Monday 24 October 2011

Ma Campagne - Le Périgord in October


A stroll over the country side last Saturday
and a visit to the Chateau de Bourdeilles


Bourdeilles, one of the four Baronies of the old province Périgord,
(see also post about the Périgord  "Périgord Mon Amour")   here


and its Chateau, dating back to the 13th Century


the old bridge over the river Dronne



October's bright blue weather

"O suns and skies and clouds of June,
And flowers of June together,
Ye cannot rival for one hour
October's bright blue weather...."
Helen Hunt Jackson (1830-1885)


This huge tree...


seems to reach the blue sky


...and


...here it looks it likes to decorate...

...the top of this 16th Century Renaissance house, 
one of many in Bourdeilles

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Wisteria embraces the entrance...


of an 18th Century house...





a little peek into the well-kept courtyard...


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Another Renaissance house on the way out of Bourdeilles....



"October - a symphony of permanence and change"
Bonaro W. Overstreet
















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Through the woods...
where the little roads are bordered with autumnal ferns...


"Come said the wind to the leaves, one day,
come o're the meadows
and we will play....


...put on your dresses
scarlet and gold,


...for summer is gone...


...and the days grow cold"
(A Children's Song of the 1880's)



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What looks like a somewhat abandoned property hides...


a small Chateau or manor house, not visible from the road.


Ah!  It is not abandoned - its for sale and has been, 
as one can see on the weathered sign, for quite a wile.
 And yes,  another one!



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We don't have all that many autumn-colored trees in our region,


 ...but here and there -  like painted-in  - just one amongst the green...

...which makes it very special for me!

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Every village around here has his own Chateau...






....and interesting country architecture...


...like this late 18th to early 19th Century house 





When nature creates  ART.....


I must say....never before seen something like it....



....so amazingly designed....


  ...like drawings!



and I remembered Albert Camus who said:
"Autumn is a second spring where every leaf is a flower"



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"On such a day each road is planned
To lead to some enchanted land;


Each turning meets expectancy,
The signs I read on every hand.


I know by autumns wizardy
On such a day the world can be
Only a great glad dream for me..."
Eleanor Myers Jewett



Les vaches - Oh, les vaches....


...right next to the farm, their home...


 young Limousin cattle...


...stearing at me..

"what is this two-legged-creature doing with that funny thing in her hand...."

 "Mademoiselle No 2477"

and...
 
"Mademoiselle No 9945"
love her haircut, very neat and tidy !


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A rural country side.....




...with Chateaux, dotted around.....


... on nearly every second corner...

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"Every leaf speaks bliss to me...



...fluttering from autumn tree"
Emily Bronte


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And the Saturday was colorfully rounded off...


...by a lovely sunset...



...at L Pouyette









*****


A visit to the Chateau de Bourdeilles, near Brantome,  (more about Brantome)   here
          one of the former four baronies of the Périgord,  
more about the history of the Périgord   here  
classified as a Historical Monument


The village of Bourdeilles, an attractive village next to the river Dronne
to the south-east of Brantome,
which is dominated by its Chateau - or rather its two Chateaux.

Two Chateaux of different periods built on a fortified bank:



A medieval  Fortresse féodale, dating back to the 12th - 13th Century,
constructed on a rocky spur,
 a machicolated enclosure with gemeled windows,



dominated by an unique 35 meters high octagonal donjon
composed of 4 vaulted storeys with 2,4 meters thick walls,





...and a Renaissance palace, built in the 16th Century,


....with ceremonial rooms sumptuously decorated,

...like the "Salon Doré" ...


...with a beautiful painted ceiling.

There is also a prestigious collection of furniture,

 from the 15th to the 19th Century.

 including the gilt Spanish bed of Charles V.

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Just a bit of History:
The  s  in Bourdeilles was an administrative error until 1974,
the original name of the village and Chateau was known as Bourdeille.
Today, the name Bourdeilles designates the Bourdeille family.

The first source (non-historic) was a legend in the 9th Century
that time Athilda of Bourdeille, wife of the French king Marcomer.

The first written document dates back to 1183 at the site at Bourdeilles.


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Best wishes for a final and colorful week of this October with bright blue weather!

Une tres bonne Semaine a tous!

14 comments:

  1. Karin you live in such an amazing place and all that history, be still my heart, I love it. So the villages branch off the chateaus? That is so neat and tidy and gives the town a center. We’re lucky here in New England to have a lot of fall color but we don’t have the blue skies in October or November it’s always dark and gray. Thank you for taking us along on your stroll!

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  2. I know - I know, Debra. And whenever I go out for a little drive or 'ride' I'm always amazed again about the beauty, the history, discovering little wonderful details on our rural and simple countryside, no matter what time or season, even after 27 years! It was in 1984 when I visited first time the Périgord and felt like 'coming home', right from the first second.

    I'm very thankful to live here.

    Merci my Dear for your lovely comment and will blow a bit of our blue sky to New England!

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  3. Blue sky and historic buildings - le Périgord en octobre!
    (... and Franken ☺!)

    "Autumn is a second spring where every leaf is a flower."

    What a true sentence.

    Sleep well in your Bettgestell!
    ♥ Franka

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  4. Every time I see your beautiful images of votre Campagne, Le Périgord I wish that we had purchased a house in this stunning region. Hope to see you in 2012. Have a great week.

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  5. Karin

    What a post and I felt like I was in the front seat of your car travelling with you. Those limousin's look so well cared for. I love your poem by Helen Hunt Jackson, so powerful and meaningful

    Beautiful
    Helenxx

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  6. A beautiful tour! I loved your comment about nature making art--so true!

    All the best, Cindy

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  7. "... where every leaf is a flower." I love it!

    OK- we somehow missed all of this?!
    Another trip is in order, but I see we'll need to spend at least a week. Maybe we can go when Elizabeth is in France!

    You put a lot of time into this post- just lovely!

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  8. Hello,

    Beautiful blogspot, all the castles j'adore!
    You are lucky to live in such a beautiful area and congratulations with the award, you deserved it!

    Have a nice week
    Jérôme

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  9. What beautiful photos Karin, my favourite is that wonderful bridge. And of course in the Perigord you have such lovely subtle stone colours in the houses.

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  10. I am overwhelmed with the gorgeous photos you have s hared with us today. You do indeed live in a special place. This is my first visit today but I will stop by often to see what else you have for us. BTW, the photograph of the river and bridge is like an Old Masters painting!
    V

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  11. Really beautiful. Including the cows :-)

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  12. Thank you so much for this glorious tour, the region and your images are truly breathtaking...I am going to take another walk through them so that I can soak up more of their beauty.
    xo J~

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