Vitré et Fougères

Fleurs! de Vitré

Included in the cost of my study abroad program are 3 wonderful excursions; Mont St. Michel/ St. Malo, Vitré/Fougères, and an awesome weekend of Chateaux de la Loire (Loire Valley castles) soon to come in April! The excursions are awesome, first of all because it costs us nothing out-of-pocket, even down to giving us 12 euro for lunch (Yay!), secondly because of the amazing sites, and thirdly because it is a chance to see and catch up with students that I don't have the chance see nearly enough!

One (petite) downside to CIREFE is that outside of your level, you don't have classes with other CIEE students, and that means that your schedules can be completely different. Leading to "Whoa, I haven't seen you in a week!"sadness.

Anyways, after my not-very-organized pictures and commentary of Mont St Michel and St Malo, I am devoting a whole post to the AWESOME excursion of yesterday!

Best thing: The weather. Il faisait beau! Like 16 degrees (60ish)!!Sunny, blue skies, warm weather, and lovely scenery. I wore short sleeves :) The tour guide thought I was weird, but I'm used to Michigan, who currently still has snow. (Sorry...but I no longer miss it when faced with green plants all winter in Bretagne)

Vitré
(The following is from our packet we were given about the sites)
It is the most well-preserved town in Bretagne in terms of its castle, ramparts, and tiny roads that look as they did 400-500 years ago! In the 16th-18th century, it was one of the most active Breton cities, with hemp canvas, wool blankets, and thread sold throughout France and around the world. The castle was transferred to its current location in 1060. It has a drawbridge, 3 towers, and is, more importantly, surrounded by a steep incline with GOATS. Highlight of Vitré!

photo credit: Sally

Goats! Chèvres!

Giant Middle Ages well, it was a wide as a kiddie pool!

Flags of Bretagne, France, and the European Union (L->R)

They tried to build this wall but then "reconstructing went out of fashion" according to the tour guide and it remains in disrepair

Above the drawbridge

Side note- when our tour was leaving the castle, a man stopped to speak with the guide. Turns out he is the mayor, and spoke a little English! One of the students asked him what he was up to today, and Mr. Mayor replied with his full itinerary of the day. It was so fun to be regaled with a piece of Vitré life apart from the history and tourist sites we visited.

The Middle Ages roads! Each consecutive floor expands further outwards to best make use of the cramped city, in a reverse pyramid.

Pretty wood houses

View from one of the remaining city walls. Below are workshops, a river, a tannery...

Delicious, but so bubbly it felt like drinking air! Yummy, lemony sweet air :)

Galette! Egg, salad, onions, and tomato! I have fully progressed from solid-yolk eggs to what France considers an egg, with the WHITE being mostly cooked :)

Crèpe poire (pear) chocolat. Just. fabulous.

Hogwarts! Just kidding, but these strange trees are everywhere and eerily reminiscent of Harry Potter movies...

 Fougères:
 (More information from the trusty packet!)
The town of Fougères was established at the beginning of the 11th century, at the foot of a castle charged with defending the Breton duchy. There were lots of artisans, especially tanners who took advantage of the river, along with fabric and canvas makers. (Sidenote: That all sounds much prettier in French, but really basic in English!) The castle of Fougères, which is what we visited, represents the military architecture of the Middle Ages.

Tour d'Amboise

Missing the Franklin Cider Mill right now...

Ruins!

There was a tiny garden with a few plants, labeled as an Apothecary. This was Absinthe, "chewed in the Middle Ages against drunkeness"

Lavande- ...I can't read it, blame the bright sunlight! (I'm kidding- please don't leave me, lovely warmth and sun!)

I loved how there were parts of walls still standing, resembling rooms.

If I lived in the Middle Ages, I would not be a peasant. I am a lady! (Photo credit: Sophie :))

Gorgeous

View from the Tour de Cadran

The words that kept coming to mind for Fougères: verdant and lush <3

Fleurs!

We finally figured out how to get into the church next door, where it was so chilly we could see our breath, and allegedly there was a body under the slightly disturbing figure above. You can't see it, but her eyes are slightly open...hence the creepy!

Me! In front of the castle

See the jagged rocks? They are just like stairs! Which I climbed! (It had to be done. Plus there wasn't a sign saying "Interdit"!)

It was a truly gorgeous day, we were definitely blessed with the weather and company. Hard to believe that this adventure is more than half way over! So I'm in happy denial :)

<3 Katie May

Barcelona! Or, Winter Break part 2

The first half of my lovely winter break was with Mama, visiting a ville hors de Paris! J'ai fait un bonhomme de neige! (Snowman!) However, after an adventure in which we left 3 HOURS to spare to drive to CDG airport, I flew to Barcelona with two friends!

Très long post ahead! (You have been duly warned...)

Lilacs

It is becoming gorgeous here in Rennes. Warming up (I'm in denial of the snow promised tomorrow) with flowers blooming everywhere. My walk home from the bus stop each day is perfumed with lilacs, along with the lovely fresh air of spring :)

Classes are becoming more time-consuming, in their own way. It is strange to have class only once a week, with very rare homework. Very different from American "busy work". Also bad because procrastination is so easy to fall into... Our grade is based off a mid-term and a final, or just a final!

So, since I last wrote, Mama came to visit!!

Look who I found in Paris <3


 She came to visit during her winter break from teaching, the week just before mine. It felt kinda like living two lives, with going to classes then to see Mama plus friends plus my host-mom! But it was completely worth the craziness to share all the places I've learned about and introduce a few of my friends. We even went to Eglise Protestante Evangelique together!

We got macarons :)

And moules (mussels) which are delicious and very Breton!

We went out to eat one night with my host mom and Mama, and it was fabulous :) I ordered this dessert with a ridiculous name which turned out to be brownies with crème anglaise and the best frosting ever! Crème Anglaise=my love

My host-mom was also kind enough to offer to drive us to St Malo, a city right on the beach! It was beautiful, albeit chilly, and I found beachglass and shells! It was such a blessing and gift of time and resources from Ghislaine.

Moules

A glimpse of "winter" in France, flowers blooming and blue skies (when its not raining).

This was dinner in Paris after I picked Mama up from the airport. The bowl is "Tartiflette" which translates to "bowl of french cheesy potatoes awesomeness". I had the quiche, equally français!

We also visited the Musée D'Orsay, and saw the 5th floor with the Impressionists. Stunning.

Tuileries Gardens (outside of the Louvre and Musée D'Orsay

We had the opportunity to visit a famous patissier/chocolatier, Jacques Genin!

Tiny delicious fancy chocolates! Praline, Milk Chocolate, and two Dark Chocolate Tea!

We got to go up to the kitchens and speak with M. Genin.

Books!! 15 euro/each books! Of which I bought none.

Notre Dame! The cathédrale is celebrating 850 years. Let that sink in. There were all these deep thoughts on the exhibit,  Why was I created? What is my purpose in life?

Once the week was over, we went to visit an old French friend who briefly lived in Michigan. Mama taught their children at the beginning of her career, and we are still friends! Odile and I have quilting and knitting in common, and it definitely didn't feel like 5 years had passed since we last saw them. She made my week by saying I spoke French "couramment" (fluent). That's my hope for this semester here! Alors, after Mama had to go home, I flew out to Barcelona for Wednesday-Saturday with two friends!

Which I will write about soon, for more picture overload!
<3 Katie May