Tuesday 3 March 2009

Betz le Chateau

Until a couple of Saturdays ago we had never been to Betz le Chateau, but as we had visited M.Lezeau mid afternoon and had a couple of hours to spare we thought we would go for a drive in the country.

We ended up in Betz, which is a small hilltop town with rather an interesting looking chateau on the outskirts, about which we know nothing. I took a photo of the chateau, but apparently didn't notice its most interesting aspect (I was driving at the time Susan saw it). Still - here is my photo:

I was most impressed, however, with the town's garage. I am not sure if these two are for spare parts or awaiting new owners, but for some reason the picture really appeals to me



Simon

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Aaah this brings back memories of my lovely old Renault 4. It had 3 gears and a sort of wooden spoon the change them with sticking out of the dashboard. The most useful accessory was the starting handle. I hated that car. Would love another one just to see if it was really that bad.

Simon said...

That sounds fun - for anyone watching. I have never had the dubious pleasure of using a starting handle, but I got good at push starting my first car

Anonymous said...

I had my first driving lessons in that car. One of my most ignominious experiences ever was being overtaken by a milk float when going up a hill in it.

Simon said...

Ah......first car stories. The pathos - the humour - the sheer idiocy! I think always better over a glass of Calvados, in front of an open fire.

Ken Broadhurst said...

I had an R4 -- a 4L, more precisely -- for the last year that I lived in Paris. Walt and I had a good time tooling around it the little Renault. I loved the shifter, which stuck out of the dashboard. The gears were arranged in a W pattern, rather than the more common H. And the brakes were terrible. I'd be speeding through the streets chanting "stay green" at all the traffic lights, because I was never sure I would be able to stop.

Anonymous said...

Bonjour!

Betz-Le-Chateau is where I grew up! I live in Sydney now. I was just browsing the web to see if there was anything on my childhood village. One story that I remember that is related to the Chateau is that it was where lived Gilles de Betz, apparently a ruthless seigneur who would have the bride before the newly married husband! Otherwise, the garage used to be open when I was a kid there in the late 1970's and early 1980's. They used to sell petrol, but mostly repaired cars. My grand-mother was born in Betz-Le-Chateau, lived there all her life and lastly a "la Veulerie" on the road to Ferriere.
Very nice blog and very nice photos.
Lucette

Simon said...

Lucette - welcome to the blog. It's funny to think that someone now in Sydney grew up in a little village near to where someone who (almost) grew up in Sydney is going to live....

raybank said...

Hi Iam from Scotland and in 2004 moved to France and ended up buying a house at 7 La Perruche Betz le Chateau .I stayed there for four years before I returned to England . I do miss Betz although it was a small village in the summer there was always something to see and do.The garage was still going when I left but the corner shop opposite had closed down. Sandy MacPherson

Susan said...

Sandy: Betz is a lovely little place. I'm not surprised you miss it.

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