This little tiled house brightens up the otherwise very dull town of Château Renault. I just looked up the word “caburoche” in the dictionary and discovered it is a hut in the Loire vineyards to store tools, which is exactly what I posted two days ago! Cette petite maison carrelée met de la lumière dans …
Author Archives: avril
Leonardo Lounging – Léonard se prélasse
I can’t believe I’ve been going to Ile d’Or in Amboise once a month for the last 5 years and have never seen this statue of Leonardo da Vinci along the Loire. I took it from a more modest angle. Leonardo spent his last years in Amboise at Clos Lucé château at the invitation of …
The Vine Wreath – Vigne en couronne
We stopped at our favourite post mill in Bléré yesterday (see below) and I saw this little winegrower’s hut opposite that I had never noticed. I love the wine trained in the shape of a wreath – not to mention the wind vane! Nous nous sommes arrêtés hier à notre moulin cavier préféré à Bléré …
Reflections of a Château – Reflets d'un château
The superb château of Azay-le-Rideau is now completely renovated after two and a half years and the result is stunning. Built on an island in the Indre River during the reign of François I in the 16th century, it is set in a beautiful garden landscaped during the second half of the 19th century. Le superbe …
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Heads & Tails – Têtes et queues
I’m not quite sure what these golden heads and tail represent but they are coming out of the Magic House in Blois. Je ne suis pas sure à quoi correspondent ces têtes et queue dorées représentent mais elles sortent de la Maison de la magie à Blois.
Leather Stitching Clamp – Pince à coudre le cuir
When Monique et Jacky sold us their beautiful house, Closerie Falaiseau, they left us lots of interesting objects. One was a large pair of wooden tongs more than a metre long but they weren’t quite sure what they were used for. Imagine how thrilled I was when we visited a leather museum in Château Renault …
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A Cold Rainy Week – Une semaine froide et pluvieuse
It has been a cold rainy week and I was so desperate to eat outside today that I suggested we put our garden table in the woodshed. We shouldn’t complain – the lack of rain this summer has led to water restrictions which fortunately have now been lifted. On vient de passer une semaine froide et …
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More Corners – Un autre coin de rue
Another amazing corner building, this time in Orléans, but mostly brick and half-timbering, an unusual combination. It’s on Rue du Poterne, in a newly renovated area of the city just opposite the Loire. Encore une construction d’angle, cette fois-ci à Orléans, mais surtout en brique et pans de bois un mélange inhabituel. Elle se trouve …
Brick & Stone in Orléans – Brique et pierre à Orléans
We came across this brick and stone house in Orléans recently. It’s in Rue Catherine and I think it’s 17th century. An amazing juxtaposition. Nous avons vu cette maison en brique et pierre à Orléans récemment. Elle se trouve rue Catherine et semble dater du 17ème siècle. Une juxtaposition étonnante.
Renovating a Windmill – Renovation d'un moulin à vent
Albert Thouvin is reconstructing this old windmill outside Souvigny-en-Soulogne entirely at his own expense, following its destruction in 1930, doing a lot of the work himself and raising money by holding jazz concerts. What a pity we missed the one on 24th June! Albert Thouvin rénove à ses propres frais ce vieux moulin à Souvigny-en-Soulogne, détruit …
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