Yesterday’s photo worked – the sun came out today and I went for a walk. This is another blue, much darker this time. The shape of the gate is called chapeau de gendarme in French with means a gendarme’s hat but not the modern képi. The shape refers to Napoleon Bonaparte’s gendarmes as you can see in the photo below (thank you Wikipedia). You aren’t supposed to have gates of that shape in our region, but hardly anyone respects it.
La photo d’hier a marché : aujourd’hui le soleil a brillé et j’ai fait une petite promenade. Voici un autre bleu, plus foncé cette fois-ci. La forme de ce portail est dite chapeau de gendarme, en référence non pas au képi mais aux chapeaux des gendarmes de Napoléon Ier comme on peut voir dans la photo ci-dessous (merci Wikipedia). On n’est pas sensé avoir un portail en chapeau de gendarme dans notre région mais peu de personnes s’y contraignent.
4 replies on “Chapeau de gendarme”
A lovely entrance.
Interesting origin.
Glad the sun is out. Townsville is rejoicing, as it has finally started to rain for them.
A pleasant looking gate!
How fascinating about the shape of the gate being ‘de trop’ in a region. What fun to see these long ago, politically inspired statements of support.
@Helen – Let’s hope Townsville doesn’t now get flooded!
@William – Yes, a nice specimen.
@Lesley – I think it’s because it doesn’t correspond to the “straight” style. It was Susan who told me about it. Maybe she’ll comment.