traveling avec les enfants.



Especially when a pack of 5 strange ones shares the train with you. Luckily, these ones (and Clément et Adrien) were notably well-behaved.


I adore traveling by train. On this trip we were blessed with field after field of bright yellow colza flowers.


Et voilá, the beautiful home of Christine, Sébastien's mum.








Fleur-de-lis, everywhere in France.











Caillette, a delicious, savory spiced dish native to the Ardèche region.


And oh, here is the adjacent manor where some more relatives reside.









This sight is making me drool even now.





Fresh lavender.


Another French barbecue, with fromage, pain, et saucissons avec knife and fork. Et vin, bien sur.



Behold, the family château. That's right.





So it's a little broken down, but it's from the 12th century, what are you gonna do? I personally adore a strong dose of ruined beauty.


The beauty of this place was unspeakable. An edifice older than America by centuries, cragged and worn and yet, still standing, bearing the wind and rain of hundreds of years.




Still a bit of original paint, even.




The side manor is in pretty good condition.







Plus tard...





A guided tour of the Imbert factory, where Sébastien's cousin makes glazed chestnuts and chestnut paste.


AH so delicious. Another Ardèche specialty.











And to a vide grenier, one of my favorite pieces of France, like a neighborhood-wide garage sale.


But what's an event in France without the standard Nutella crepe stand?



The wind was strong that day, my friends.




France contains millions of pockets of poignance, like this tucked-away memorial listing the names of every soldier from the region who died in World War I.




And before you know it, on home again.






Family, peace, and fresh air.

avec l'amour,
*jenna*