Living like God in France |
During my recent stay in the Netherlands, I finally had the opportunity to revisit the country house, bought about twenty years ago by Nico (Paul's brother) and one of his students.
The house is located in Santenoge, a small hamlet in the Burgundy region of France, about 50 km north of Dijon. From Amsterdam it is a 7-8 hours drive. We left early, so we arrived around 3 pm
My first visit was a few months after they had bought it, a lot of renovation still had to be done. Now that was finished and the result was very attractive.
Comfortable too, with central heating and wifi..:-)
Here are a few pictures of the house and the interior. There are no shops anymore in the village, we had taken provisions from Holland for the first night and breakfast the next morning.
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 The house |
 As seen from the fields |
 Living room |
 Kitchen/Dining room |
 The Library annex guestroom |
 Living like God in France |
 Internet connection! |
 Open fireplace. Cosy! |
 Breakfast next morning |
 Christ on the Cold Stone |
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After breakfast Nico showed me the village. Only a few people live there permanently nowadays, many owners live in the town and come only during weekends and holidays.
The village is surrounded by fields and meadows, a perfect place for walks. It was the rapeseed season, everywhere you saw fields with these very yellow flowers.
 Cherry(?) blossom |
 Firewood. Lots of it |
 War memorial |
 Characteristic house |
 Church of Santenoge |
 with its cemetery |
 Only a few people live here |
 Modern renovation |
 The village of Santenoge |
 Everywhere rapeseed fields |
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After a walk we went shopping. Nico decided to go the a supermarket in a small town, quite far away.
But our route took us through beautiful countryside, we passed pictoresque villages and visited many churches. The supermarket was heaven for foodies..:-)
 Morning walk |
 Nice forest |
 Curious cattle |
 Church of Villars |
 Interior |
 Interior |
 Details |
 Church of Chaugey |
 Interior |
 Church of Bure-le-Tempeliers |
 Interior |
 Detail |
 A fortified church |
 Beautiful landscape |
 Grancey-le-Chateau |
 Town gate |
 Castle of Grancey-le-Chateau |
 Our shopping destination :-) |
 Church of Saint Germain (near Grancey) |
 Another view |
 Graveyard |
 Grancey-le-Chateau |
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After we came back, we enjoyed an aperitif on the terrace of the house, surrounded by peaceful nature. Nico prepared a nice dinner.
We had (a lot of) wine, bottled by himself during an earlier visit. In Dutch language we have an expression, which translates as "Living Like God in France".
It means leading a good, comfortable life...:-) Yes, we were really living like God in France.
The next day we visited Troyes. Click on the link for more information about this beautiful town. Its history goes back to the Roman era.
During the two world wars it has been relatively little damaged, that's why numerous half-timbered houses still exist.
And a huge number of churches...:-)
 Aperitif |
 Dinner: Rabbit, leek and roast potatoes |
 Troyes, characteristic houses |
 Saint Pantaleon (16 - 18th C.) |
 Interior |
 Two (Jewish!) visitors..:-) |
 Interior |
 Interior |
 Another church |
 .... |
 .... |
 Lumch in a courtyard |
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Halfway during this day we found a nice courtyard where they served local specialties.
Like the Troyes andouillettes (pork intestine sausage).
After our lunch we continued visiting churches. A long nice day.
 Feuillete d'andouillettes |
 Ruelle des Chats (Cat alley) |
 Cats can easily cross |
 .... |
 Half-timbered houses |
 Town hall |
 Modern art too..:-) |
 Hotel Dieu (hospital) |
 St Urbain church (13th C.) |
 Cathedral of Troyes |
 Apse of the cathedral |
 Inside the cathedral |
 Beautiful stained glass |
 Left candle lit by me :-) |
 St Madeleine Church (12th C.) |
 The famous rood screen (1503) |
 From the side |
 Detail |
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The next day we decided to go for a walk followed by a lunch in what Nico described as one of the best restaurant in the region.
The walk was leading us through a marsh on a wooden walkway, but it had not been raining for some time, so there were hardly any flowers to be seen.
The restaurant Sabot de Venus (Slipper Orchid)in the small village of Bure-les-Templiers was indeed a real treat. Look at the menu (see below) for the names of the different courses. Both presentation and taste were superb!
 Aquilegia flower |
 Old farm |
 Wooden walkway through the marsh |
 Nice walk |
 Leaving the marsh |
 Amuse-gueule |
 Starter |
 Main course |
 Delicious cheese |
 Strawberry desert |
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The following day we headed back to Amsterdam. Here is the restaurant menu and two GE maps with some of the routes we took.
A very nice trip.
 The menu |
 Trips around Santenoge |
 Our trip to Troyes |
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