La Fête des Mères in Yvoire, France

Bonjour mes amis! Today, May 29, Lee and I spent Mother's Day in France in Yvoire, France. Mother's Day in France is celebrated the last Sunday of May. After World War I, the holiday took shape around the desire to repopulate the country. Medals were awarded depending on the number of children a woman had. This springtime Sunday in France provides children and adults throughout France the opportunity to make their mother the center of attention, and give her gifts and treats. Today, a common gift in France, is a cake shaped to resemble a bouquet of flowers, along with fresh flowers and perfumes. Yvoire, France is a lovely medieval town in Haute Savoie on the shores of Lac Léman. En route to Yvoire, we passed a sort of "Tour de France" where there were hundreds of cyclists participating in a bike event along the lake. Yvoire traces its history back to 1306. During the early years, Yvoire was an important town on the trade routes through the Alps and along Lac Léman. By the 16th century, Yvoire had lost its strategic importance and had become a fisherman's village. The largest and most impressive building in Yvoire is the château. This Savoie castle is right on the bank of the lake and has towers and turrets and a demanding position at the entrance of the yacht harbors of Yvoire. The historic old town was beautiful with a variety of spring flowers blooming from seemingly every balcony and window. This lovely town is characterized with steep streets, nooks and crannies to explore, access to the yacht harbor, green parks, restaurants and shops!! We took a lovely quiet boat ride on a solar-powered boat(Bateau Solaire) so that we could view the château from Lac Léman. Then we had a delicious lunch of crêpes and finished our day with Movenpick ice cream - the best!!

Mme. Wallace

Pérouges: village médiéval près de Lyon

Bonjour mes amis! Today, May 28, Lee and I went with our good friends and neighbors, Valérie and Geoffrey to Pérouges, a restored medieval village in the Rhône-Alps region of eastern France. In its days of glory from the 11th to the 19th centuries, Pérouges was a prosperous and well-defended village. The city was strategically built on a hill and was the most sought after village in the area. Enemies could conquer all of the surrounding villages, but their attempts were useless unless they could take Pérouges. At the beginning of the 20th century, historians, artists and intellectuals decided to restore the city. When trade routes around Pérouges were moved by Napoleon III in the 19th century, the population quickly dropped from 1,500 to 90. The city was virtually deserted. Today, just over 1,000 people live in the village. We learned many interesting facts about Pérouges as we explored this medieval town. The walls surrounding Pérouges were made with small holes (meurtrières) so that soldiers could shoot arrows to the outside without exposing themselves to attack. When citizens of Pérouges died, the doorways or windows their corpses passed through were sealed with a cement-like material. This was thought to prevent the souls of the dead from lingering. We sampled galettes which are a specialty of Pérouges. They look like slices of pizza, but are made with flour, sugar, butter, eggs, and lemon. Délicieux!!!

Mme. Wallace

Chartreuse isn't just a color!

Bonjour mes amis! Yesterday, May 26, Lee and I traveled through the Chartreuse mountains and made some interesting discoveries. The Chartreuse Mountains (French: massif de la Chartreuse) is a mountain range in eastern France, stretching to the north from the city of Grenoble to the Lac du Bourget. It is the southernmost range in the Jura Mountains. These mountains are dominated by limestone and many "cave passages" which lie beneath the hills. The most important city in the Chartreuse Mountains is Voiron (Isère). The mountain drive to Voiron was spectacular. There, we visited the factory where Chartreuse is made. Chartreuse is a French liqueur which has been made by the Carthusian Monks since the 1740s. It is composed of distilled alcohol which is aged with 130 herbal extracts. This liqueur is named after the Monks' Grande Chartreuse monastery, which is located in the Chartreuse Mountains in the general region of Grenoble. The manufacturing of Chartreuse starts in the herb room of the Grande-Chartreuse Monastery, where the 2 monks in charge of the distillation mix and dose the 130 herbs, which are then transported to the distillery in Voiron. On the first floor, the herbs are divided up into several batches and left to soak in vats. Nobody except the Chartreuse monks can enter this room. The first Chartreuse liquid was created with herbs and plants for medicinal purposes in the treatment of illnesses. So tasty was this elixir that it was often used afterwards as a beverage rather than a medicine. Recognizing this, the monks, in 1764, adapted the elixir recipe to make a milder beverage which we know today as "Green Chartreuse". Chartreuse gives its name to the color of the liqueur, which comes in green as well as yellow.

Mme. Wallace

Testa di Moru (Moor's head), le symbole de Corse

Bonjour mes amis! The Testa di Moru(in Corsican), the black Moor's head on a white background, forms the symbol of Corsica and is found on Corsica's national flag. The Moor's head with a white bandeau was adopted by Pasquale Paoli in 1762 as the official emblem of independent Corsica. It was inherited from the kings of Aragon, who were invested with Corsica by the Pope in the Middle Ages. Four Moors' heads became the arms of Sardinia after the Aragonese conquest and, with a cross of St. George separating them, they remain the national flag of Sardinia. The Aragonese never conquered Corsica, but they claimed it as their own. It first appeared in Corsica in 1573 in an atlas showing the lands of Philip II. The bandeau originally blindfolded the eyes of the Moor, while it is now raised to his forehead. There are those who see its removal as a symbol of freedom from slavery. There are others who claim that it dates from the time of the Saracen invasions and the Corsicans' habit of decapitating the moors. King Theodore, who also made use of this symbol in 1736, had the bandeau covering the eyes as well. When Sir Gilbert Elliot was named Baron Minto, after his two years as Viceroy of Corsica (1794-96), he included the Moor's head on his personal coat of arms. We saw this symbol on many items throughout Corsica as we traveled from town to town. Très intéressant!!!

Mme. Wallace

Chez Napoléon: Ajaccio, Corsica

Bonjour mes amis! Monday, May 16, Lee and I explored the largest city in Corsica, as well as the island's political center, Ajaccio. Ajaccio began to develop in 1492 thanks to the Genoese. In 1723 this city became the capital of West Corsica. Ajaccio is famous because Napoleon Bonaparte was born here on August 15, 1769. We took an open-air tour since we had limited time and the weather was beautiful. We saw the ancient Citadelle, the Ajaccio Cathedral, dedicated to Virgin Mary and built in the 16th century, and the Maison Bonaparte which was the house that belonged to the Bonaparte family from 1682, and where Napoléon was born. We traveled the Route des Sanguinaires which is a panoramic road which runs along the northern shore of the Golfe d'Ajaccio, passing by the locals' favorite sandy beaches. This road continued through residential areas, beautiful homes overlooking the azure blue water. The Pointe de la Parata makes for the dramatic end to this road. The cape is dominated by the Tour de la Parata, a tower built by the Genoese in 1608 to defend the island against pirate raids. A path leads to the end of the cape. From there, you can see the red Îles Sanguinaires. These are maquis-covered cliffs that emerge from the sea a short distance from the Pointe de la Parata. There is a lighthouse on the largest of the islands, built in 1840. Legend has it that in 1863 the French author, Alphonse Daudet lived in the lighthouse. He described the Sanguinaires as wild islands populated by wild goats, Corsican ponies and an osprey. This coastline with the Îles Sanguinaires was beyond description!!

Mme. Wallace

Bonifacio, Corsica

Bonjour mes amis! Sunday, May 15, Lee and I drove along the west coast of Corsica. The views while driving were spectacular. We traveled Route 196 from Propriano to Bonifacio which is the main highway on the island. It consisted of numerous "twists and turns" while having views of the beautiful Mediterranean and mountains en route. The drive took about one and a half hours to reach Bonifacio. Bonifacio is a stunning medieval town which is located on a striking promontory and was developed by Bonifacio. Bonifacio, Marquis of Tuscany, passed by Corsica upon his return from an expedition in Africa in 828. For three centuries this fortified harbor sustained itself on fishing and piracy and was partly under the rule of Pisa. In 1195 Bonifacio became a Genoese colony, then a republic and, at that time, began construction of its massive walls. Although the town fell under French rule in the 18th century, it has kept an Italian flavor and a certain isolation from the rest of Corsica. We first visited the Marina. The quays of the old port of Bonifacio are a popular promenade filled with cafés and restaurants. After getting our café au lait et pain au chocolat along the harbor, we walked up the stairs, called the Montée Rastello, which lead to the old town and the Bastion de L'Étendard. This Bastion towers over the port and was built in the 16th century. Its function was to house heavy artillery and make the walls of Bonifacio impregnable to outsiders. Lee and I hiked to the upper platforms of the Bastion which afforded a magnificent panoramic view of the inlet of Bonifacio and the Marina below. During Genoese rule, the Porte de Gênes was the only entrance to old town Bonifacio. Surrounded by ramparts, this gate gave access beyond the walls to old town. We meandered through old town, exploring this very charming medieval village. The narrow streets afforded such character to old town Bonifacio.

Mme. Wallace

Buonghjornu! Cumu si?

Hello friends. The greeting in the title of this blog is Corsican for "hello" "how are you?" I was intrigued by the Corsican language this past weekend. Although the official language in Corsica is French, the local language has also always been in use in Corsica, making the island a bilingual area. In 1974 Corsican was officially recognized as a regional tongue. After the reopening of the University of Corte in 1981, written Corsican was codified and old texts were re-evaluated. Corsican is more like Italian than French, it is very similar to the Ligurian dialect spoken with a Sardinian accent. As a result, many Corsicans understand and speak Italian. Road signs are written in Corsican and French. A'vedeci!!

Mme. Wallace

Exploring Corsica - magnifique!!!

Bonjour mes amis! Friday, May 13, Lee and I flew to Corsica. I don't think there are adequate words in French or English to describe the beauty of this island. We stayed in Propriano, a town on the west coast of Corsica, which is located on the innermost point of the Golfe de Valinco. Propriano is tucked in between the green hills behind it and the transparent sea. It is an attractive yacht harbor and throughout history was sought after because of its strategic position as a landing place and trade center. Saturday afternoon we drove to Filitosa, which is the most famous prehistoric site in Corsica. Filitosa offers 5,000 years of history. Populated in ancient times because it was both fertile and easy to defend, the area was filled with large constructions and menhirs from 1800 BC to 1100 BC. Details of the faces, weapons and helmets of ancient warriors are still visible on the surface of these rocks. Incroyable!! We also visited a charming town near Propriano, named Sartène. Sartène, said by Merimée(French writer) to be "the most Corsican of all the Corsican villages" is at an altitude of 300 meters. From the 16th century, this town developed around the medieval constructions on a rocky spur, and still has part of its ramparts and watch tower. We strolled through the Saturday marché of this charming town and watched young children playing "foot" in the village square. Quel samedi!!

Mme. Wallace

Maison Cailler - Vive le chocolat!!!

Bonjour mes amis. Sunday, May 8, we visited Maison Cailler with Betsy and the Cushings. Maison Cailler is located in Broc/Gruyère, Switzerland. This is the place where all of your senses can be immersed in the wonderful world of Cailler chocolate. The interactive tour was impressive. We first discovered the origins of this delicious chocolate in the old Aztec cocoa ceremonies. We then heard the fascinating tales of François-Louis Cailler, who brought the first chocolate recipe to Switzerland in 1819. You can hold roasted cocoa beans. During the depression in the '30s Cailler merged with Nestle in order to stay in business. You then proceed to the Atelier de Chocolat studio where you can learn inspired recipes for the finest chocolate creations. We were provided delicious samples at the end of the tour of many of the products made by Maison Cailler - magnifique!

Mme. Wallace

Gstaad, Switzerland

Bonjour mes amis! Sunday, May 8, the Cushings, Betsy, Lee and I visited Gstaad, Switzerland. Gstaad lies on the border between the Bernese and Vaud Alps at the junction of four gently sloping valleys. The drive through the Alps to arrive in Gstaad was absolutely breathtaking. Gstaad is a lovely ski resort town, with restored old chalets and interesting boutiques. Since we had entered into the German part of Switzerland, the language changed from French to German. It is amazing in Europe how the language abruptly changes from French to German to Italian as you either cross a border, emerge from a tunnel, or enter a different area of the same country. Since Switzerland has three recognized languages in such a small country, we were interested to note the "quick change" from French to German. The population of Gstaad is about 2,000 people and there are at least 53 miles of local ski runs served by 60 ski lifts. Gstaad is pleasing for its restful setting and variety of sporting and social facilities. It was a beautiful spring day and we loved experiencing a few hours in this German-speaking part of lovely Switzerland.

Auf Wiedersehen!

Mme. Wallace

The natural beauty in and around Bellagio, Italy

Bonjour mes amis! Sunday, May 1, my sister, Betsy, and Gale and Bill Cushing came for a visit. Tuesday, May 3, we took off for Bellagio, Italy on Lake Como for a few days. We were in awe of the natural beauty and gardens of this region. We took a boat tour around Lake Como which included a stop at the Villa Carlotta. This Villa was built at the end of the 17th century for a noble Milanese family. In 1801, a businessman bought the property. Thanks to him, the villa attained the summit of its spendor. The gardens were absolutely spectacular with their spring flowering of rhododendrons and azaleas. May 2 we explored the gardens of Villa Melzi. These beautiful gardens were "absolument magnifique" or in italian, MAGNIFICO!!! The gardens of Villa Melzi stretch out along Lake Como in Bellagio. They blend into the hilly scenery of the Bellagio peninsula. The villa is a wonderful example of neo-classic style. Enjoy the pictures of the beautiful natural landscape of Bellagio.

Mme. Wallace

La Fête du Muguet or La Fête du Travail

Bonjour mes amis! May Day in France is a public holiday to campaign for and celebrate workers' rights. It is also an occasion to present lily-of-the-valley(les muguets) to loved ones. A few days before May 1st, you begin to see vendors popping up on every street corner selling lily of the valley. Although at all other times of the year, selling any kind of flowers or anything else on the street requires paying for a permit, May Day is exempted from this tax. We met the most delightful young boys who were selling their muguets at their personal stand in Chambéry. Lily of the valley is referred to as a "porte-bonheur"--literally, "bringer of happiness" or perhaps what we would call a "good luck charm." The history of La Fête du Travail is that King Charles IX of France was presented with the lily of the valley flowers on May 1, 1561. He liked the gift and decided to present lily of the valley flowers to the ladies of his court each year on May 1. Around 1900, men started to present a bouquet of lily of the valley flowers to women to express their affection. The 8-hour work day was officially introduced in France on April 23, 1919, and May 1 became a public holiday. May 1 was not observed during World War II. The May 1 holiday was reinstated in 1947 and became known as La Fête du Travail on April 29, 1948. Since then, it has been an occasion to campaign for and celebrate workers' rights. The day is also known as Labor Day in other parts of the world.

Mme. Wallace