The best troglo living space I’ve encountered is a B&B in Vouvray called La Bagatelle. They’ve installed a serious dehumidifier but even with that there are certain spots which remain a bit damp. With modern heating and lighting it certainly is easier, but it must always be a juggling act between comfort levels of heat and humidity and drying the stone out too much and causing rock falls. I can’t imagine how horrible they must have been in the old days (dark, damp, mouldy, smokey, dusty, smelly…yuk!)
The sooner all those little family run circuses disappear from France the better. Certainly they should be banned from having wild animals at the very least. They are a shame and a disgrace.
Rosemary Kneipp
August 19th, 2016 at 8:56 pm
Yes, I agree, it must have been awful. We had dinner in a troglodyte restaurant in Vouvray once. The food wasn’t wonderful but the room itself was fine despite the fact that it was cold and rainy outside. There is a “greeter” in Amboise who lives in a troglodyte house who is willing to show people around. It’s on my list.
This particular circus runs a sort of summer school for children which is quite common in France. I don’t know if there are large animals though. Most circuses these days seem to focus on acrobatics and small animals such as dogs. I agree about the large animals though.
I thought the circus you photographed looked smarter than most of the ones you see here. Circus school is really popular, especially during the summer hols. I reckon every kid in the neighbourhood here does circus school at least once. Of course it’s basically acrobatics/gymnastics. Circuses with domestic animals are fine, but my observation of the ones that come through here is that they all have wild animals in cages — lions and Bactrian camels being the favourites. Apparently they are doing so badly these days that they have taken to putting out a collection box for donations so they can feed the animals! The circuses you see on telly are a whole different matter, and nothing like the travelling circuses in rural France.
Rosemary Kneipp
August 20th, 2016 at 10:19 pm
From the France Info interview, it seems that the fact that there are so few towns with facilities to welcome them is a big problem because they quickly exhaust the local audience and can’t move on because there is nowhere to go. I think they are probably hugely outdated now anyway. More people have access to zoos which all have to meet modern standards and they can watch acrobatics on TV.
This really sounds like a brilliant day’s cycling. Time to see the sights and stop off for some very well-earned refreshments along the way. Love the look of that castle! #AllAboutFrance
Rosemary Kneipp
September 1st, 2016 at 10:15 pm
Yes, that is how we like to cycle. It’s not about how many kilometers we cover but how much we enjoy it.
Living underground is such an odd concept, I know I’d hate it, I’m far too claustrophobic, and love views, but I think it’s wonderful you got to see inside a house. I’m so impressed with all the cycling you do, I can barely ride a bike! (Actually it’s just so hilly around here that that’s my main problem). Following on from the conversation you’re having with Susan Walter there’s a huge travelling circus that comes once a year nearby. I lost count at 20 semi trailers parked around the big top and over 50 caravans/motorhomes but what really upset me was seeing 5 large elephants in a tiny tent kicking the dust and swaying in boredom. It’s so wrong these days! Thanks for linking up to #AllAboutFrance I always enjoy reading about your trips.
Rosemary Kneipp
September 1st, 2016 at 10:19 pm
Jean Michel loves telling the story of my first bike after we met. It was a Dutch bike and he was convinced I’d never ride it more than a couple of kilometers. I built up my skills and endurance gradually and I am so glad I persevered. It’s such a wonderful way to visit a country. You just need an electrically-assisted bike for the hills. We’re seriously looking into it as our knees get older.
How sad about the elephants. I agree that it’s wrong to keep large elements under such terrible conditions. Yet France has such strict laws about zoos.
You have some great photos — especially those of the ruined aqueduct, which looks almost abstract. We’ve driven past many of the troglodytic sites and wandered what it must be like inside, so your post was a great insight into that very distinctive French subculture.
Rosemary Kneipp
September 1st, 2016 at 10:26 pm
Thanks, Richard. It was quite amazing coming upon the aqueduct.
I’m going to try and visit a couple more troglodyte homes, making sure that I can photograph the inside as well. It really is fascinating as they are so widespread here.
What a fantastic cycle and great photos. I love visiting places on bikes, somehow it just makes it all that little bit more special, rather than just getting back in a car, glad you found a tea room though, refreshments sounded as if they were certainly needed! We just had friends staying who cycled from Dielette, at the top of the Cherbroug Peninsula all the way down to us in the Charente Maritime, they said it was the best holiday they’ve ever had and are quite hooked!
I’m always stunned at the hundreds of thousands of years of history that are around every corner in France – especially compared to the US, where historical means at least 100 years old!
I want to go see the troglodytes, now. They remind me of Capadocia in Turkey where there are a lot of lava formations and people have carved dwellings into them. It was an amazing landscape – now I need to go see the French version. However, I’ll leave the pedalling to those more fit than I am. Thanks!
From #AllAboutFrance
We seem to get a lot of travelling circuses round here in Normandy and I hate seeing their sad animals. I have never been and refuse to let the boys go but they do still seem popular.
Moving onto your bike road though it looks absolutely wonderful with so much to discover along the way. I’d never make it all the way round as I’d want to stop longer at each interesting place -and you certainly saw lots of those. Lovely post for #AllAboutFrance
Rosemary Kneipp
September 13th, 2016 at 3:08 am
That’s the great thing about a bike – you can always cut the journey short!
Saint-Etienne’s church is a real beauty.
Troglodyte living is quite out of my experience!
I thought it was lovely too.
The best troglo living space I’ve encountered is a B&B in Vouvray called La Bagatelle. They’ve installed a serious dehumidifier but even with that there are certain spots which remain a bit damp. With modern heating and lighting it certainly is easier, but it must always be a juggling act between comfort levels of heat and humidity and drying the stone out too much and causing rock falls. I can’t imagine how horrible they must have been in the old days (dark, damp, mouldy, smokey, dusty, smelly…yuk!)
The sooner all those little family run circuses disappear from France the better. Certainly they should be banned from having wild animals at the very least. They are a shame and a disgrace.
Yes, I agree, it must have been awful. We had dinner in a troglodyte restaurant in Vouvray once. The food wasn’t wonderful but the room itself was fine despite the fact that it was cold and rainy outside. There is a “greeter” in Amboise who lives in a troglodyte house who is willing to show people around. It’s on my list.
This particular circus runs a sort of summer school for children which is quite common in France. I don’t know if there are large animals though. Most circuses these days seem to focus on acrobatics and small animals such as dogs. I agree about the large animals though.
I thought the circus you photographed looked smarter than most of the ones you see here. Circus school is really popular, especially during the summer hols. I reckon every kid in the neighbourhood here does circus school at least once. Of course it’s basically acrobatics/gymnastics. Circuses with domestic animals are fine, but my observation of the ones that come through here is that they all have wild animals in cages — lions and Bactrian camels being the favourites. Apparently they are doing so badly these days that they have taken to putting out a collection box for donations so they can feed the animals! The circuses you see on telly are a whole different matter, and nothing like the travelling circuses in rural France.
From the France Info interview, it seems that the fact that there are so few towns with facilities to welcome them is a big problem because they quickly exhaust the local audience and can’t move on because there is nowhere to go. I think they are probably hugely outdated now anyway. More people have access to zoos which all have to meet modern standards and they can watch acrobatics on TV.
My mind, not my legs, is spinning with wonder at all you saw on this cycle. Thank you for taking me.
This really sounds like a brilliant day’s cycling. Time to see the sights and stop off for some very well-earned refreshments along the way. Love the look of that castle! #AllAboutFrance
Yes, that is how we like to cycle. It’s not about how many kilometers we cover but how much we enjoy it.
Living underground is such an odd concept, I know I’d hate it, I’m far too claustrophobic, and love views, but I think it’s wonderful you got to see inside a house. I’m so impressed with all the cycling you do, I can barely ride a bike! (Actually it’s just so hilly around here that that’s my main problem). Following on from the conversation you’re having with Susan Walter there’s a huge travelling circus that comes once a year nearby. I lost count at 20 semi trailers parked around the big top and over 50 caravans/motorhomes but what really upset me was seeing 5 large elephants in a tiny tent kicking the dust and swaying in boredom. It’s so wrong these days! Thanks for linking up to #AllAboutFrance I always enjoy reading about your trips.
Jean Michel loves telling the story of my first bike after we met. It was a Dutch bike and he was convinced I’d never ride it more than a couple of kilometers. I built up my skills and endurance gradually and I am so glad I persevered. It’s such a wonderful way to visit a country. You just need an electrically-assisted bike for the hills. We’re seriously looking into it as our knees get older.
How sad about the elephants. I agree that it’s wrong to keep large elements under such terrible conditions. Yet France has such strict laws about zoos.
You have some great photos — especially those of the ruined aqueduct, which looks almost abstract. We’ve driven past many of the troglodytic sites and wandered what it must be like inside, so your post was a great insight into that very distinctive French subculture.
Thanks, Richard. It was quite amazing coming upon the aqueduct.
I’m going to try and visit a couple more troglodyte homes, making sure that I can photograph the inside as well. It really is fascinating as they are so widespread here.
What a fantastic cycle and great photos. I love visiting places on bikes, somehow it just makes it all that little bit more special, rather than just getting back in a car, glad you found a tea room though, refreshments sounded as if they were certainly needed! We just had friends staying who cycled from Dielette, at the top of the Cherbroug Peninsula all the way down to us in the Charente Maritime, they said it was the best holiday they’ve ever had and are quite hooked!
I’m always stunned at the hundreds of thousands of years of history that are around every corner in France – especially compared to the US, where historical means at least 100 years old!
I want to go see the troglodytes, now. They remind me of Capadocia in Turkey where there are a lot of lava formations and people have carved dwellings into them. It was an amazing landscape – now I need to go see the French version. However, I’ll leave the pedalling to those more fit than I am. Thanks!
From #AllAboutFrance
so beautiful! #allaboutfrance
I would love to ride in this place one day 🙂
It’s a wonderful ride!
We seem to get a lot of travelling circuses round here in Normandy and I hate seeing their sad animals. I have never been and refuse to let the boys go but they do still seem popular.
Moving onto your bike road though it looks absolutely wonderful with so much to discover along the way. I’d never make it all the way round as I’d want to stop longer at each interesting place -and you certainly saw lots of those. Lovely post for #AllAboutFrance
That’s the great thing about a bike – you can always cut the journey short!