On our weekend off at Chateau Ventenac, we spent one day in the nearest town – Narbonne, on the other we visited medieval town/castle Carcassonne. Narbonne is a busy little town with a beautiful town square containing an ancient Hotel de-ville (town-hall) and large cathedral. After buying treats at theContinue reading ” Narbonne and Carcassonne”
After our Italian holiday we got back to work in France. We had an overnight 12 hour bus ride out of Milan. It was pouring rain the entire time and the bus was full of characters but we managed to get some shut eye and arrived in Narbonne the following afternoon. We were picked upContinue reading “Château Ventenac”
We had 2 separate visits in Milan, both of them brief. But we made the best of our short times there. Our introduction to the city was by rather blindly scrambling off the tram upon seeing this huge beautiful building and being magnetically drawn through it’s marble arch-ways. To our surprise we found ourselves surroundedContinue reading “Milano”
After enjoying the gardens and home at Isola Madre we hop back on the ferry. Then over to the cute and colorful Isola Pescatori (Fisherman’s Island) for a delicious lunch. Then a quick jaunt over to Isola Bella… Where we toured the home and gardens of the Borromeo family… The home has an amazing grotto…Continue reading “The islands of Lago Maggiore”
Our second day on Lago Maggiore we had perfect weather! We bought ferry passes allowing us an entire day to visit all the ports the ferries go to. First stop Isola Madre. An island with a beautiful home surrounded by perfect gardens and exotic birds. White Peacocks and many colorful birds of all sizes andContinue reading “Isola Madre”
Next stop Lago Maggiore. After leaving the incredible Casa Scaparone and truffle obsessed town of Alba we drive to Verbania, Michael (our friend from the bay area who is graciously hosting and is showing us his favorite places) has an apartment there so we will stay there for the next few days. We arrive inContinue reading “Lago Maggiore, Botanical Gardens and Villa Taranto”
At the end of a very long tunnel out of France we were greeted with sunshine! Something we had come to miss during our stay in France. Although the French Alps may be as beautiful and majestic as their Italian counterparts, we couldn’t tell you because they were hemmed in by cold grey clouds. HereContinue reading “First taste of Italy”
This is the Medieval town of St. Genoux. A 30 minute walk from our temporary home in Burnand. A small but beautiful town with a natural spring that a French King considered the fountain of youth, so naturally he had a castle built there. All that is left of that castle is the dungeon towerContinue reading “St. Gengoux le National, our day off.”
For our second Workaway stay, we stayed in this incredible castle for 2 weeks. The oldest part of the place dates back to the 13th century and from the 15th century it served as a home for the Augustinian Monastic community for 250 years. Many centuries of owners brought the castle to what it looksContinue reading “Chateau de Burnand”
The second day in Lyon we only had a few hours before catching a ride share to our next workaway. We go to the sprawling, Parc de la Tete d’Or. It’s an easy walk from the apartment. It’s a cold gray day and we walk around the central lake and enter another section of theContinue reading “Lyon day 2”
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