The Loire Valley and especially Blois
Ballooning is very popular in the Loire Valley. What a wonderful way to see the famous châteaux! This photo was taken late afternoon, opposite Chaumont, which is a 15 minute drive from Blois. Les mongolfières sont très répandues dans la vallée de la Loire. Quelle façon merveilleuse de voir les célèbres châteaux ! Cette photo …
Continue reading “Hot Air Balloons over the Loire – Mongolfières sur la Loire”
The Royal Castle of Blois consisting of four castles comprises four different eras and four architectural styles around the same courtyard: 18th century gothic; flamboyant gothic and introduction of the Renaissance; 16th century Renaissance with François I and the classical architecture of the 17th century. This is the Renaissance façade with its Italianate galleries. Le château Royal de …
Continue reading “Renaissance façade of Blois Castle – Façade renaissance du château royal de Blois”
The bike path you can see on the right is part of the Loire à Vélo network of 800 km of shared or dedicated cycle routes from Saint Nazaire on the Atlantic Coast to Nevers. It is part of a much longer cycle route – about 4000 km – called Eurovelo 6 from the Atlantic …
Continue reading “Bike Path in Summer – Piste cyclable en été”
This photo is taken from the Vienne side of the Loire looking across at Blois and the Church of Saint Nicolas, the city’s most interesting church, built in the 12th and 13th centuries, and a combination of Romanesque and Gothic. Cette photo de Blois est prise du côté Vienne de la Loire avec l’église de Saint …
Continue reading “Sunset in Summer – Coucher de soleil en été”
I love the long rows of hollyhocks that line country roads in the summer. Although they are sturdy, they need to be attached as they get taller or they will be flattened during heavy rain. This photo is taken in the neighbourhood known as Les Grouets. J’adore les longues rangées de roses trémières qui bordent …
Continue reading “Hollyhocks in Les Grouets – Roses trémières aux Grouets”
The gabarre flat-bottomed boat, from the Greek karabos meaning shell, refers to several types of river boats in various places along the Atlantic seaboard. Their flat bottom means that with a shallow draught, they can transport a maximum load. The ones on the Loire Valley often have rigging as well. They are made of clapboard, that is, overlapping …