Us trogolodytes have to stay up to date
I had to look up this word, Trogolodytes.
It all makes sense now.
[size=24]Trogolodytes[/size]
If you happen to be strolling by an open field and see a chimney incongruously sticking up out of the ground, you should guess that you are walking on top of a Troglodyte dwelling. Saumur has a very large number of cave dwellers, as does the entire Loire Valley region. When there were not caves, man dug into the sides of mountains for shelter. The natural Tufa stone of the area is fairly easy to cut and makes digging into the sides of hillsides not too difficult. Mankind has been living in caves or under ground since the beginning of time and there seems to be some positive reasons for doing so.
The Tufa rock of the Loire remains relatively dry, the average temperature in a cave remains a fairly steady 12 degrees centigrade, or about 54 degrees Fahrenheit, winter and summer, caves are sheltered from windstorms, and at no risk from fire. Some of these cave houses are simple rude shelters, while others have front glass windows installed, verandas, and central heating. There are also complete Troglodyte villages.
Two farms consisting of 40 rooms in the Troglodyte village of Rochemenier are open to the public. The entire village has 250 rooms, with the oldest part dating from the 13th century. It would seem to have everything an above ground village would have, houses, barns, village hall, stable, chapel, wine cellar, etc. Oddly enough, even though the personal rooms are very spare and small, they appear to be comfortable. Then immediately outside the front door of each room, is the large sunny communal courtyard. This affords not only light, but a necessary feeling of space as well.
If you would like to get an idea of what its like to be a Troglodyte for a couple of hours, then reserve a table at one of the underground restaurants. One such restaurant is Les Cave de Marson and is entered by walking down a curved incline of about 20 feet to its front door and into the cave. Suddenly, you are in a space that could only be described as looking like a cathedral with very high ceiling and many large connecting rooms. There are hundreds of candles lighting the place, and there is the aroma of fresh bread baking in the wood fire stone oven. The bread being baked in the oven uses an old recipe from "Gargantua," a book by the famous French author Francois Rabelais. Of course, the bread has been refined somewhat for today's diner before being included on the menu. Prepare yourself for a five-course dinner accompanied by red wine.
troglodyte \TROG-luh-dyt\, noun:
1. A member of a primitive people that lived in caves, dens, or holes; a cave dweller.
2. One who is regarded as reclusive, reactionary, out of date, or brutish.
Troglodyte comes from Latin Troglodytae, a people said to be cave dwellers, from Greek Troglodytai, from trogle, "a hole" + dyein, "to enter." The adjective form is troglodytic.
