Rural France is charming, there is no other way to describe it. On a beautiful sunny day the quiet village of Saint Fraimbault greeted us with an array of colourful flowers and jolly scarecrows. The Marie stood proudly next to the church, showing off its turquoise-bannered staircase and flower displays on the sills.
It was a quiet afternoon, not many people around. The flowers and herbs in the Marie gardens were blooming, a trail of scarecrows lined the path towards the lake. Each had been created by a club or group from the village, each jolly and unique, made from all sorts of recycled materials.
On the way, just to the side of the road, a corn field, created as a maze of sorts, hid several gardens. It was easy to miss or simply walk by without noticing, but a curious traveller would have spotted the entrance, run up the steps and into the corn and cheerfully called the others in after him.
It appeared to be an annual event and this year the theme was ‘Panic in the garden’. From aliens, to a distraught farmer whose crops were being stolen by moles, to some cute bunnies made with cans, we chose our favourites. We could have voted in the competition, had we had a pen to mark the ballot.
Designed by the village’s associations, clubs, the school… there were some interesting and original interpretations of the theme.
It seemed like a great community project in a flowery village full of life. What other wonders would this summer trip bring?
The Spanish Berry 