The Loire Valley and especially Blois
After a break-in at the end of last year, Jean Michel added some extra height to our side gate, with the advice of Jacky, who made the original gate, in order to deter burglars from getting around the front which is easier to break into. Jean Michel has just finished repainting it. The next step is to …
Continue reading “The Burglar-Resistant Gate – Le portail anti-voleurs”
These two little bugs come to us care of our friends Monique and Jacky. The first is a and the second is a grasshopper and the second a cricket. Maybe our friend Susan from Days on the Claise can help us identify them more scientifically. Ces deux petites bestioles nous viennent de nos amis Monique …
Today we harvested our very first runner beans from the garden. We hadn’t even realised there were any on the bean stalk, just flowers. We bought the seeds from Château de la Bourdaisière. Also in the basket are tomatoes, lettuce, chives, basil, raspberries on a nasturium leaf and nasturiums which are also edible, though a little …
Continue reading “Back from the Vegetable Patch – De retour du potager”
From afar, this looked like just an Australian windmill, but it’s not. Commercialised by Auguste Bollée at the end of the 19th century, according to the invention of Ernest-Sylvain Bollée (1814-1891) patented in 1868, the Éolienne Bollée is an unusual wind turbine, unique for having a stator and a rotor, like a water turbine A further patent dated 1885 differed mainly in …
Chenin blanc is the main grape used in the Loire Valley to make white wine, from dry to sweet. The main grape used for Touraine-Mesland, it is often combined with white chardonnay and sauvignon, it’s one of our favourites. Cépage principal du l’AOP Touraine-Mesland le chenin blanc est souvent associé avec le chardonnay blanc et parfois …
I think this is the neatest scarecrow I’ve ever seen, protecting the grapes. Je pense que c’est l’épouvantail le plus astucieux que j’ai jamais vu pour protéger les raisins.
A perfect place to picnic – a table next to an old washhouse at Chambon-sur-Cisse. Un endroit parfait pour pique-niquer : une table près d’un vieux lavoir à Chambon-sur-Cisse.
I know that the photo is not very clear but we were on the other side of a field and I only had my iPhone. The fan is on the back of a man who is about to take off beneath a hang-glider (see below). As there are no high places around, the fan is …
Continue reading “A Giant Fan Takes Off – Un ventilateur géant se décolle”
This photo was taken inside Château Gaillard. The very pale stained glass windows cast the most delightful reflections. The one on the left depicts Charles VIII who, after visiting Italy in 1496, recreated his “earthly paradise” with the help of Pacello de Mercoliano, the “greatest gardener in Europe”, and 22 Italian artists. Cette photo est prise à …
The site of the first orange trees to enter France; More information tomorrow when I have a better Internet connection!! Le site des premiers orangers en France. Plus d’i’nfos demains lorsque j’aurai une meilleure connexion internet ….