Girl on the Go: Francey Pants

Your tour guide: Bonnie Wisnowski

10 years ago I walked into a bar in Nantes, France with a friend and she pointed to the gentleman in the corner. She smiled and said, that’s your boyfriend. I laughed...but guess what? She was right! I ended up marrying the guy, we moved to Philly and we bought a house from the charismatic Jeanne Whipple in Port Richmond. Although we live in Philadelphia, we take two trips a year to France to visit family and friends. Come tag along on my last visit from Summer 2021

First Stop: The Castle | Bourgogne Region (that’s wine country)

Each summer my husband’s friends rent a place that accommodates about 20-30 adults and 10 perfectly behaved children. Since the group continues to grow, we often find ourselves hunkering down in a castle. Stone rooms, creaky stairs, windows that are meant to be thrown open to let the light stream in. I am here to tell you, Castles do not disappoint. Get ready to get comfy on 17th-century straight-backed chairs and drinking your morning tea out of a bowl while taking in the view of a bona fide French vineyard. 

A golden rule with this group is, do what you like when you like, and that includes sleeping in. When you finally stumble down for breakfast..ahem... petite dejeuner, just tear that baguette, butter it up, spoon on your jam (no knives please), and you are good to go- no plates needed. A French table after a real morning chow down will be romantically scattered with bakery crumbs and flour dust from fresh baguettes. It is also cluttered with all things you may possibly want like yogurt cups, oats, brioche, compote de pommes, and orange juice with tiny juice glasses. 

The rest of the day is all about, sitting and chatting. Kids are on their own, playing in the woods, pitching water balloons off the castle wall, creating treasure hunts and having the kind of fun we all reminisce about. There are no ipads, no one on their phone while others are talking, no tv’s on for the kids or adults (well maybe watching a soccer football game on the sly.. but it was just once!). Instead cigarettes are rolled, board games are unpacked, tennis games are won and we all catch up on happenings in our lives. 

Dinners are cooked by teams. We were assigned Friday night, and served... burgers of course! It’s always a bit of a feat to cook an “american dish” in France. The best part is going to the grocery store and strolling the aisles in search of ingredients. When I went to grab pickles I realized they do not come pre-sliced there, so hand cut pickles it was. I was about to give up on homemade black bean burgers because I couldn’t find the beans, but then I spotted them on the bottom shelf where there other misfit items that don’t really have a home were. By the way, if you love yogurt France is your jam. Aisles and aisles of only yogurt. Traveler tip: The supermarket is where I pick up most of my souvenirs (fluer de sel is always a hit)! 

Next Stop: Bourges | Central-Val de Loire

Before making the trek back to my in-laws, we looked for a place about halfway that we could stop overnight. Here is one of the main differences between the US and France- throw a stone in France and you found yourself a cute town, village or city that has a cool historic structure to explore, fabulous food and windy streets that are begging to get lost in. Throw a stone in the US and maybe you’ll luck out and find a strip mall with a Target AND a Home Goods. 

Off we went to Bourges and settled into our hotel for the night. La Demeure Renaissance feels more like an airbnb- remote check in, a mini apartment with a utility kitchen and separate bedroom. Talk about vibes! A sweet courtyard with climbing roses, a stunning “lobby” renovated and decorated with noble tastes and then there is the room… a romantic and historic place to lay your head (we booked the Monsieur L'Abbé room). It was hard to leave but we wanted to catch the Bourges Cathedral and gardens while it was still sunny so we hit the cobblestones. 

The gardens were in full bloom, packed with color and sharp green hedges. An immense gothic cathedral looms over the gardens, beautiful and ominous at the same time. We stood in the sun taking in the view, my American brain trying to comprehend the fact that it was built from 1195-1230. I am not the religious sort, but I stepped inside the cathedral and lit a candle in my dad’s memory. I know he would have been awed by the construction of the buttresses alone. 

With tears dried, we went back into the sunshine to find a bar and have an aperitif before dinner. Cocktails have become more popular in France (thank goodness!) and the Aperol Spritz is having its moment, so… when in Bourges! Dinner was under a French canopy with twinkle lights, surrounded by half-timber houses. Traveler tip: Don’t expect all restaurants to accommodate a vegetarian, we usually check in with the restaurant in advance. 

One of our favorite things to do is exploring a city at night after the sun goes down, in the summer that is around 10:30 pm. The streets are quiet and it feels magical walking around with dim street lights leading the way. This particular evening there was a festival of lights with projections on notable architecture of Bourges that told the history of the city. A path of blue lights led us around the city center and we stopped at all the hot spots. A perfect ending to 10 hours in Bourges!

Final Stop: The Family in Mazières-en-Gâtine

My husband’s parents live in a tiny village in the west of France. When we pull into the drive we are greeted with open arms. This was a special visit as it was their 50th wedding anniversary! We poured over wedding photos and heard tales of the hours-long celebrations that happened August 8th, 1951. We made a trip to Alexandra Palace, where many villagers had their wedding photos taken. Back in the day, it was owned by a couple of farmer brothers who each inhabited their own wing! Now it is a luxury hotel complete with a golf course and a stunning terrace for an aperitif. 

Mazières-en Gâtine is situated near Partheny. On past visits, we have attended Flip which is a board games festival. Game publishers take over vacant storefronts, set up tables, and strangers sit together to enjoy the latest off-the-presses nerd games. On this visit, I missed the festival but we did have an incredible lunch in Partheny, celebrating my in-laws. The terrace filled at lunchtime, a three-course meal, complete with REAL champagne, wine, and whiskey. 

On a whim, we booked a tour at the Château du Coudray-Salbart, about 20 mins from my in-laws home. It is a fortified castle, which means it was built specifically for attack and protection. My father-in-law used to run on the ruins as a child. It is now renovated and you can climb the teeny stairs safely and imagine being a soldier captive in the cold castle walls waiting for someone to approach. 

My last tradition that I must complete when visiting Mazières is heading to 4MURS for wallpaper. Yes, I lug wallpaper back to the states because it is a fraction of the cost and a great selection. I think it is a highlight for my mother-in-law to arrive at the store with her American daughter-in-law. A fun secret we share together. 

Coming home, the trip takes a while from the west, I will often wrap it all up with a night at Citizen M Hotel at the Paris airport before an early morning flight. With an extensive veggie/vegan-friendly menu and a full bar, it makes the goodbye easier. If you ever need any tips or tricks for visiting France don’t hesitate to contact me, I love to play travel agent! Bon voyage!