I woke up Tuesday to a bleak, gary day. I was not particularly eager to start the day building fires and maintaining them. I was discouraged by the weather and wasn’t sure what to do to elevate my mood. Clive, the talented man working on my bathroom, suggested that I take a ride to St. Suzanne. He said it was a pretty medieval village with a castle to explore and lots of trails to wander.

I stoked the fire to maintain Sophie’s comfort in my absence and set off. It was a 55 minute ride through forest and countryside. St. Suzanne is famous as the chateau still standing was able to successfully defend against William the Conquerer. You can enter the castle without paying a fee and are able to walk into the standing walls of the keep. There is a new modern metal staircase that winds up three floors to show visitors the beautiful views from this once imposing fortress. I have a fear of heights so I tried to be brave walking over grated walkways that one could see all the way the down through. What was most amazing to me about this fortress was the thickness of the standing walls. In some places the walls were over 3 meters thick.

After visiting the castle, I wandered in and around the medieval town which was largely deserted on this rainy morning. There were a few bistros (closed) assembled around a cobble stoned square. I could imagine it being really lovely in nicer weather. The town has several walking paths that lead away from it through beautiful countryside. I wandered down from the castle to the river Erve which happened to be raging on this wet day. I saw my first working water wheel and several adorable shuttered cottages that brought to mind potential homes for the Seven Dwarves or Hansel and Gretel.

After a few miles of ambling up and down hills and clomping through muddy paths along the river, I went to the one open restaurant in the village which was at the hotel. They offered several daily menus ranging from 15 euro to 45 euro for several courses. I chose the plat du jour and chef’ special. The first course was fresh vegetables and salads. The second course was beef that had been cooked for a long time in wine. The flavor was great but the meat was more gristle than beef. I struggled to eat it.

Not to worry. I saved the meal by selecting some cheese for my dessert. I had chevre, a nutty gouda, and a camembert. And if that was not enough, I ordered a double espresso which was served with a beautiful tiny biscuit. Fortified, I took another wander around the medieval village and headed back to the car. There was surely an annoyed dog and a dying fire waiting for me.