DAY TWELVE
LA SOUTERRAINE – VILLEFAVARD
Again
I sneak into your garden
To eat aronia berries
(please keep yourself hidden
until I go away)
Ryokan
La Souterraine got its name from the crypt underneath the 12th Century
Romanesque church. Even before the Romans settled here, the Celtic people
venerated Sosterranea, the Goddess of the earth, at this place. Unfortunately,
the crypt was closed due to renovation. Therefore, I had time to wander around
through the town before the shuttle was to pick me up for Villefavard.
Market beside the church
Porte Saint-Jean, 13th century
Ferme Villefavard is a farm founded in the middle of the 19th century by a Swiss
Huguenot Family. It is now a center for all kinds of artistic and creative disciplines –
mainly music, dance, theatre and also for creative writing. When I arrived,
I immediately loved the place. It had a lot of similarities with the farm I grew up
on in Austria.
The barn of the farm, now transformed into a performance hall
In the right corner of the huge courtyard, there were two little Zen gardens. This was
my favorite place to stay.
Rock garden of Villefavard
Walkway from “La Solitude” to the farm
Beside rooms in the farm building, there were different houses where guests could
stay.
I stayed in a house called “La Solitude.” In the living room, there was black grand
piano where I loved playing my own music notes at times when nobody could hear
me.
Chateau
La Solitude
Living room of “La Solitude” with the Steinway piano
At the farm, only a few people were present. Trains were on strike and many
participants got stuck in Paris. For me, this day was a day to rest and adjust to
a new environment.
– Text and photos contributed by Garyo –