Walled cities

I am drawn to walled cities.

I first became aware of this attraction when I visited Krakow, Poland, thirteen years ago and stayed inside the walls. Even though the walls are no longer intact, a park surrounds the Old City and marks where the walls had once been. I felt safe being inside the Old City.

On my second visit to Krakow a year later, I stayed outside the walls. Every morning, I crossed over into the Old City, and something about being inside the walls felt secure to me.

A few years later, a friend visited Carcassone, a walled city in France, and sent me videos. As soon as I saw the videos, I knew I wanted to visit. It took a few years, but I went last spring, and I specifically chose to travel with Overseas Adventure Travels (O.A.T.) because they offered the opportunity to stay inside the walls of Carcassone.

The tour started further north, though, in Angers, another city with walls. Once again, I felt drawn to being within the walls. When we got to Carcassone, I felt completely at home within the walls.

Last month, I visited Avignon, another walled city, and I again found myself drawn to the inside.

Avignon, France

And then last week, I visited Italy and spent a few days in Lucca, a walled city in Tuscany.

The walls around Lucca are intact and the top of the wall is a wide path where people walk, run or bike. I walked the path several times during my stay, enjoying the views of the Old City below.

One of the gates into the walled city of Lucca, named after St. Donato

Inside the gate, I came across this fireplace and painting.

Not only is Lucca surrounded by a wall, but beyond the walls are mountains, creating the impression of a double boundary.

What is it that draws me to these enclosed places?

Walking the path on the walls of Lucca one day, I pondered the mystery of my attraction to walled cities, and I thought about growing up in Detroit.

Detroit is anything but walled, but there were certain streets which I never crossed. I stayed within the confines of an area around my house, never venturing beyond Woodward Avenue or Eight Mile Road. Without being told to, I had created my own walls.

Awareness brings an invitation, and my awareness of being drawn to walled cities and of creating physical boundaries, makes me think about other walls I have built—not necessarily physical walls but any kind of boundary that gives me a sense of security.

I find myself asking if my walls are a matter of security or a limitation, and if I being invited to step out from beyond the walls and take a chance on what is on the other side.

Art outside museums

Throughout my travels in France, I visited several art museums, and I also noticed art in some unexpected places. The main street in Barbizon, for example, featured mosaic reproductions of works by artists who lived and woked in Barbizon in the 19th century.

Honfleur sits along the northern end of the Seine River and this outdoor wall art is representative of the nautical feel of the town.

In Angers, this artistic garden in what had been the moat around the castle drew my attention.

This mural in Lyon covered an entire building.

I was in Lyon during Holy Week and came upon these Stations of the Cross. The juxtaposition of this modern interpretation of the Passion of Jesus on the ancient pillars was striking.

Whimsical France

My back yard garden is dotted with bits of whimsy–yard art and wind chimes tucked in among the flowers–so imagine my joy at discovering bits of whimsy during my travels around France. Here is a sampling.

It is not uncommon to see animals on roof tops–here are two cats in Honfleur.

Blue snail in Bayeux

A person beneath an umbrella in a fountain in Bayeux.

Giant-sized gardening tools in LeMans

Blue gorilla in the Beau Arts Gardens in Angers

Church gate in Albi

French doors

I often notice doors when I travel, the color or size or ornamentation. Here are some I noticed while traveling around France on my Overseas Adventure Travel (O.A.T.) tour.

This door in Barbizon caught my eye because it was set back into the building and because of the carvings.

Neighbors in LeMans

LeMans door with elaborate carving.

A wide, squat door in Angers

In Lyon, sometimes the door caught my eye, but more often it was the decorative work above the door that entranced me.

Red doors on churches often catch my eye. The one on the left is in Paris and the one on the right is in Bayeux.

Purple is my favorite color, so the doors to this church in Sarlat won my heart.

Castles, castles everywhere

Before visiting France, I probably would have said I had little or no interest in castles, but I would have been wrong. I found the castles of France fascinating. Some were mere ruins while others had been well maintained.

The Chateau d’Angers, built between the 13th and 16th centuries.

On top of the wall

The garden inside the castle walls

Chateau Villandry, built in 1536.

The Meditation Pool at Villandry

The gardens at Villandry

Part of the moat and the only castle we visited that still has water in the moat.

Chateau de Commarque was built in the 12th century and is still in the Commarque family. It is currently being restored.

Inside the grounds of the Chateau Commarque

Beneath the Chateau are caves with carvings that date to the Magdalenian Period (15,000 B.C.).