Better

We made our way up past the castle and toward the main entrance: a gate at the end of a large park. It was shut and locked. We couldn't even see the castle from there. So, we made our way back down the hill to the Verteuil's market square thinking we'd console ourselves with a coffee or a glass of wine.

The château de Verteuil rises above the town's market square.

The main café on the square was closed and wouldn't open until 18h00. Another café was setting up, but the guy said they wouldn't start serving for about twenty minutes. We decided to bag it and head back toward the car. As we left the market square, the views of the castle got a little better.

At the foot of the castle

We got up to the foot of the castle in Verteuil, but there was no way in. This gate, if it even gave access at all, was closed up tight. But we kept on going up, up the street that ran toward the castle's park and main entrance.

Knock, knock. Anybody home?

Below zero temperatures are expected this weekend. Better get the winter squash in before that. Tomorrow I go back to the dentist for my permanent crown. King me!

Table for two

During our walk through Verteuil, we found a street that led to a bridge over the Charente. Looking downstream from the bridge, I noticed this little scene. Directly above it is a restaurant called Jeux de Pots, so I assume that this table belongs to it. Access is through a portal in the retaining wall. What I don't know is whether this little table is actually used by the restaurant or if it's just part of the décor.

Waterfront table for two. That table looks too small to be used for meal service. Maybe apéritifs?

We had quite a strong rain shower over night. I don't remember exactly when it went through; maybe some time around midnight. It pounded the roof for a while (about ten minutes or so) and then stopped as abruptly as it had started. When it was over, the clouds parted and the just-after-full moon shone bright again.

Stronghold

We made our way toward the center of Verteuil, not really knowing where we'd end up or what we would find. Our goal was to get to the château and see what we could see. It's a privately owned castle, be we held out hope that we'd be allowed to at least walk on the grounds and view the building from the outside. No such luck. All doors and gates were shut and locked. Maybe it was the time of day, maybe the time of year, or maybe it's not open to the public at all.

The château rises above central Verteuil.

I harvested another sucrine de Berry (winter squash) yesterday. Ken used a good part of it in a tajine recipe, using up leftover lamb from last Thursday. The rest I opted not to roast. Rather, I peeled and cut it into cubes, par-boiled it, then froze the cubes for another time. Peeling the squash was not easy. I wonder if I should have boiled the cubes before peeling them. That might have made it easier to remove the thick skin. I might try that the next time. There are two more squash in the garden. And they're big ones.

A stroll through Verteuil

We walked from the picnic area on the Charente River (where we parked) toward the center of Verteuil, at first along the river then into the main street. The château, built on a bluff above the river, came into view now and then, but it was difficult to get more than a piece of it in a photo, at least from the places we walked.

A glimpse of the château in Verteuil-sur-Charente.

Our outdoor thermometer read 1ºC when I woke up this morning. I'm sure that it's below freezing out in the vineyard. Tasha and I will bundle up (well, I will) and venture out at first light. Sunrise is at 08h13.

Leftovers again?

We're enjoying our leftover Thanksgiving leg of lamb. Yesterday, we ate slices of cold lamb and boiled potatoes with Ken's home-made mayonnaise. And Brussels sprouts. Today, he's making moussaka, a Greek-style casserole of eggplant and ground lamb; there will likely be leftovers of that. And, if there's enough meat left, we may use it to make stuffed cabbage leaves.

Pumpkin pie.

The dessert for all these lamby meals is pumpkin pie, made with one of the sucrine de Berry winter squashes from the garden. Bon appétit !

Another day, another church

After our quick stop in St.-Amant-de-Boixe, we made our way to the small town of Verteuil-sur-Charente. The owner of our gîte recommended it as a beautiful place to see. I think he grew up there, or nearby. He said that the town (population just over 600) was home to a number of English people. Probably more so in summer than in October.

The 12th century church of Saint-Médard in Verteuil.

When we arrived, we parked the car in a riverside lot just behind the town's church and headed into town toward the château on foot, Tasha in tow. The town is indeed picturesque, especially along the river, and it was a beautiful morning for a walk.