Back to France...where was I..?

G e r b e r o y

A  S t o r y b o o k   V i l l a g e  i n   F r a n c e   

...Oh, right...I was going to tell you about the rest of the trip.  It wasn't all Châteaux and Chandeliers, but it was all magical, just the same.

We picked up our rental car upon landing at CDG, and drove 30 minutes north up to the medieval town of Senlis [you pronounce the last "s"], the pretty town where over 100 movies have been filmed. Maybe I was delirious from jet lag, but I really forgot what century I was in. What an atmospheric place!  It rained while were there, and we all loved that.  It truly added to the romance of the cobblestone streets, the market in the town square, the majesty of the beautiful old cathedral.

t h e   b r o t h e r s

And in addition to all the cultural and romantic beauty, there was also this most wonderful antique boutique...

Look at those zinc garlands!  I could have fit them in my suitcase!!!! [ Slaps forehead.]  Well, we are planning to go back to this town in November, and maybe they'll be there then.  And maybe I will find out the name of this sweet shop.  Because, although I took a business card from the charming owner, I gave it to my darling husband to hold, and he put it in his jacket pocket.  Then proceeded to lose his jacket at our dinner restaurant. And the card.  So if the charming owner ever sees this post, [ and I gave her the name of this blog] I hope she will get in touch with me and tell me the name and address!!!!!

After lunch in Beauvais, we headed deeper in the lush Picardie countryside to arrive at the Storybook village of Gerberoy. I gave you a link to Gerberoy in a previous post, but I had only read about it then.  I had no idea that it would be such an enchanting place...

                                                 A village festooned in flowers...

and filled with the sweetest cottages...

Hollyhocks and Cobblestone lanes...

I could live here...

This is the most iconic house in the village, and it was right opposite the window of our cozy B&B,Le Logis de Gerberoy owned by Cécile et Olivier Gréboval

This is part of the gardens of Henri Le Sidaner






And this is the ruined chateau which he bought in 1900 and eventually turned into a dreamy garden filled with roses. Every year the entire town hosts a Rose Festival in honor of him and these roses.  I edited this shot below to make the opening photo to this post, because I felt like I was truly in a fairytale.

Despite our luxurious bed and comfortable room, I was too wired to sleep.  Couldn't get over this view, so I hung out the window for quite a while...

What is it with French houses that they don't need screens? Here at home I have moths beating themselves senseless on my screens all the while I'm reading in bed.  Don't they have bugs in France?  Don't a few bats want to get in bed with you?  I pondered these deep questions for quite some time, and soon it was morning...


After a wonderful walk in the woods...

And the most delicious French breakfast of freshly baked,flakey croissants, homemade confiture, and cafe au lait served to us by our sweet host, Cecile[we all loved her]...

...we were ready to head out to Honfleur and la Mer!






Je reviendrai bientôt, doux amis,


dawne