Quirieu, France, Friday July 4th

The morning followed its usual course of study, blogging and talking. After lunch Yves took us for a walk up the hill behind the house. To get there we followed the village road a little way and then turned up a lane, lined with trees and wild flowers and with a branch, almost horizontal and forming a seat, available for those already weary. We were all carrying sticks at Yves’ suggestion, but I found that I was swinging mine in Charlie Chaplin style rather than using it for its intended purpose. It was also a hindrance for taking photos so I gave mine to Keith, who now looked as if he was trying to ski. The lane wound up through some open areas to the site of Medieval Quirieu, once an important town due to its position overlooking the Rhone River. There had been two castles here, with the remains of a tower from the larger first castle still allowing us to scan for invaders or anyone using the Rhone for purposes not approved by the Count. Yves said that sixty years ago there were substantial buildings here, which could have been restored, but now it is too late, with the effects of weather, time and people taking stones being too great. Nevertheless there is still a lot to see. A statue of Jesus with arms raised to encompass and protect the modern village and all before it, was placed on the hilltop in 1926. The Chapel of St Catherine now has only one wall with an arch in it, but photos show it to have been roofed and in use in recent times. We walked along the ancient main road of cobblestones and passed the second castle, which has a considerable amount of its walls and towers, albeit incomplete, still standing. Beside the partial walls of the castle, houses and other buildings, there were piles of stones and rubble. Apparently no-one is allowed to fossick around in, or tidy up the stones, because they may hold archaeological clues and most certainly there were other settlements on this site that have yet to be investigated. Universities send groups here each summer to do conservation work and to investigate further. The whole of France is a rich archaeological site, with almost every excavation, including digging for house foundations and vegetable gardens, unearthing rich finds. If reported, the site is photographed and documented, but unless it is something really special, the planned building goes ahead. We heard the story of a find of human bones, possibly Roman, being tossed to the dog. Following the lane downhill, we emerged in another spot in modern Quirieu, which is a small and picturesque village. Many buildings are of local stone, but many are more modern and of other materials. All the houses have gardens and seem to be very well cared for. There are lots of guard dogs; a product of the times when often no-one is at home in the day and the area is remote. We passed the communal oven, where celebrations are sometimes held and cooking is large scale. The well insulated fire box is filled with wood and heated over a long period of time, and then maintains its temperature for up to a day.

We spotted a couple of squirrels – one nearly black and one a reddish brown – as we passed through a treed area just before the house. It is so beautiful here and so green. There are villages close to this one and a town, Montalieu, with everything you could want, only about five kilometres away. The only traffic in Quirieu is local traffic, so it is quiet, safe and the perfect retreat from hustle and bustle.
Yves has planned his house to incorporate many energy saving features and one I am particularly impressed with is the cool cellar. I spent some time drawing our house with a plan for a cellar; a scheme which requires some actual knowledge of building to consider further. Anne-Marie arrived home and both she and Yves were on tenterhooks to find out how Annelise had gone in the Baccalaureate exams. At last the phone call came and she had passed, doing particularly well in Maths. A bottle of champagne was opened and the four of us celebrated the result. Annelise’s place in the course of her choice is now assured and a new phase will begin for the family, with no more school days and no children at home full-time.