Extrait du livre Marie visits France
Marie visits France Isabelle Pellegrini / Princesse Camcam Come and see my city collection ABC Melody
For two days in September, every year, the city of Lille turns into a huge flea market! Look, from the town-hall belfry and across the main square, thousands of people empty their attics and take over the streets... My brother and I go and tackle the stalls to find something special that we can bring home as a treasure. Then our parents take us to try the traditional mussels and chips. Which restaurant will have the biggest pile of empty mussel shells at the end of the market?
The coast of Etretat is very mysterious. We walk along the beach in the fresh air. You see that strange archway hollowed out of the cliffs by the waves? It looks like and elephant dipping its trunk into the water, don't you think? Dad tells us how this rock needle hid the French Kings' treasure and that Arsène Lupin, the infamous thief, found it. I would love to find the secret passage that led to the treasure... In the meantime, you can find fantastic pebbles and see strange sea cabbage. But watch out... the tide is coming in!
In the Loire valley, along the river, I feel like I am back in the time of the French Kings! They used to come hunting here, in the forest of Sologne. Wherever you go you come across grand castles... Do you know Azay-le-Rideau or Chenonceau, which is also called the "Ladies Castle"? My favourite one is Chambord, which has 440 rooms, 365 fireplaces and an extraordinary staircase! And did you know, it was the Château d'Ussé that inspired Charles Perrault to dream up the castle in "Sleeping Beauty"!
After arriving on Belle-Ile, we wander the alleyways between the pretty Breton houses. Sitting facing the open sea, an old sailor watches the tide. In Sauzon the fishermen bring their boats back into the harbor and set up their stalls to sell the fresh fish. With my cousin Malo, we play pirates all along the coastal path up to the Pointe des Poulains. I also like going to see the needles of Port-Coton and the big lighthouse. Brittany is a magical place and the Kouign-Amann, the pancakes and the biscuits are wonderful!
