The quaint and beautiful Village of Auvillar is where our good friends John and Cheryl stay as host and hostess of the Virginia College of the Arts for artists staying in residence while working in France. This is the historic house that they reside in and it is so cozy that I can see why they want to return every year.
The 11th century Chapel next door...
The Romans influence is still evident today.
Colourful shutters...
Town square...
where grain was sold and traded.
Cheryl's garden shed...
What a lovely place to call home.
An elderly woman lives here...
I waited until she went inside before snapping this photo as I didn't want to be intrusive.
Lovely gates...
gorgeous gardens inside....
Loving the paint on the shutters and doors...
Outdoor Chapel....
Cheryl Fortier and the local school children collaborated on this Auvillar mural...
Pilgrims walk this route on their way to Spain.
Dining al fresco...
I love her boat series...
There were beautiful plants growing in the lush village gardens.
I walked every day and wove my way up the hill into town snapping pictures as I delighted in capturing the beauty of this wee Village.
I'll post a series in a few days of images on the flowers and roses that captured my fancy...
18 comments:
I'm enjoying your posts about your trip so much. You are an excellent storyteller and photographer. Your trip looks like it was everything you had hoped for it to be. We were last in France way back in about 1995 with our two sons in tow. I think about that trip often as I know you will think about this trip. I hope you will be returning to France with Mr. Hostess!
I love the colors of the stone.
The first time that I visited France, I stayed in a village like yours. I fell in love with the blue of the shutters. Did you paint in the village? The flowers, the sky and the stone are so beautiful.
Pure magic! And yes, Cheryl is very talented artist! I love her paintings!
Do you know if Cheryl gives workshops here in Vancouver?
I did paint! I will show you in my next post...so much inspiration how can one not be moved?
Cheryl does teach classes in Vancouver....if you email her you can find out the details.
Such a lovely village!
Looking through these lovely photos is almost like taking a walk in that village drowsing in the sunshine. Love the medieval chapel dedicated to sailors. And the colorful doors and shutters. Gorgeous paintings by Cheryl, too. Thanks for helping me start my morning with a wee bit of France.
Thank you so much!
What a lovely and charming place and how nice it was that you were able to experience this and Paris...a nice contrast for you to enjoy.
Keep the French pictures and stories coming. Enjoying it immensely.
The colors of the stone and the blues are so beautiful.
What a beautiful village. It sounds as though your friends have a very special place to spend the summer. Wonderful that you were able to visit them for a week or so.
Rosie
What a treat you had to really settle into the daily life of the village. As memorable as your time in Paris was, I suspect these slower, perhaps deeper, days will be the ones that really stay with you. Thanks for sharing glimpses of them.
What beautiful colours! Agree with materfamilia's comment, it is wonderful that you got to live so many facets of the country.
What wonderful photos, full of natural beauty.
Utterly charming! I love the blue painted shutters. They look the same colour as the clearest, and bluest sky.
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