another excursion, another rainy day... i'm beginning to believe it's impossible for our group to experience good weather in our travels. this fifth excursion was to the abbey of fontevraud, considered revolutionary for its placement of monks and nuns in the same establishment. napoleon I turned the abbey into a prison during his reign, though today it is a purely historic site.
the ceiling of the kitchen from the interior.
pretty architecture...
...pretty landscaping.
one of several lovely courtyards at the abbey.
les égouts (the sewers) of the abbey.
murals of religious life at the abbey. would you look at those ceilings?
the light-filled eighteenth century church.
isn't it incredible?
another courtyard at the abbey. i love the gridlike hedges!
the convergence of the loire and the vienne.
my host brother, paul, ready for his cotillion dance and me in the process of getting ready for carl's birthday party.
