This time, a fast auto-route with stunning, mountainous views through part of the French and Italian Alps to the north east of Lyon, straight in and out of the very long Fréjus Tunnel (over 8 miles, to be pretty exact!) and you are in Italy.

At the end of July we journeyed over to our friends, Mike and Pauline Wright, and their grandson, Max, in the little village of Cerré Marabino near Toano, close to the main township of Reggio Emilia, Northern Italy – an hour or so from Milan.

Great mountainous countryside with stunning panoramic views around every corner !

Also very near to Parma, this is a region famous for, of course, parma ham and parmesan cheese. And not far from their village is an amazing, family-run delicatessen, and wine boutique called Ferrarini’s. You just have to go in and fill your wicker basket, which they provide as you go in. It is an ‘Aladdin’s Cave’ of goodies – very difficult to resist ! So, don’t !!

Begun in an ancient villa set in ‘classic’ Italian countryside, among green hills in Reggio Emilia, Ferrarini’s, an historically very succesful family business, was established in 1956, primarily as a speciality cooked ham producer. Now they provide a whole range of high quality Italian products, including  cheeses, preserves, wine, vinegars, and much more, and is a wonderful source of regional delicacies. They are a major group operation now with their own extensive range of branded goods.

Ferrarini’s in Italy

There is no doubt, when in Italy, you eat and drink very well, indeed !

During our few days stay we also went to Mantua, a very attractive medieval city, with a typical Italianesque ‘old empire’ style, with old merchant houses, and a slightly decadent ‘feel’. A beautiful place, full of history, architecture, and some excellent restaurants.
Mantua (Italian: Màntova ) is a city and commune in Lombardy Italy and capital of the province of the same name. Mantua’s historic power and influence under the Gonzaga family made it one of the main artistic, cultural, and notably, musical hubs of Northern Italy and the whole country itself.

Mantua is noted for its significant role in the history of opera and the city is known for its several architectural treasures and artifacts, elegant palaces( palazzi) and its medieval and Renaissance cityscape.

Mantua is surrounded on three sides by artificial lakes created during the 12th century. These receive the waters from the River Mincio which descends from Lake Garda. The three lakes are called Lago Superiore, Lago di Mezzo, and Lago Inferiore.

Well worth a visit !

Our Italian sojourn did not stop there, though. We also managed a short visit to the remarkable town of Carpi.

Another superb historical place in the Emillia-Romagna region of northern Italy, north of Modena city.

Carpi is distinguished by its great piazza, in fact, the largest in the region. Notable landmarks also include the Renaissance town hall, formerly the castle of the Pio family, lords of Carpi from 1319 to 1525; the cathedral (begun 1514), with a Baroque facade (1667); the Romanesque church of St. Maria in Castello, or La Sagra (altered 1515); the former cathedral, with a Romanesque campanile (1217–21).

Our visits to this part of Northern Italy are always a delight, and we just adore the gastronomc pleasures to be found in this beautiful country. We are glad our friends, Mike and Pauline, have chosen to live there, and we are extremely grateful for the opportunity it has given us to see the sights, and enjoy the wonderful cuisine amongst some absolutely stunning countryside. I think we will be putting them in the diary again for next year !!

Ciao!

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Upward and onward we go on our sensational journey through Barcelona,
sampling its myriad exquisite delights – in glorious sunshine from stunning scenery
and amazing architecture to gastronomic pleasures and fabulous art.

Montjuic, in particular is a spectacular vantage point from which to view the city. It has a wealth of art galleries and museums, too, including the Fundacio Joan Miro.

The bizarre art, sculpture, and imagery of Miro is quite amazing, and the garden roof terrace is a stunning location within the unusual retro-bauhaus-style building where some of his colourful sculptures are presented.  Fundació Joan Miró

Many of the buildings in Montjuic were designed for the 1929 International

Exhibition, and the 1992 Olympics were held on its southern slopes.

We managed to reach the heady heights of Montjuic via cable car all the way to Castell de Montjuic overlooking the Mediterranean on one side and the city far below on the other. A magnificent place.

Our, ‘more on-the-ground’ experiences included a visit to the renowned Bar Mut.
a quality, but unassuming bar-café on the upper edges of the Eixample, close to the Avinguda Diagonal.

The Spanish word ‘Simpatico’ sums up this brilliant bar, where an original interior of old hydraulic tiles and a white marble-topped bar snaking around the room combines with a jazz-tinged soundtrack to create a winning atmosphere.

Most Spanish bars provide some kind of ’tasties’, and this one is no exception: plates of seafood, rice dishes, and excellent tinned conservas complement the 200-plus wines in the glass-fronted vitrina.
A highly popular establishment, so when we arrived we were lucky to find a perfect central spot on high stools at the bar where we could take in the vista, and gaze at all the city locals at luncheon.

My wife, Lucy, much to her slight horror, noticed that most of the sea creatures on the menu were still wriggling about under curved glass vitrina on the bar!

We had and excellent meal in extremely convivial, casual, but quality surroundings.

The Old Town, traversed by the city’s most famous avenue. La Rambla, is one of the most extensive medieval city centres in Europe. The Barri Gotic contains the cathedral and a maze of streets and squares. Across from the Via Laietana, the El Born neighbourhood is dominated by the Santa Maria del Mar church and is replete with 14th -century mansions.

The seemingly decadent, narrow, and graffitty-ridden streets ooze a nostalgia of empire past, but this area is becoming a trendier and more revitalized place with new, young businesses and apartments being developed and renovated.

The fabulous Museu Picasso is one of the many special attractions of this area.

This very popular museum is housed in five adjoining medieval palaces on Carrer Montcada: Berenguer d’Aguilar, Baro de Castellet, Mec, Mauri and Finestres. The museum opened in 1963 showing works donated by Jaime Sabartes, a friend of Picasso.
There are over 3000 of his pieces from the early period of his art. Fascinating!   The Picasso Museum, Barcelona

Barcelona is a fun, exciting place with plenty to catch the eye around every corner.

We will certainly be making plans for another visit in the future, and can heartily recommend the place to all – Adéu!

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The Pure Art Gallery

I can truly and seriously recommend this journey. The wonderful and exciting, Barcelona, really needs no great introduction – it is a fantastic place!

It is well-written by persons more adept than myself that there are few places so redolent with history, few so boldly modern, than Barcelona. Animated and inspired, it is a city that sparkles as much at night-time as in the full light of day. It is famous for its main avenue, La Rambla, for its bars, its museums and its enthusiasm for life.

Our family voyage started from our base in the medieval hill village of Perreux, and as my previous blog editorials have explained, we purposely took 2 days to travel to Barcelona, the capital of the autonomous region of Catalonia – stopping off at Carcassonne, Figueres, and Cadaques.

It was a very hot and sunny period during this July when we eventually arrived during
late evening at our well-chosen accommodation – The Hotel Jazz.
Absolutely perfectly placed in the heart of the city, 5 minutes walk from the famous La Rambla, and complete with very convenient under ground car parking, where we were very happy to leave our car untouched and undriven for the next 4 days!

A glassy ultra-modern hotel near the Plaça de Catalunya, offering better than its 3-star rating would suggest..

Absolutely perfectly placed in the heart of the city, 5 minutes walk from the famous La Rambla, and complete with very convenient under ground car parking, where we were very happy to leave our car untouched and undriven for the next 4 days!

Plus a bonus of a rooftop swimming pool, complete with sun deck, lounge bar, and pool-side service – truly remarkable for a 3-star establishment. And we got a junior suite thrown in for our reservation of 4 nights rather than just 3 !

I can thoroughly recommend this place, but expect prices may go up next year for such an amazing quality.

After dropping off our bags we were out on the streets, and after a short wander down La Rambla, we found our first of many Tapas bars. It did not take us long to settle into the lifestyle of this fascinating city..

There is, of course, no shortage of information about Barcelona available on the internet and elsewhere, so you certainly do not need a major run-down on this great city from me.

However, we definitely covered alot of ‘ground’ while we were there for our 4-night stay.

La Rambla, goes without saying really, and is a ’must’ for a wander, so is Port Vell (Barcelona’s marina) and all the restaurants along the quai-side, great for alfresco dining and watching the world go by while you sip chilled beer.

Our 9 year old son definitely appreciated all the big boats on show, along with a visit to L’aquarium Barcelona ( an excellent place for 2 or 3 hours).

We did a lot of walking, and used taxis quite a few times rather than the very crowded tourist buses – it was exceedingly hot and sunny, but very enjoyable with plenty to see .

You are surrounded by art and architecture everywhere – both ancient and modern. Despite its obvious contemporary flavour there is an ‘old empire’ feel about the place which adds to its excitement.
Antoni Gaudi  pervades virtually the whole of the city’s culture, and you cannot miss visiting most of the key places, such as the phenomenal Sagrada Familia (a temple and Cathedral combined).

We also found time to visit the basement area where there is a fascinating detailed history of the architectural and construction over the last 130 years or more.

An incredible place, an amazing ‘work in progress’!

In the Eixample area Casa Milà and Casa Batlló can easily be viewed while you appreciate the upmarket shops and cafes of the Quadrat d’Or (Gold Quarter)

Further afield on a hillside above Barcelona there is the wonderful and magical, Parc Güell. The layout of this park, originally commissioned in 1910 by a rich industrialist, Eusebio Güell, but never finally completed, is loosely based on the Sanctuary of Apollo at Delhi, and Gaudi makes ingenious use of the contours to create arcades and viaducts of natural stone. The most striking features of the park, however, are those covered with ‘trencadis’ – mosaics made up of broken tiles – which are largely the work of the architect Josep Maria Jujol.

There is a huge collection of Gaudi’s work to see, but you need to be selective on a short visit. We had other artists and creators to see, including a visit to the Museu Picasso, and the Fundació Joan Miró.

I will cover these visits, and more, in my next Barcelona blog. Well, you can’t cover such a wondrous place, and such a fantastic family visit, in just one editorial piece !

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Especially with the yearly ‘Fun Car’ event in Perreux. ‘Petrol head’ excitement amongst the roaring engines, grating gears, diesel fumes and smoke!

All part of the spectacular day on a farm in the countryside near the medieval village of Perruex in the Roannais, Rhône-Alpes. The battered and basic ‘fun’ or ‘stock’ cars, as they are called, came in all colours, shapes, and sizes. There was certainly plenty of action and drama!

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A delightful stop-over in Carcassonne, and then onward (or, I should say, downward) towards Barcelona. Conveniently enroute with just a slight, but pleasant detour, and you are in Figueres, Dali’s birthplace, hometown, and the impressive grand homage and dedication to his life and art in the incredible form of the surrealistically magnificent Dali Theatre Musée. An absolute ‘must-see’ if you are travelling in the vicinity. Truly remarkable !!

Just a few kilometres further on, and a careful drive over some exceptionally impressive, rocky, and stunningly beautiful hillsides (reminiscent of some of the landscapes in Dali’s famous paintings), you eventually wind down to the simple white buildings and seascape of Cadaqués – the sleepy fishing village and house (Casa Dali) where Dali and his wife, Gala, spent most of their time together (almost 60 years !), and where he conceived, created and produced most of his renowned works. The house is fascinating and bizarre, of course, and in a beautiful setting overlooking the bay, and with beautiful gardens.

But first, Figueres and the magnificent Dali Theatre-Musée.

The Dalí Theatre-Museum is, without doubt, one of the historical milestones that has left the greatest mark on the character of Figueres.  It is situated in the old municipal theatre, and has become one of the main cultural places to see in the city.

Designed by Dali, himself, it holds an important exhibition, which, through numerous works, allows you to take a trip through his life and artistic career -  the man considered a master of Surrealism. The site was extended with the Torre Galatea, where the artistic genius died.

Another two museums complete Figueres’ wide cultural offer: the Catalan Toy Museum, which exhibits an interesting collection of toys from different periods and the Empordà Museum, where you can penetrate the history and art of the county.

All this will contribute to uncovering a town with a deep Catalan nature, as demonstrated by its being the home of the sardana, the typical Catalan dance.

The excellent location of Figueres enables you to make interesting trips throughout the county.

On the coast are picturesque places like Colera, a seaside village which has beautiful beaches like Garvet and Els Morts; Llançà, with a lively marina; Cadaqués, home of the Salvador Dalí House-Museum, and Port de la Selva, where the Romanesque monastery of Sant Pere de Rodes is located.

To the south of Cap de Creus is Roses, which preserves remains of the ancient Greek colony of Rhode, and Castelló d’Empuries, where the church of Santa María (10th C.) is outstanding.

This part of the Costa Brava has large protected areas. In the Gulf of Roses is the Aiguamolls de l’Empordà Natural Park, an important ecological reserve and refuge for water birds. For its part, the Cap de Creus Natural Park is an excellent place from a natural point of view and a clear example of the appearance of the Costa Brava.

The cuisine of Figueres combines raw materials from the sea and the mountains. From the nearby coast come fish, which are served boiled, baked, grilled or in sauce. Other recipes, like chicken or rabbit with spiny lobster and beef with vegetables, wild mushrooms or fruits, are also typical. To accompany these, you can choose any of the excellent wines and cavas labelled under the Ampurdán-Costa Brava Denomination of Origin.

Cadaques and Casa Dali

It was cactus hot when we reached Cadaques, after an incredible winding drive up an over the craggy hillside of multi-coloured rocks and olives growing out of the burnt earth. This was certainly Dali’s country. You could feel the presence of the man. Memories of his desolate and paranoic-surrealistic landscapes flooded into my brain. I was in Dali’s realm, at last!

At the head of Cadaqués bay rises the network of narrow cobbled streets and white houses making up the old town.

Above the outline of the town, the image of the church of Santa María, a carefully restored church with a white façade, stands out, housing a magnificent Baroque style reredos. Modernist architecture, for its part, has left its distinctive imprint on some of the most notable buildings in the town, like the Casa Serinyena.

During the first decades of the 20th century, the town became an important European cultural centre. Many leading artists, like Picasso, Chagall and Klein, found their particular source of inspiration in this beautiful corner of the province of Gerona.

However, it was Salvador Dalí who gave Cadaqués international fame. The artistic genius spent long periods here during his childhood as well as establishing his home there.

His house-musuem, beside Port Lligat bay, to the north of the town, enables you to get to know part of the extensive work of this master of Surrealism.

The wide cultural offerance of Cadaqués ranges from its many museums and art galleries, like the Municipal Art Museum, which exhibits works by artists who maintained close links with Cadaqués, or the Perrot-Moore Museum, which brings together works of European graphic art, without forgetting the now traditional International Music Festival, which is held annually in the church of Santa María.

There is no doubt that in the very early days of Dali’s life the little fishing village of Cadaques was incredibly remote (it still is, in some sense) and a very small, traditional, isolated place. Dali and his wife Gala lived here together for over 50 years. Now it is still white buildings and pleasant, despite more tourism.

Their house, made up of a series fishing huts, renovated and converted over a number of years, is also surprisingly very simple, but stunning, and although there is a typical Daliesque quirkiness to the place it also has a very homely ‘feel’, and a woman’s ‘touch’ is ever-present.

There is plenty to feast the eyes, and a permeating playfulness which is pure Dali in most of the rooms. The gardens and swimming pool areas have a definite surrealistic personality, and Dali’s presence can really be felt everywhere.

It is a wonderful place, and reflects their long marital relationship – Dali and his muse, Gala. It was a privilege to enter their personal domain, and, to be fair, somewhat of an intrusion. But I loved it all ! Particularly his studio with his multitude of objects, artist’s paraphernalia, paint brushes, and where one of his last unfinished paintings still sits on his easel. His chair in position, as he always preferred painting sitting down. A poignant reminder of his ongoing creativity, but also his, and our own, mortality.

Probably not suited to everyone, but I certainly recommend a visit. The whole area has a wholesomeness about it, and, of course, if you are into Dali you are definitely enjoying and experiencing his own beloved landscape, rocks, sea, and Spanish traditionalism.

www.salvador-dali.org

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The Pure Art Gallery

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Excellent autoroute networks throughout the above regions make driving holidays very easy and convenient, and, of course, there are lots of interesting places to visit and stop-over for the night to break the journey.

On our route to Carcassonne you also get the chance to cross the absolutely breathtaking Pont Millau, the new suspension bridge designed by British architect, Norman Foster, and built by the same company which constructed the Eiffel Tower.  Successful Anglo-French co-operation at its very best !

So, from the Roannais in the Rhône-Alpes the beautiful Medieval city of Carcassonne is less than 4 hours drive away. The autoroute is excellent.

Our holiday voyage was part of  a 6-day break which we made enroute to the vibrant city of Barcelona, and which included a stop-over in Figueres to visit the brilliant Dali Theatre-Museum, and a day trip to Salavador Dali’s house in the old fishing village of Cadaqués. A great experience.

So more to come on all this in my next series of blogs.

Meanwhile, our first visit (it will not be our last !) to Carcassonne was absolute magic. The ancient fortified city and castle of Carcassonne is stunning. Luckily the normally huge numbers of tourists were at a minimum when we arrived, so we were able to walk around with ease, and take in all the medieval wonders. Full of traditional, old French character, and incredible buildings and architecture.

Carcassonne is a fortified French town in the Aude department of France.
It is separated into the fortified Cité de Carcassonne and the more expansive lower city, and main township. The folk etymology – involving a châtelaine named Carcas, a ruse ending a siege and the joyous ringing of bells (“Carcas sona”) – though memorialized in a neo-Gothic sculpture of Madame Carcas on a column near the Narbonne Gate, is of modern invention. The fortress, which was thoroughly restored in 1853 by the theorist and architect Eugène Viollet-le-Duc, was added to the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites in 1997.

There is obviously so much about the ancient history of Carcassonne which is interesting, so if you google ‘Carcassonne’, you’ll be sure to find it !

We spent the whole day there, strolling around the narrow, medieval streets of the ancient city, visiting the amazing castle, and walking along its fortified ramparts with stunning panoramic views across the lower township and countryside.

Afterward we discovered a superb restaurant for lunch, with a table situated in dappled sunlight under ancient olive trees, set in medieval surroundings oozing age-old history. A perfect time. A beautiful place !

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Next stop : Salvador Dali’s Country – His Theatre-Musée in Figueres, and his house in Cadaqués. So look out for our blog enroute to Barcelona !

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Jean-Marc is treated to a traditional ‘fish n’ chips’ supper, and continues to consume even greater quantities of traditional English ale with great enthusiasm ( Well, you need to after all the rambling about we were doing !)

To set the scene a little, The Lake District, also known as The Lakes or Lakeland, is a mountainous region in North West England. A popular holiday destination, it is famous for its lakes and its mountains (or fells), and its associations with the early 19th century poetry and writings of William Wordsworth and the Lake Poets, along with the famous children’s story-book writer, Beatrix Potter.

The central, and most visited, part of the area is contained in the Lake District National Park, the largest of fifteen National Parks in the United Kingdom. It lies entirely within Cumbria, and is one of England’s few mountainous regions. All the land in England higher than three thousand feet above sea level lies within the National Park, including Scafell Pike, the highest mountain in England. It also contains the deepest and longest lakes in England.

You can walk, cycle and splash about in the beautiful Lake District to your heart’s content. With more than 3,500 kilometres of rights of way and 12 of the largest lakes in England, there’s something for everyone! And we certainly did a lot of walking and climbing over the 3 days we were there.

We were based in Bowness-on-Windermere in a traditional, and somewhat qaint guesthouse called ‘Blenheim Lodge’. Comfortable and welcoming with a good hearty English breakfast every morning – you can’t beat it!

The aim here, of course, apart from enjoying the Lake district in its own right, was to explore some of its walks, and mountain scenery. And for me, it was an exceptional experience eyond the normal family visit to the region, and normally heavily visited touristic parts. I also wanted to show Jean-Marc another face of England – its rugged beauty amongst the lakes, valley’s, and mountains. He had always wanted to visit The Lake District, and go walking there – this is exactly what we did! He was a very, very happy man!

You cannot go walking on the fells of The Lake District without some recourse to ‘Wainwright’

Alfred (“A.W.”) Wainwright MBE (17 January 1907 – 20 January 1991) was a British fellwalker, guidebook author and illustrator. His seven-volume Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells, published between 1955 and 1966 and consisting entirely of reproductions of his hand-written manuscript, has become the standard reference work to 214 of the fells of the English Lake District. Among his 40-odd other books is the first guide to the Coast to Coast Walk, a 192-mile long-distance footpath devised by Wainwright which remains popular today.

On one of our  gloriously sunny days Jean-Marc and I reached new pinnacles of personal achievement, and followed “A.W.” up to the top of Scafell Pike, England’s highest mountain at 3,210 ft (978 m)

There is no doubt that this part of our trip around England was the most awe-inspiring, and the stunning countryside and sunshine combined made the ‘outdoor’ experience one to remember forever. It certainly could not have been a better time for Jean-Marc to visit the natural wonders of this beautiful part of England.

Our experience was made even more enjoyable, because we also met up with my good friend, John Clough, another artist and lover of country walks.

We met up enroute and John stayed with us for a couple of days, and we had a great time together.

Our ramblings on the local country paths, through woodland, and over fells included a great journey around Grasmere, and a delightful walk around Coniston from Tarn Howes.

On our last day, Jean-Marc and I had decided to be even more adventurous, and go for the ‘Big One’. We aimed to climb the infamous Scafell Pike. In my view, a virtually life-changing experience ! The weather was perfect with clear blue sky, no wind, and we both felt energised after our previous walking expeditions – we were certainly ‘Up’ for it !

After a long, breathtaking, and somewhat scary drive over the Wrynose pass to our ‘base-camp’ at the seemingly massive and brooding mountain slopes of Scafell, we eventually started our ascent. We were guided by Wainright, along with a little help from some other climbers that we had befriended. Our ascent was from Wasdale Head, and we took the steep route through the Mickledore gap. It was a long, arduous, and very hot climb. There were several times when I thought we had taken on more than we could hack. However, the idea of achieving such a special climb to the top of the highest mountain in England kept us going, and the views around us, and the valleys below were absolutely mind-boggling. When we hit the snow-filled gullies and slopes higher up we felt like real mountaineers even though it wasn’t the Alps or Himalayas.

We certainly had to climb and scramble over this lump of Lakeland granite to get to its pinnacle, and the sense of achievement was remarkable – we felt like little heroes! We thoroughly deserved the picnic we had at the top. The descent was certainly no ‘picnic’ though, and in its own way was almost as difficult as going up. By the time we eventually got back to Bowness again we definitely needed a couple of well-deserved pints of real ale. Wow! What a day!! What a trip !

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Part 8 :  The final part of  ‘Our Man from the Roannais in England’ series (I hear gasps of relief !) will follow shortly. This time a visit to Liverpool – the home of the Beatles!

So, we begin by arriving in Saddleworth ‘hot foot’ from our wanderings around the pastures of Chatsworth House in Derbyshire, and the brilliant Yorkshire Sculpture Park.

Saddleworth

Saddleworth lies to the west of the principal Pennine watershed.  Historically, a Township in the Agbrigg Wapentake of the West Riding of Yorkshire; Saddleworth was, however, a Chapelry within the parish of Rochdale until 1869 when it achieved parish status.  Although still part of the historic County of Yorkshire, Saddleworth is now part of the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham.

]]> http://blog.purefrancenow.com/purefrancenow/part-6-our-man-from-the-roannais-in-david-hockneys-england/feed/ 0 http://blog.purefrancenow.com/fun/part-5-our-man-from-the-roannais-at-chatsworth-and-the-yorkshire-sculpture-park-by-brian-franklin/ http://blog.purefrancenow.com/fun/part-5-our-man-from-the-roannais-at-chatsworth-and-the-yorkshire-sculpture-park-by-brian-franklin/#comments Wed, 09 Jun 2010 12:47:51 +0000 purefrancenow http://blog.purefrancenow.com/?p=1742 Here we go again, I’m afraid, continuing our saga about our travels through England. This time combining country life with bourgeois, aristocratic history and contemporary sculptural art – all set in some of the most stunning countryside in England!

Yes, I took our French man from his own beautiful Roannais region in the Rhone-Alpes to ‘taste’ some of the wonders of Derbyshire and Yorkshire by visiting the truly amazing Chatsworth House, and then, on the following day, walking around the brilliant and ‘bizarre’ Yorkshire Sculpture Park – all quite an eye opener for our very good friend, Jean-Marc!

Chatsworth House and Park

Chatsworth House, Derbyshire, Peak District. Home of the Dukes of Devonshire.

Chatsworth House in Derbyshire, in the Peak District. Is the home of the Dukes of Devonshire, the Cavendish Family.

First built by Bess of Hardwick. Mary Queen of Scots was imprisoned here.

The greatest house of the Peak District, set in a very large country park.

When you drive across the surrounding park and see Chatsworth House for the first time, a sumptuous pile of yellow stone surrounded by gardens, fronted by the River Derwent and backed by a tree-covered hillside, it fairly takes your breath away. It is not hard to see why this is the premier tourist attraction of the area.

The original house here was the work of Sir William Cavendish and his third wife Bess of Hardwick in the mid 16th Century. Sir William was a Crown Commissioner responsible for dissolving monasteries and his reward was a gift of land here. Sir William died in 1557 with the house partly constructed and Bess completed a house with a central courtyard and four corner towers, facing east towards the hillside. No trace of this can now be seen, but the modern house retains many of the Elizabethan interior walls and the Huntingtower on the hill above the house dates from the 1580s.

The first Duke rebuilt Chatsworth in Classical style between 1686 and 1707, using an obscure Dutch architect called William Talman. He later fired Talman and the house was completed by Thomas Archer.

The Library and North Wing were added by the 6th Duke between 1790 and 1858, the work of Wyatville, and the stables and bridges over the River Derwent were added in the 18th century by Paine. The park was landscaped by the 4th Duke (1720-1764), who engaged ‘Capability’ Brown to reshape the formal garden into the more natural one you see today.

The 6th Duke engaged Joseph Paxton as the head gardener at the age of 23, resulting in the enrichment of the gardens and the creation of the Emperor Fountain (to impress the Czar of Russia when he visited) as well as the Great Conservatory. Paxton worked at Chatsworth the rest of his life, staying for 32 years. The house and gardens have remained little changed since this time, the only major exception being the demolition of the Great Conservatory and its replacement by a maze.

Many famous people have come to Chatsworth, some to stay and others to live there. Among the most famous are Mary Queen of Scots, who was here as a guest and prisoner of Bess of Hardwick and her fourth husband, the Earl of Shrewsbury, between 1573 and 1582. Another was Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire, who lived here in a famous ‘menage a trois’ with the 5th Duke and Lady Elizabeth Foster in the late 18th century.

The house itself is magnificent, if a little overwhelming, while the gardens are a treat, and the surrounding park is a superb area of open space with fine scenery, woods and views of the house and surrounding area – an excellent place for relatively gentle walks.

It is also possible to visit the farmyard behind the house, where typical farm animals can be seen in context; with milking demonstrations and other insights into life on a farm for both the people and the animals. Next to the farmyard there is a small adventure playground. Great for a day with family at anytime of the year !

The Yorkshire Sculpture Park

The stunning landscape of this park was designed over 200 years ago as a private pleasure ground.
Much thought was given to the planting of thousands of imported exotic trees, to the modelling of hills and valleys, and the use of water and architectural features.
Split up in the late 1940s, the estate has, in recent years, been brought together by YSP, providing open access and an integrated landscape management plan.

For the last 30 years, they have used the landscape, vistas and other features to site a range of fascinating exhibitions, commissions and installations.
They also take care to preserve the spirit of the design of the historic landscape as the estate is restored and protected the for the public and for future generations.
Managing the estate is a massive task which includes working with farmers, foresters, gardeners and artists.
The installation of exhibitions in the open air requires special skills, as does the restoration of planting schemes and drystone walling.
Feilden Clegg Bradley have skilfully created exquisite architecture, which sits sensitively within the landscape.
The new Underground Gallery, cut into the hillside of the Bothy Garden, provides three galleries which are ideal for the display of sculpture.
Beyond the gardens and Underground Gallery are rolling fields, lakes and broad countryside: all are changed dramatically by passing time and seasons.

Brooding skies; bright, frosty mornings; languid summer afternoons; smoky autumn mists – each evokes different sensory experiences of landscape and art.

The Underground Gallery builds on these unique surroundings for art: a context that challenges and inspires their visitors and every artist that works with YSP.

A wondrous place, and one that most definitely deserves a visit !

The Yorkshire Sculpture Park

Chatsworth House

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The Pure Art Gallery

Part 6  of ‘Our Man from the Roannais in England’ series will continue very, very soon with Saddleworth, Ilkley, and the Art of ‘David Hockney at Saltaire.

This traditional French bar and cafe-restaurant has now moved from its original location, and into the old Marie’s (Mayor’s) building and offices.

Now even more central, and with newer, contemporary, larger interior, this popular local watering hole is an important part of the life-blood of this beautiful medieval hill village.

Great value for money, and with an easy atmosphere, Thierry’s Bar, run very efficiently by Thierry, himself, and his wife Silvie, is a great place to watch the village world go by on a typically sunny day whilst sipping your favourite cool drink on the terrace.

Worth a visit, before or after a walk through the ancient streets of Perreux !

The Marvellous Medieval Village of Perreux in the Roannais, Rhône-Alpes

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