Oh the Joy!
We get excited when it snows, Vanessa and I were excited to see snow predicted this week and when it fell we were treated to a winter wonderland! We have been in France for almost three years and this was our first proper snowfall as Ville Mayenne is in a weather Zone 8-9 and we are only 80m above sea level. I thought I would share some photos of the exciting event as two Australians run around excited like school children! And for the first time in my life I shovelled snow off a footpath......and today I am feeling it!
A view of l'hotel Montpinçon, across the road from us, my favourite view!
Built in 1666, the chateau originally stood outside the walls of the city and was built by the de la Dufferie family, purchased by the Montpinçon family then owned by the de Bourbel de Montpinçon until the revolution. After revolution by the de la Sarcus Family.
It has exquisite baroque interiors and wall tapestries painted by Italian artists in the 1740s. It has an extensive 18th century 3 hectare garden that is a listed monument historic with several hundred tree species from all over the world, including Australian species collected by Nicolas Baudin ( whose descendants still live in the place Cheverus)
One member of the family was Louis Auguste de Bourbel de Montpiçon who served with the Armee de Princes during the revolution in 1791-92, after 1797 returned to French service in time for Napoleon's expedition to Egypt. Was placed in the Maltese navy in command of a sloop, then after the disaster of Aboukir bay, was an lieutenant in the Légion Nautique, then ADC to General Baudot in Egypt, captain 26th Regiment of Chasseurs, 1811 Chef d'escadron 7th regiment Chasseurs a cheval, Major, then lt Colonel of the 7th regt Chasseur a Cheval. fought at Dennewitz, Leipzig (wounded) . 1822 lt Colonel d'Allier Chasseurs a cheval regiment, 1825 Colonel 10th Cuirassier.
L'Hotel de Hercé home of French Wargame Holidays, you can see the scale in comparison to the car of the window heights, the tower on top is the highest point in the city has great views of the city and the countryside.....from here the Prussian Uhlans were spotted chasing the retreating French Army after Le Mans.
Place Cheverus the centre of our square is also a monument historic along with a number of the maisons.
The statue of Jean Lefebvre de Cheverus, first Bishop of Boston in 1810. During the revolution he fled like many nobles to England, then onto America, he returned to France after the revolution was bishop of Montauban then Bordeaux.
A view from our second floor of the stables, carriage and servants quarters built in the Napoleonic Period about 1811.
Our Clapier, rabbit hutch in the garden.
cheers
Matt
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