Moret sur Loing and Namours France plus Brussels, Belgium.

Lovely scenery along the canal.

 Once our visitors left we needed to get moving if we were going to see Chateau Landon.

Chateau Landon  has been turned into a retirement home.

After Chateau Landon we cruised to Moret sur Loing.  It is a beautiful town.  Alfred Sisley (the painter) spent a great deal of time painting there with good reason.  It was a royal fortress for nearly three centuries.

A view of Moret sur Loing.

Moret sur Loing Barley Sugar Museum.

Water is an important feature in Moret sur Loing

Ancient Entrance to Moret sur Loing

We made a stop (by car) in Marchant to see the remains of the 11th Century Basilica St Mathurin

We went to the town of Barbizon which is in the middle of the Fontainebleau forest and very much an artist (and tourist) town.  Tom thought that would be a good place for a hike and then lunch.  I found it charming.  I was also able to get in a little retail therapy.

There were mosaics such as this on the walls all around the town.  

We went for some great hikes in the Fontainebleau Forest in spite of the heat.  The area is known for its beautiful rock formations.

The hikes were fun but finding the trail was challenging at times in the Fontainebleau Forest.  They have trails that are very well marked (so they say) all through the forest.  We wound up lost for quite some time.  We knew we would eventually find a trail again.  When we emerged from the forest we weren't anywhere near where we had started.

Mounted police strolling down the street in Barbizon.

We always eat well on Rabelo.  Caprice salad with basil from our garden plus a selection of cheeses and pate's.  With wine  and a  baguette of course.

Namours was our next destination.

Looking down an alleyway in Namours

Bastille Day in Namours was wonderful.  They put on an excellent fireworks display.

We made a quick trip home to attend a family wedding.  We spent a night in Brussels before flying out.  Brussels has wonderful architecture and as for food...OH MY!  Belgium waffles, chocolates, beer, seafood, lace, tapestries...it was heaven.  I had to use great restraint.

More types of waffles than you can imagine.

Just a few of the beers available in Brussels.

Chocolates galore

More delicacies.

Old town square in Brussels

More of the town square of Brussels

Did I mention good beer?

The mussels were fabulous!  I couldn't resist.