An Evening in Noyers
Sunflowers seem to be a rotation crop. Last year we didn't see them, but this summer they were back.
There’s that end of summer feeling in the air here in our corner of France. The weather is beginning to cool down and the roads are all of a sudden much less crowded. Outside town are sunflowers that cover the fields as far as the eye can see. They will soon be harvested and the fields once again will lay fallow.
Through the forest outside our village.
We drove down the road into Noyers last nigt to do some shopping and have a leisurely dinner at one of our favorite restaurants. We spent some time between the two strolling through town. Usually when we take a wander we choose to walk along the river. Instead we went deeper into town and enjoyed our little village which was calm and quiet after the crowds have gone back home.
The front gate to Noyers.
I don’t think I ever take the charm of Noyers for granted. It’s such a fairy tale village that it is hard to do that. But last night I especially noticed how pretty the buildings are. It was a perfect time of day for sunny walls and distinctive shadows. I pulled out my phone and found myself taking pictures of the old buildings, the pretty flower boxes, the quiet streets.
The mayor's office.
The limestone that makes up the bedrock of our area has been used historically, of course, as the primary building material. In the sun the stone glows like honey.
The arcade on the main plaza.
There is a sense of benign neglect to the buildings which are mostly 500-600 years old. It amuses me to imagine how many lives have been lived in these same structures and to realize how much and how little has changed in all that time.
Shops on the main street of town.
Although Noyers is a small town, there are lots of shops, but like the tourists themselves, these are mostly seasonal. Beginning shortly many will close until Christmas. And again after the holidays until Easter.
One of the most popular shops in town.
The fresh paint and plants keep the building feeling contemporary.
Higgledy-piggledy side street leading through town.
Little side streets lead into the heart of the residental part of Noyers. About 600 residents call Noyers home.
One of the grand residences in Noyers.
There are certainly very grand manoirs in town, with walled gardens.
A pretty entry way.
There are also apartment buildings, bed and breakfasts and even a retirement community. One could survive in town without going anywhere else. There are two grocery stores, the nicest butcher I’ve ever known, a few restaurants, a pharmacy and many crafts shops.
A used-to-be archway, now a wall.
On our walk we passed this wall and noted that someone went to a lot of trouble to fill in the arched passageway. What lies behind it? Where did the archway once take you? I don’t suppose there’s anyone left in town who could answer that question for us.
Sunset in Moulins.