The Loire Valley and especially Blois
I was intrigued to see this bull’s eye outside the Vendôme town hall which used to the the Lycée Ronsard. All I can imagine is that it was possible to monitor the comings and goings of the school boys sitting down. J’étais intriguée de voir cet oeil de boeuf très bas à l’extérieur de l’hôtel …
Continue reading “The Sitting Bull's Eye – L'oeil de boeuf assis”
The system that enables the washerwomen to be level with the water can be seen in this washhouse, built in the 15th century on the Saint Jacques branch of the Loir River in Vendôme. It is one of the rare examples of a two-story washhouse, designed exclusively for a community, in this case the Cordeliers …
Continue reading “Fifteenth Century Wash House – Lavoir du XVème”
Our first peacock butterfly of the year fluttered around Jean Michel while he was removing moss from the roof. He was captivated by the complex beauty of its wing. Ce premier paon du jour de l’année a accompagné Jean-Michel dans ses travaux de démoussage sur le toit. La beauté complexe de sa “voilure” est captivante.
The mediaeval town of Vendôme lies at the foot of a hill flanked by the Loir River, 35 km from Blois. This gate, fortified in the 13th to 15th centuries, is also called the Big Meadow Arch after the surrounding countryside. In the Middle Ages, the amount of water from the Loir River was regulated …
Il y a une semaine, j’ai posté une photo d’un tapis de perce-neige dans le petit bois derrière notre maison. Maintenant, c’est une foule de jonquilles pour citer le célèbre poème de Wordsworth “Les Jonquilles” dans la traduction de Catherine Réault-Crosnier. A week ago, I posted a photo of a carpet of snow drops in the little …
Continue reading “A Host of Golden Daffodils – Un foule de jonquilles”
I think the lace bargeboard made of repoussé metal on this roof is quite extraordinary. The little half-timbered house is wedged in between two other very ordinary-looking houses and you have to really look closely to appreciate the beauty of this little roof. Thank you, Jean Michel. Je trouve extraordinaire la dentelle sur ce lambrequin …
This stained glass window in Saint Saturnin in Blois is an invocation to the Virgin Mary when the Loire oerflowed its banks on 29th September 1866. It was thanks to the levee that Blois was spared. But the breach in Conneuil (near Montlouis-sur-Loire) flooded the entire valley between the northern slope of the Loire and …
Continue reading “Blois Spared from Flooding – Blois épargnée lors de la crue”
This stone staircase with its wrought iron railing is in Vienne, on the south-eastern bank of the Loire. It guides us to Saint Nicolas, one of Blois’ most recognizable monuments. Ce bel escalier avec sa rampe en fer forgé se trouve en Vienne, sur la rive gauche de la Loire. Il nous guide vers l’église …
Continue reading “Stepping Up to Saint Nicolas – Marches vers l'église Saint Nicolas”
This mural by Julien “Seth” Malland, is in the northern quarters of Blois next to Lorjou market where the price of fruit and vegetables is the lowest in Blois. This eternal wanderer, who travels the world to paint street scenes, stayed in Blois for a week to paint his largest fresco. “Painting 168 sq.m. in …
Our weather vane was made by the previous owner of our house, a locksmith by trade. It bears two symbols – a key for him and a feather for his wife, who was a secretary. And there is a cross indicating the cardinal points. Apparently, in mediaeval times, the landowners didn’t want the peasants to …