We noticed the small town of Teyran the first day we arrived at our current housesit. Perched high on a hill in the distance and visible above the vineyards it beckoned us to come for a closer look. So, that's exactly what we did.
It's about a 40 minute walk one way to the outskirts and we had glorious springtime weather that made it all the more special. See that church at the top of the hill (above)? That's our destination. To get there we just kept the steeple in sight as we climbed the narrow streets.
Eventually we lost sight of the church, but continued to the very top of the hill.
We were awed by this huge building and after roaming around discovered it's actually a hotel called La Maison d'Isabelle. Click on the name to go to the website for a view of rooms and rates. It looks like a lovely spot.
I especially thought the view from this top balcony (with its own orange tree) would be worth every euro.
Still in search of the church we climbed the steps of La Maison d'Isabelle and found they led to a narrow street made all the more magical with tiny alleyways jutting off to the left and right.
Reaching the summit we couldn't believe our luck to not only come face to face with the church but to find the large double doors open.
Notice the rounded alter area above? Here's a view from the outside. I love how the town has just grown up and around it, using ever square inch of available space.
This next photo of a narrow pathway with door and arch incorporating the original town walls is actually part of a modern apartment building.
We continued through the doorway onto the street and were rewarded by a burst of colour.
Literally just around the corner was the old town square made even more picturesque by an antique Fiat car show being held that day.
While John admired the vehicles I couldn't take my eyes off the open window above the red car. No curtains, just beads and cherished items. Love it!
Opposite the cars was a motorcycle and bicycle collection.
But the piece de resistance was this boulangerie (bakery). There wasn't a window displaying the delicious goods, but the crowd outside suggested it would be worth a visit.
I went, ordered a baguette and then spotted some pretzels. These aren't the curly-cue ones we're familiar with. They were in the shape of a small baguette maybe 6 to 7 inches long and 1.5 to 2 inches wide. John said he didn't want any, but I coaxed him to have a bite. Next thing I know the pretzel's gone. GONE! I went back for a second and while I did share I kept my half safely out of reach of the Pretzel Monster. ;-)
Continuing along the street...
Past this mural on the exterior of a mediatheque (media library)...
To the left of the media library we discovered an outdoor market of sorts. Very small, and devoted to all things Italian. (Again, a special one-day event.)The pasta, cheese and antipasto looked amazing, but as we'd just invaded the boulangerie (twice) we showed a little restraint and bypassed its products. Then, we continued up the hill to the water tower. From here we admired the view of Jacou in the distance.
No longer in the old section of town we ambled past well-cared for homes. Unlike in Jacou the fences were not quite as tall or restrictive for taking photographs.
All that walking deserved a break so we stopped at a small outdoor cafe for a beverage...wine, of course. If we'd brought a bottle with us, however, we could have stopped in this lovely park instead. Ah, well, maybe next time!
Life. Is. Good.
