Friday, June 12, 2009

A walk with Michael


It's still Thursday, May 28th.

Thursdays are when Michael is free from 4:30 - 7:30 and so he had spoken to us about "taking a walk".

Back from Ansieres, Dad and I took care of the garbage at the Decherie in Sable and came home just in time to find Michael, Alosie and Mercedes knocking on our door. Time to go!

Our destination? Just down the road and past the bridge and up the road to Juigne. What town was this? It was where Michael, Clare and Brent had walked...and where Dad and I had walked days earlier; only this time we drove because the "walk with Michael" part would take place after we arrived in Juigne.

The crew walking towards the photo op destination


Michael "made" an older woman, who had never held a camera in her life, take this picture of us.

Mercedes

Mercedes and Aloise.


Walking back from the edge of town ( where group photo was taken) and to the right of the road, was a rather impressive iron gate and, I think, a sign that said "Keep Out", although the language was kinder.
(We still weren't sure where Michael was taking us....we just followed.)

As we came to the gate, Michael motioned towards a group of youths and said to us,
"Don't let them see us go in or they'll follow us."
"Are we allowed to go in?"
"Not really. But they don't get mad at monks".

We were in! And where was "in"?

We had entered the grounds of the Duke de Lorge, an elderly man whose home is Le Chateau de Juigne. We walked a little distance and there it was:




Front view of the Chateau




Side view of the Chateau

The Count ( who Michael said was a good man, a strong Catholic) is in his 80's and spends mostly summers in the Chateau. We inched as close as we could to the Chateau - there was a car parked in the drive so we didn't want to get too close and be seen.

"If you're up to more walking", said Michael, "I have another Chateau to show you", as he pointed us to a path past the formal gardens. "It's a bit of a walk, but I promise you'll like it".

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