A pretty street in Fontevraud L'Abbaye with the ever present roses everywhere we went!

And not a car in sight...perfect.

Oh how delightful.....love it.

Sometimes I think the French have their priorities all in the right order....especially when I see photos like these!

No litter either. I dk about France but in Germany the householder is responsible for keeping the area in front of their homes tidy. Each morning we would see the housewives out sweeping up and then watering the pavements and the geraniums of course. Every home had window boxes at every level of the house. Maybe this is how we could educate children by encouraging these practices here too (in order to educate the parents). Edinburgh used to have a city bylaw requiring householders to do this work but I can't say whether it was enforced. Thank you for sharing Wildrose.

We too decided that the French do have their priorities right! We saw no litter at all the whole time we were there and as for roundabouts - all beautifully landscaped and cared for.
How I wish.............

Wild rose I remember the roundabouts works of art, its called taking pride in your surroundings!!
Scotsgran sounds like an excellent idea, we need to do something, just two doors from us, it is an absolute disgrace, and no excuse whatsoever, the owner has just decided to neglect his front garden, and the back (his Mother won awards for one of the best gardens in Hampshire) he comes out twice a year cuts it to the ground and then throws all the pruning to rot in a big heap, he can drive so he could take it to the tip! it is a good job he is not living next to me!!

IT is a sad situation because I want to be able to pay the compliments I made to us as well as to France!!
We do need to do something to encourage national pride.

We certainly do......

I always feel ashamed when we come off the ferry to see all the rubbish in streets and laybys ...

Well said Meadowland, I totally agree with you!