In la Ferté Bernard , in the city center, there is an
old city door which is what is left of the fortress that protected the
inhabitants from middle-ages wars. Ferté means fortress in old French
and Bernard was the name of the count that ruled over the city.It’s a medieval
and paved stone street, with the old city door and the library at both
ends.
The old city door is a touristic place, although it is draughty and
windy at the entrance of the cobble stone street. It’s impressive with
its two medieval greystone towers on both sides of the main building.The
canonball holes are there to recall of the medieval fights.The river flows
under the drawbridge, it used to flow all around the town as a protection
against invaders. L’huisne and La Même are the two rivers that cross
La Ferte. When we were younger kids , we all ran through the small door
while our mother walked through the main entrance, the door can be
lively with laughters but at one time , this door was a prison during
the last war. It also was the town hall. Many a generation walked under
this arch, so the city door could probably tell many individual secrets,
or historical facts.
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In the street, you can see medieval houses too,and wooden sculptures,
like a «grotesque» at the entrance of a dark alley.When you
walk in the cobble street you hear your foot steps, as you look at the
tiny and various shops,
you smell delicious fresh croissants from the bakery or see very appetising
quiches from the delikatessen. |
We also adore exploring the pet shop, full of rabbits, fish , and noise
from the colourful birds. Further on there is a clothes shop, a photographer
where you can see the pictures of the last weddings in town, a bookshop
and a few other stores. Next to the school is the public library. It is
quite an old fabulous place with beautiful paintings on the Renaissance
ceilings, you can have a look on very old books and archives ( there is
a hand written bible from thesixteenth century!)
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And when you’re looking for a feeling of nostalgia, you can walk the
street at ten o’clock and listen to the shoutings and laughters
from the primary school while the wind lifts your hair and the draught
hits you in the face. It’s great because it is pedestrian and this is where
our market takes place on Mondays, for those who enjoy tradition and fun.
At Christmas time, it is lightened with red, blue or yellow garlands. That’s
why «La rue d’Huisne» is so popular with tourists , all year
round. |
The Lake
The lake is calm, quiet, peaceful this morning, on the lake there
are ducks and moorhens swimming out of the mist. All around , the willows
have become yellow, the plum trees have turned purple with Fall.The
picnic areas are silent now. The children are at school so the swings
are deserted and the tobbogan lonely on the sandy beach. The fishermen
are still there, sitting on the river banks, on stools among the reeds
besides the hills where we go cycling after school or at the week end.
Around the lake there’s a jogging trail. This place is very pretty and
friendly . Every year, a small train drives people for a run around
the lake and through the city. When you arrive , on your left you see a
big dark blue sports room, then on the same path there are outfits for
water sports that make the place look like a small harbour. Just now everything
is calm, peaceful and quiet except for the song of
birds and the diving of ducks . Sometimes ,When it’s warm and sunny,
some people have barbecues and they go to the ice cream cabin for a drink
or candy apples, sweets, peanuts, fizzy drinks or an orange juice. Not
very far, under the willows and the plum trees , some have a picnic
on the wooden furniture, next to the beach where it is forbidden to walk
your dog to keep the sand clean. The lawn recalls the summer when people
sit down in the shade to supervise the children bathing in the pool and
playing near the boats. Last summer lots of people were running, fishing,
cycling or boating, sailing,and canoeing on the lake. On july 14th, there
was a bonfire in the night and it was beautiful. The joy is over now, it’s
autumn.
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