Bonne Année (Errm, And French Roundabouts)


Happy New Year!

  I was at a loss as to what to post up which had some relevance to wishing everyone a brilliant 2014 and guess what, I'm still at a a loss. So with absolutely no relevance at all, here are some photographs of a few of the local roundabouts.


Bearing in mind this is Walnut, Duck, Goose and Truffle country you have to admire the decoration of these roundabouts being true to the terroir, here in the Perigord Noir.


You ever see a Walnut that big? No, well you will on the D46 in Sarlat.


Truffles the size of Spacehoppers. 


Roundabouts are called rond-point in French. Strikes me that they are viewed as little opportunities for a nifty bit of conceptual landscaping - they may even improve traffic flow!


Of course you are never far away from anything Goose or Duck.


A gaggle of Geese as you approach Perigueux.


There's more to follow. I may even start a series as the decoration of circular intersection knows no bounds in these parts. Tobacco barns, vineyards, the list goes on.


Comments

  1. the ducks are rather fun, the truffles frightening.

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  2. The truffles have an alien twang to them. Maybe they'll hatch? They're very true to form however. The most frightening thing is the price of the real thing.

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  3. A most happy new year to you Rob - may 2014 treat you, your loved ones and your garden kindly. French roundabouts never cease to amaze me. Love the geese and the truffles have a certain sort of fascination. There is definitely scope for a series maybe possibly a book on the subject - could be a best seller :)

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    1. Happy New Year to you and yours Anna. 'Certain sort of fascination' is a good way to describe the truffles. There are more roundabouts, just need to remember to carry the camera in the car.

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  4. Magnifique Rob. I think its a great post for this time of year. It is definitely apparent that the French have quirky love affairs with all things food.

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  5. Merci Patty. There really is a mini scale vineyard on a roundabout near Bergerac - `so it's all things food and drink.

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  6. What ? I thought that roundabouts were a British thing, but it looks like my home country has adopted them! Roundabouts over here are less elaborated. Happy new year!

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    1. Hi Muriel. They may be a British thing but it's very much a French thing to decorate them - and good they look too. Happy New Year.

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  7. Hats off to the roundabout stuff..should be much more of it! We in AU have millions of em but rarely are they dressed up in creative ways. Perhaps just as well as the maintenance staff (not gardeners) would do their usual thing and give everything a severe trimming periodically without rhyme or reason!

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    1. Cheers. I wonder whether they may start to 'tone' things down as it all costs money - we'll see. We have a compliment of 'if it moves. strim it' brigade. You are not alone.

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  8. Happy 2014, Rob!
    I love such decor that has some meaning for the place! The truffles texture is awesome. Here, in the Pacific Northwest, we have salmon everywhere!

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  9. Don't knock your roundabouts; here in Italy they 1, don't reallyknow how to use them and 2, are covered in grass and a huge amount of money is spent watering something incredibly boring. Good plating with plants that need little attention would be wonderful, the added art on the French ones is pure fun.

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    1. I'm not knocking them, really I'm not. However, ditto your point 1. Occasionally there is even the odd one (rare) where priority is given to vehicles approaching from the right which can quicken the pulse when you are unaware that that is the case as you amble 'round!

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