Riom, a hike in the countryside, and l'hospitalité française

On Saturday, Marie-Elisabeth took the Pimentels and me to see some new sights in the Auvergne. (Her mother drove some of us, since all seven of us couldn't fit in her Mini without some extreme contortions.)  Our first stop was Riom, which during World War II served as the hidden storage facility of France's heavy water supply.  Today, Riom is known for being the site of the regional Cour d'Appel, or appellate court.

The court (on the right) was built in the 18th century on the site of an 15th century castle; the only part of the castle that remains is the chapel (on the left), which is attached to the court.

We also climbed the bell tower in the city:

Fortunately, it didn't ring while we were up there.

A view of the Basilica of St. Amable from the bell tower

Riom is also the home of Notre Dame du Marthuret, which houses the Vierge à l'Oiseau, a statue of Mary holding the infant Jesus and a small bird.

Probably dates from the 16th century; hidden by the Butchers' Guild during the Revolution

After lunch in Riom, we met Marie-Elisabeth's sister Agnes and her three teenagers Anne-Sophie, Timmy, and Amelie.  After living in the US for many years, they have returned to France and now live in a fantastic house near a small village near Riom.  It is the oldest house in the village, but has been restored so beautifully that it was previously used as a bed-and-breakfast.  From there, we drove to the Gour de Tazenat for a hike in the countryside.

This area is the start of the Chaine des Puys, the volcanic range.

The volcanic crater forms a lake - 66 meters deep. 

After our two-hour hike, we dipped our feet in the cold lake water (where many people were swimming), then dried off and returned to the house for an amazing French feast.  Agnes and her kids were so kind to open their home to us and feed us so lavishly, and Marie-Elisabeth has been so generous with her time and her knowledge of the area.  (I also have to give a shout-out to the Pimentel kids - it was great to see their 17-year-old bond with the French teenagers, and the littlest ones were real troopers for keeping up with us all day and into the night!) It was a beautiful way to spend a Saturday, but it made me realize how much I'm going to miss this area and the wonderful people.