We have spent this week staying in rather unusual accommodation. Just out of Tours, is a small town named Rochecorbon. Once upon a time it was a much bigger place, there was a castle where Richard the Lionheart visited, there was a thriving silk weaving industry & there was an abbey. The material sourced for all these buildings was the limestone contained in the surrounding cliffs. The removing of the stone meant that there were caves perfectly suited for the growing of mushrooms & the storing of wine & even for living in. Homes were eventually built on the cliffs as well, & now most of these homes also have caves.
We are staying in this one. It is so heavily overgrown with plants that you cant see it very well, so let me take you up there...we do have to go up a few steps unfortunately!!
Past beautiful flowering hydrangeas we see the owners store-cave. Above it is a sign saying that these became caves in 1745.
Up the steps & around is our porch, where we have enjoyed sitting out sipping wine in the evenings.
And this is the entrance to the cave house! It is very dark, very quiet & very cool in there!
Just inside the door to the right is the original stone sink that was used to wash dishes. I was so relieved to see that the current owners have installed a modern kitchen as well!!
Deeper into the cave is the billiards room. Not quite up to the standard of the one at Azay-le-Rideau, but fun none the less. Although we have had to practise the art of stooping, as that ceiling is a tad low for us!!
We have had a wonderful 6 weeks in France, just meandering & enjoying the discovery of new sights & tastes & ideas. Tomorrow we start our flight back to Adelaide, so this will be my last travel blog for a while. Thanks for keeping us company & thanks to the many who have enjoyed the blogs & left comments .
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