villandry

i already posted about this adventure on my main blog but the pictures are so pretty and the experience so unforgettable i just had to share the rest.

there was lots of this on the first leg of our trip. french maps are not as straightforward as they ought to be!

there were lots of bike breakdowns (thank you, rental shop!).

but it was all worth it when we arrived here.

and had the castle and the gardens to ourselves to revel in the sunshine and take these pretty pictures.

super cool moats. i love them!

our first glimpse of the gardens. the 18 mile bike ride was worth it!

alice in wonderland-esque gardens.

happy valentine's day!

absolutely breathtaking.

reflecting pool and lots of topiaries.

i couldn't help but imagine a wedding or some other festivity taking place in this waterside venue.

adam and valerie (fellow sole survivors of the bike trip) at the entrance to the hedge maze... a little anticlimactic considering we could see through the hedges.

the castle and my favorite — the moat.

the little french woman who complimented us on our french, served us coffee, and rescued us from having to make the return trip in the dark. such an adventure!