The Loire Valley and especially Blois
We cycled to Chambord and back yesterday (62 K in the blazing heat – 32 degrees) but it was worth it! We had planned to come back on the shady side of the Loire mais we forgot to check the timetable for the little ferry that takes us and our bikes across the river. We had …
Continue reading “Chambord from Near and Far – Chambord de près et de loin”
I had forgotten how beautiful this 16th century mill house is near Chateau des Grotteaux just outside Huisseau-sur-Cosson. It has unusual detail for a mill house. J’avais oublié que ce moulin du 16e siècle à côté du Château des Grotteaux près de Huisseau-sur-Cosson était si beau. Le détail est inhabituel pour un moulin.
I took this photo from inside the car as we were driving past Chaumont Castle yesterday. J’ai pris cette photo depuis l’habitacle de la voiture hier au moment où on a croisé le château de Chaumont.
I would love to be able to paint like this! Qu’est-ce que j’aimerais savoir peindre comme cela !
Our vegetable patch has lots of raspberries which I love, potatoes, runner beans, lettuces which we unfortunately share with the snails and slugs since the dog next door eliminated the hedgehogs, butternut pumpkins from Australia, strawberries, five types of heirloom tomatoes, chives, basil, rosemary, sorrel, gladioli, nasturtiums, roses, carnations and other unidentified flowers. Notre potager …
The tufa cliffs you can see on the other side of the Loire are actually troglodyte dwellings, dug directly in the soft stone. The town is called Rochecorbon between Amboise and Tours. Les falaises de tuffeau que l’on voit de l’autre côté de la Loire sont en réalité des maisons troglodytes creusées directement dans la pierre. Il …
Continue reading “Troglodytes along the Loire – Troglodytes au bord de la Loire”
I fail to understand why almost ALL the picnic tables in France (and there are not a lot of them I have to say) are in the sun at midday (not to mention most of the afternoon). Je n’arrive pas à comprendre pourquoi quasiment TOUTES les tables de pique-nique en France (et il n’y en …
Continue reading “Picnic in the Sun – Pique-nique au soleil”
As an aspiring gardener – and I say aspiring because gardening, like parenting, is very humbling – I am always on the lookout for magnificent planters such as this one that we rode past last night on our bikes. Below are my petunias this year, which I am quite proud of, but they are the result …
These are just some of the faces on the capitals lining the horse ramp in Amboise Castle. Any suggestions for naming them? Voici quelques-uns des visages sur les chapiteaux qui longent la rampe à cheval au château d’Amboise. Avez-vous des suggestions pour leur donner un nom ?