Last Monday’s EU AUSTERITY DRINKING TOUR took us to the vines of Vertou in the heart of Muscadet Sèvre-et-Maine (see post: here).

Today we travel further up the Sèvre River to the Southeast edge of wine making in Muscadet: Clisson.

Clisson.

We leave futurist Nantes late.  Our hangovers slow us down. So we buy new floss, deodorant, toothpaste, and toothbrushes.  No greater joy exists for the traveler than fresh toiletries.

Our train stretches through 30 minutes of vineyards and villages.  The river basin turns into hills.  And we arrive at Clisson.

A meander through sleepy medieval streets finds a 15th century, covered market.  Then the 13th century stronghold :

Presently warding off tourists.

But it’s lunchtime. And it’s France. The castle and wine tasting room are closed.  So we save them for later and explore the village.

Oh, and we find pastries.

Pleased?

The wide, brown Sèvre provides fantastic views of epic ruins.

Imposing thing.

And the carbon copy Church of Assisi:

Ciao? (Technically Clisson’s 19th century Notre Dame)

A further walk finds an ancient temple peaking from the hills and terracotta roofs:

Allora!

Then we get lost in the Italianate grounds of a villa:

Why am I hungry for pizza?

Amidst the temples, portici, gardens, sculptures, cypruses and Italian restaurants, we start to realize something:

Another temple? Where do they hide the pagans?

Clisson is Italy: just a bit grayer, wetter, and French-er.

After hiding from the rain in the bell-tower of a Franciscan church, we get our castle on.

Drawbridge.

Like 19th century Romantics, we imagine faded glories.  Here local Brittany lords fended off becoming part of France for centuries until the Revolution broke them.

And lean….

Nostalgia for Scotland’s castles, now two months past, seeps in.  But we remember this is France. This is wine country.  Time to get out of the cold.  Time for Clisson’s tasting room.

But the bottles were closed.  Rain seems to have washed away Clisson’s customer service skills.

Unfazed, we leave.  A romp through more vineyards would just get us wetter and colder.  We leave Clisson already charmed by its history, colorful homes, and quirky desire to be Italian.

Cute little town.

Worry not. Wine finds us next Monday.

Related articles

• Nantes, Muscadet, and the vines of Sevre et Maine: EU Austerity Drinking Tour 48 (waywardwine.com)
• The Story of Jeanne de Clisson the Badass Female Pirate (factfiend.com)
• TRAVEL: Reap of Muscadet (intoxicatingprose.com)
• Pierre-Luc Bouchard Muscadet Sevre Et Maine 2011 wine review by (PB) (winecask.blogspot.com)