With so many restrictions on Christmas this year, especially the absence of my children, I have been feeling a little down but after seeing a Danish friend’s many meaningful decorations on FaceBook, I decided to go into the forest and collect what I needed for my Christmas door wreath which I usually make with my …
Author Archives: avril
Three Chums & a Moose – Trois copains et un élan
I’m always very amused by this sort of Christmas decoration. You’d need to get up a ladder to put them there! Je trouve ce type de décoration de Noël très amusant. Il faudra certainement une échelle pour faire le décor.
The Old Shop – La vieille boutique
All that is left of this shop is the storefront painted in very trendy grey. I like to imagine it as a general store selling anything from flour to buttons and hammers. Note the shutters. Tout ce qui reste de cette boutique est sa devanture peinte en gris tendance. J’imagine bien un magasin qui vendait …
Troglodytes at Pocé-sur-Cisse
A troglodyte is a cave dweller and there are several areas in the Loire Valley where the homes and cellars dug out of the limestone cliffs are still used. This is an interesting example as it includes several different types whereas the photo below shows a set of wine cellars. Les troglodytes habitent des grottes …
A Different Perspective – Sous une autre perspective
As we walked towards the château, this majestic Lebanese cedar looked immense. As we got closer, the cedar got smaller and smaller until it was almost lost in the distance. Lorsque le château s’est dévoilé à l’entrée du parc, ce remarquable cèdre du Liban paraissait immense mais au fur et à mesure que nous nous …
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The Sad Santa Story – L’histoire triste du père Noël
You may remember my post last week showing a sad-looking Santa at Blois market. This week there was a new very jovial Santa but there is a sad story behind the change. Since the first Santa started the job early December for the third year running he has been the victim of so many insults …
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On the Ile of Gold – Sur l’île d’Or
The weather was just perfect today for a meetup and mini-celebration to collect our foie gras from friends and celebrate two events with vouvray and financiers: a birthday and French citizenship. The photo was taken from the island in the middle of the Loire opposite Amboise. Il faisait un temps splendide sur l’île d’Or à …
Chocolate, chocolate and more chocolate
Max Vauché artisan chocolates are the most famous in Loir-et-Cher, where we live. There is a store in Blois but the original facility in Bracieux is a treat for the eyes as well as the palate. The second photo shows Mendiant Trees. A mendiant is a traditional French confection from Provence composed of a chocolate …
Blois at Night – Blois la nuit
We were coming home from mushroom picking in the forest tonight when we saw these beautiful blue lights under Pont Gabriel in Blois. And I discovered that my iPhone 11 has this neat nighttime feature! Nous étions sur le retour de la forêt ce soir après une cueillette de champignons lorsque nous avons vu ces …
Covid Deconfinement 2 Stage 1 Day 1
Today was the first day of lockdown easing for Christmas. All shops are open but the number of people allowed inside is one per 8 square metres. Culturel venues such as theatres, cinemas and museums are closed until 6th January. People can go anywhere in France they wish but there is a curfew between 8 …