Tuesday, June 21, 2016
I woke up at 6:30 AM today while Bonaparte slept soundly. Apparently between 6:30 and 7:00 AM is the only window of time where I can get Wi-Fi on my iPhone.
In addition, I received a phone call from a number in Long Island. My voicemail isn’t working either. So now I don’t know if someone died or got injured. Maybe it was a wrong number.
Remind me to make like ET and leave my “phone home” next summer.
Anway, it’s partly cloudy today. Since we’ve both been out in the sun or rather one of us who hasn’t been sitting under the umbrella and not in the sun for the past few days, we figured it would be a good idea to play tourist.
We’re going back to the Abbaye du Thoronet. The Abbaye, better known simply as “Thoronet”, was a home for the Cistercian monks back in the 12th and 13th centuries.
If you are thinking about visiting–here’s the lowdown on the tarifs!
Our Abbaye Road will be the ones along the coast to St. Raphaël and then we’ll switch over to the highway. Thoronet is such a peaceful and calm place to visit. The grounds are beautiful and we’ve both wanted to return.
We stopped for gas at Total and headed into the McDonald’s that is on-site. Or rather we headed into the Mc Do, as the French refer to this fast food bastion. Don’t judge either!
Yes. THIS is what breakfast at McDonald’s in France looks like..note the warning on the coffee and hot chocolate…
My other regret is that I didn’t purchase a “‘Eppy Meal”. I could have gotten some cute toys! Check out the baked goodies!!
Travel Tip: Don’t dismiss McDonald’s when you are in France. I’m not telling you to eat all your meals there. But for a quick breakfast when you are on the road and want a cup of coffee or a croissant, Mc Do delivers the goods. It’s a different animal than here in the States. Regulations must be followed strictly. The pastries are of very good quality and the chocolat chaud is superior. There is also free “wee-fee” available.
Just as I started washing my hands in the very clean and spotless ladies room, the water gushed out of the faucet and all over my dress. I keep forgetting that the water pressure in France is quite amazing and comes out full force! Remember that for future visits!
We are ready to get into the car and I spot the latest issue of Charlie Hebdo. Donald Trump is on the cover. Can’t I get away from this man’s face for at least two weeks? But in true Hebdo form, they are making fun of him. We buy the paper!
They could have made him a bit more l’orange! PS. What he is saying is not nice!
The return to Thoronet was a bit disappointing. The first time around we were able to go into the olive tree orchard and enter into little areas of quiet gardens. We were also able to go around to the back of the abbaye to take photos.
This time, gates were locked and visitor space was limited. Oh well, we were still able to take some nice photos. Warning–pic heavy!
Exterior view. Notice the lack of people–that’s what makes this a good place to visit. It’s a hidden gem of France!
Pretty steps..
..incredible to see that this ceiling still has remains of paintings from the 12th century..that’s some long-lasting paint..
…this statue of Mary and Jesus looks too modern to be that old. I’m wondering if this was added much later on. I’ll do some sleuthing.
View from a window out to the grounds
Another view
The courtyard from above. Isn’t this building beautiful?
The inside of the church. Even if you are not Catholic or a believer, THIS is a great place for quiet reflection and thought.
I felt like a monk in my sandals. Do you think the monks wore Rondini sandals? As an aside–if you DO visit this abbaye or any other attraction or place that has the slippery stones and tiles, by all means–wear shoes with strong soles. The leather soles on the bottom of these sandals were perfect because I didn’t slip or slide. You do not want to hurt yourself while enjoying the sights!
Another exterior view.
A little fountain…
..and another fountain. I’m sure this one got a ton of use from the monks many centuries ago.
Again–a naked face except for the eyes. It’s amazing how well a blow out lasts in dry weather. The hair still looks great!
OOTD. More like OOT Every D. This shift of seasons past from Banana Republic was a “go-to” on this trip. It also has bode well for my weight gain. My years-old, raggy Longchamp bag was also used every day.
A quiet passage. Look how bright and immaculate the stones are.
Among the historical ruins.
Escargot in training.
Stained glass window.
Another view of the courtyard.
And another pic..
Still, if you are in the Var or anywhere on the Cote d’Azur on vacation, by all means make it a point to see the remains of this once thriving abbey. There’s a chance we just returned on a bad day!
Bonaparte, ever the navigator, thought he knew a shortcut to somewhere when we left. I have no idea what somewhere he spoke of because his accent is now sooooo heavy that I’m begging him to just speak French. I can understand him better that way.
The “shortcut” ended up bringing us a great, great surprise.
We ended up in Draguignan. And in driving through the village center I noticed a sign. It was a sign for the American Cemetery. During WWII many soldiers landed in towns along the Cote d’Azur. Draguignan was one of them.
We followed the signs, got a parking space immediately and made our way to pay our respects.
Another hidden gem. Rhone American Cemetery in Draguignan
This little side trip that we stumbled upon was almost as emotional as our visit to Normandy Beach. The amount of soldiers buried was not a small one. And it broke my heart to read where so many of these young men were from.
We paid our respects in an impeccable setting.
It was nice to see that flowers are still being placed at these graves
We thank you Alfred Amann for giving up your life so selflessly.
It also broke my heart that they died thinking the atrocities during that war would never happen again. We, as humans, just don’t learn—do we? Look at our world today. So much hate and anger. Wars that are falsely declared by politicians who only want power. Men who try to lead on fear. It’s awful.
A memorial is also on the grounds. I’m telling you when I went into that building, I cried. I cried because during WWII men and women gave up their lives so selflessly. And to pay them back, we’ve regressed…
In the memorial. Solace.
One of the many illustrations and notes that local people and visitors left at the memorial. Never forget–but we did and continue to do so.
Thank you, France. Thank you for placing our soldiers in eternal rest in such a beautiful setting. Thank you for remembering them so fondly. Thank you American government for maintaining the grounds so impeccably. It is nice to see our tax dollars being put to very good use.
Our last stop on this now sunny day was a trip to FNAC in Cannes. There is an important need to add to my collection of French pop music. I got lucky!
I cannot stop listening. All CD’s have been uploaded to the computer and are now in my car. I’ll have memories of this trip every time I listen…
We also spotted a film starring Danièle and also starring Jean Gabin! It was like another sign from her that she was watching over us. We bought it because we don’t have it at home.
Danièle looks so serious! I think it is because she had to watch out for naughty Jean Gabin!
Gossipy French Movie Trivia: During one of my stays with Danièle, I mentioned that I loved Jean Gabin. Her eyes almost popped out of her head. She told me that when she was in a film with him, he wanted to sleep with her and she refused. The above is the film she spoke of! He got really angry at her. She also said he had bad breath. It was so funny. I did tell her that I still loved him as an actor!
Demain tout Commence!
Here’s a beautiful song by Florent Pagny “Le Soldat”….
