The village I call home

This month, "By Invitation Only" members are learning about each other hometown.

Do you really want to know about my home town?

My village, Clermont Dessous

I still and will always call home my village of Clermont Dessous, still standing since the 12th century, with 500 inhabitants, overlooking the Garonne valley and surrounded by vineyards, wild poppies  and sunflower fields.

Image by candy2nd's photostream

I grew up on a vineyard and fruit farm and our lives were closely linked to the rhythm of seasons. At a very early age I went to boarding school to the main city in Lot et Garonne, Agen.
Agen is famous for 3 things, its prune trees, its museum and most important of all, its Rugby team

To this day, I love to watch a good rugby game. Both my sons were on their Harvey school's rugby team

Growing up in the countryside was just wonderful. I lived in a rather large house with my parents and grandparents and during the summer, Easter and Christmas vacations, the bedrooms would fill up with all my cousins, their parents, our friends. The house was noisy with kids running everywhere, chasing the cats and the dogs. The poor cook could not keep up with our insatiable appetites. I had my own share of the vegetable garden with a tiny attached cottage and started to play house at a very young age.

Lot et Garonne is one of France's best kept secret. It was home to the famous and notorious King Henry IV, and it was there that the "french mousqueteers" were born. They have become over the centuries, heroic figures in literature and on the big screen. The villages of Lot et Garonne are still unspoiled and one can still appreciate life in the french coutryside as it was once.

The tiny village of Port Sainte Marie where one would buy all groceries, newspaper, have a coffee, since Clermont Dessous does not have any shops, only an excellent restaurant.

Henry IV castle in Nerac

Beautiful Bed and Breakfast

From Paris, one can fly, hop on the TGV or drive to Agen. Discover the small street of that laid back city, lined with house still standing from the Middle Age. From there you can take a wonderful cruise on a Peniche (traditional boat that sails on the canal) all the way to the Mediteranean. This is life at its best, slow, with time for naps, great meals, for reflexion and appreciating the beauty of the countryside.

cruising on the Canal du Midi

Hope you enjoyed the tour. Would you like to visit? contact me.

A bientot,

Francine


See the home towns of By Invitation Only members

MARSHA HARRIS http://www.splenderosa.blogspot.com/ 

TISH JETT an American in France http://afemmeduncertainage.blogspot.com/ 

YVONNE PRATT USAhttp://stonegable.blogspot.com/ 

CHARLOTTA WARD in Sweden http://spaceforinspiration.blogspot.com/ 

GREET LEFEVRE in Belgium http://belgianpearls.blogspot.com/ 

CATHERINE ROBINSON in London http://www.catherinerobinsoncashmere.com/ 

ANNIE BOUTERSE USA http://plumsiena.blogspot.com/
COTY FARQUHAR in Australia http://cotyfarquhar.blogspot.com/
DEBORAH PETERSON between Houston & Scotland http://www.dumbwittellher.com/
DUSTJACKET ATTIC, Debra in Australia http://dustjacketattic.blogspot.com/
SHARI MILLER USA http://www.littlebluedeer.com/
TINA USA theenchantedhome@gmail.com http://theenchantedhome.blogspot.com/
MONA THOMPSON USA http://providenceltddesign.com/
JACQUELINE MUMFORD England http://home-biba.blogspot.com/
KARIN JANSKY France http://lapouyette-unddiedingedeslebens.blogspot.com
VICKI ARCHER an Australian in France http://frenchessence.blogspot.com/
CECILIA GONZALEZ Spain http://desdemventana.blogspot.com/
RENEE GRANIER & ANGELA FOSTER USA http://underspanishmoss.com/
LISA USA  http://amidprivilege.com
FRANCINE GARDNER a woman of the world in NYC http://interieurs.com blog
CHRISTINA FLUEGGE USA http://greigedesign.blogspot.com/
STACEY BEWKES USA http://quintessence.com
LEANN BROWN USAhttp://linenandlavender.blogspot.com/
LENE Norway http://theessenceofthegoodlife.blogspot.com/
SANDE CHASE Canada www.agiftwrappedlife.com
SHARON SANTONI France http://myfrenchcountryhome.blogspot.com/
KAREN MALAN UK Pas Grand-Chose Blog http://athousandmiles-k.blogspot
DEJA PSEU USA unefemme.net.
ISA CHANDLER http://isaslittleworld.blogspot.com/
VERONICA  www.tasselsandtwigs.blogspot.com  veronica clark