This was the first building of interest we saw in Romorantin. The bathhouse was built in 1927 in the Art Deco style. The pediment illustrates the beneficial waters of the establishment which had 17 showers and 7 baths. At a time when few houses had their own bathrooms, it played an important role in the …
Author Archives: avril
A Museum in Sologne – Un musée en Sologne
Yesterday was cold and windy so we stayed home and worked so we could go to Romorantin today instead. It was still windy but the sky was clear and it was warmer at 12 degrees Celsius (54 F). Romorantin is the capital of Sologne, known for its ponds and venison. It is also the name …
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Beloved George’s – Bienaymé Georges
The house of Bienaymé Georges (alderman of Bourges and a familiar of the duchess of Berry, Jeanne de France) was built in stone after the fire of 1487. The dormer window is obviously a later addition. Unfortunately I can’t find any information about this apparently beloved man. La maison de Bienaymé Georges (échevin de Bourges …
Palais Jacques Coeur Bourges
The Palais Jacques-Cœur in Bourges is considered to be one of the most sumptuous civil buildings of the 15th century in France and a masterpiece of flamboyant Gothic civil architecture, due to the elegance of its architecture and the richness and variety of its decoration. This 15th century building prefigures the private mansions that were …
Hôtel Lallement Bourges
The Hôtel Lallemant in Bourges is an early example of the first French Renaissance built before the castles of the Loire Valley: the François I wing of Blois Castle and the châteaux of Azay le Rideau, Chambord and Chenonceau. It is remarkable for the quality of its sculpted decoration and the personality of its sponsors: …
Trompe l’œil in Bourges
I’m always a sucker for trompe l’œil. It’s such an improvement on a dirty blank wall. J’ai toujours un faible pour le trompe l’œil . C’est tellement mieux qu’un mur aveugle et plutôt sale.
Half-timbered houses in Bourges – Maisons à pans de bois à Bourges
Bourges has an amazing number of very well-preserved half-timbered houses of which these are just a few of the easiest to photograph. Between 1000 and 2000 houses were destroyed by fire in 1487 but more were soon built and today there are more than 440 houses from this reconstruction. After the fire new regulations required …
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The Tithe Barn – La grange aux dîmes
This 13th century tithe barn is just across the road from the cathedral. it was used to store rents and tithes. Farmers were required to give one-tenth of their produce to the canons of the church. It’s a pity we couldn’t go inside. Ce bâtiment, construit au XIIIe à proximité de la cathédrale, servait à …
France’s First Cultural Centre – La première maison de la culture
The Bourges Cultural Centre built between 1936 and 1938 in the Art Deco style, and inaugurated in 1963, was France’s first cultural centre thanks to the writer and politician André Malraux, the minister of culture at the time. It houses a large and a small theatre. La Maison de la Culture de Bourges (également connue …
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Bourges Cathedral
We went to Bourges today to pick up a 2019 secondhand Renault Scenic to replace our 2005 Scenic bought in 2007. It sadly died last Sunday having clocked up 188 000 km. Both are automatics, not very popular in France, but they have saved my back. Unfortunately the stunningly beautiful UNESCO classified cathedral was closed …