This map hangs in the lounge. It centres on the area known as the Pays d'Auge which, literally translated, means 'Land of the trough' in reference to the gentle trough-shaped valleys of the area. The map also includes the flatter land of the Caen plain to the west of the river Dives, and the wooded valley of the Seine to the East.
The area between the Dives and Touques and its tributaries has a character all its own. La Folletière, of which Le Chatel is very typical of the Pays d'Auge scenery.....especially so as it is actually the source of one of its most important rivers.
La Folletiere-Abenon and La Source d'Orbiquet.
Approaching the house from the direction of Orbec will take you on a lovely drive down a quiet valley following the Orbiquet back to its Source. Along the way you will see evidence of how central the river has been to the prosperity and life of the area over many centuries. From the 'Lanquetot' cheese factory (making Camembert ) on the outer edge of town you meander past the meadows which were once allowed to flood to bathe them in the mineral-rich waters. This made the land very fertile, much prized and heavy cropping. You can still see the elaborate network of sluices in the fields. Now it is rich pasture land, and the river meanders gently through it. Herons and Egrets are a common sight.
Along the short drive you will see evidence of water wheels of various types for various uses. And overlooking it, with a mill of its own, is the Chateau of Friadel and its range of buildings going back to the 12th century, including its Dovecote. The river is still very powerful at its Source at the village of La Folletiere. It is the third most powerful spring in the whole of France and waterwheels are still in place barely twenty metres from where it emerges from under the rock. Now it is a lovely picnic area. Picnic tables allow walkers and familes to enjoy the beauty spot. The Church provides a picturesque backdrop and the Mairie is over the road. It is very much a rural community and there are no shops, however there is a small garden nursery in the village. The Source is on the route of many circular walks in the area.....and a network of lanes and paths takes you to our house without using the roads. (The lane that goes to our house continues into the woods and down into the valley.) Roe Deer, hares, wild boar, pine martens, red squirrels, lizards, wood-peckers etc can all be seen if you go quietly and keep your eyes open!
Orbec.
Market day in Orbec is Wednesday morning.
Orbec luckily escaped serious damage during WW2 and has many lovely old buildings. This is a view of part of the Grand Rue with a popular cafe in the background. There is a museum housed in the best example of colombage in the town, The Vieux Manoir. Wednesday morning (plus Sunday in summer) is market day. There are a variety of shops including a butcher, epicierie, several bakers and charcuterie etc in the main street plus a tourist information office.
The town has a budget supermarket and, up on the hill (take the Bernay road) is a large Carrefour. It has a petrol station .
Restaurants include the up-market Au Caneton, where Queen Elizabeth dined when visiting the Normandy bloodstock sales some years ago. There are cafes to suit every budget including an Italian restaurant.
There are excellent tennis courts (indoor and outdoor) available to hire from the tourist office, plus a riding stables next to them.
Its great fun to explore the back streets and alleyways, as well as the picturesque walk by the river that threads through the town. Much of the history is 'behind the scenes' either beside the river with its 'moulins' or up the hill ...where walls of the old chateau can still be distinguished in the fabric of later buildings, and the mushroom caves that gave shelter to thousands during the battle for Normandy in 1944 still produce their crop.
Honfleur....a must-see.
