A walk in the woods

Tuesday, I was invited to spend All Saint's Day en famille, with F and her family (if you remember, she's the one who made me the delicious roast hen a few weeks ago). Of course I accepted, mostly because she and her family are simply wonderful, but the thought of her excellent cooking certainly had an influence, as well.

The day started at Lonlay l'Abbaye, where we went to mass. You may have seen their world-famous tea biscuits somewhere in the farmer's market or grocery store. I jumped at the chance to see this 11th-century Abbey, located in a tiny little town tucked behind rolling hills covered with the colours of autumn.

Afterwards, we drove around a bit, near the ruins at Domfront, and then headed back to the family's home in St. Cornier des landes. We shared a warm, hearty lunch of lentils simmered with carrots, onions, and sausage, and jarret de porc with potatoes, carrots, and onions (that would be a part of the pig I've NEVER eaten before... but it was pretty good, although I ate attempted to eat around the fat). Chocolate tart and a rustic tarte tatin, the French version of apple pie, completed the meal. Then we were out again, to explore the countryside a bit with some relatives of the family. F's family is wonderful. In the immediate family, there are two pre-teen daughters and two younger sons. To say that these children are well-behaved would be an understatement. They are sweet, sociable, and easy to relate to. Kind-of reminds me of my eldest sister's family.

We visited another abbey, this one the rather abandoned Blanche Abbaye.

It's a huge building, and for the last few years it has not been inhabited, because the religious community that was living there before could no longer afford to keep up the repairs. Rumour has it it's been sold, apparently to an American, for a symbolic 1 euro. (insert jealousy here)

What I loved most about it were the abandoned potager (kitchen garden) and verger (orchards).

After that, we crossed the street to explore the waterfalls located on a few hiking trails nearby. The smell of autumn permeated the woods: wet leaves and sunshine and a chill in the air. There were two waterfalls, aptly named La Grande Cascade (the Big Falls) and La Petite Cascade (the Little Falls).

Grande Cascade:

Petite Cascade:

We emerged from the woods into a small village, with the backdrop of autumn colours over the hills.

We then explored another old little village church, and finished our walk with a spectacular view of the sunset over the valley below, illuminated by a bright autumn moon.

Back at the family's home that evening, their sweet little cat snuggled up on my legs before dinner. He doesn't have a name, so I started calling him Tiger. The children sound really cute pronouncing this name with their French accents.

After a delicious dinner with warming soup, rillettes and sausage, green salad and a variety of cheeses, and baked apples from the family's own trees, F's husband gave me a jar of F's homemade apple jam, and then drove me back to the Foyer. Truly a wonderful day, and a testament to the warmth and generosity that I've experienced ever since I arrived here. I think I love the French more than ever before, if that was even possible.