The 11th century Romanesque Benedictine basilica of Saint Benoit is famous for its sculpted capitals. The first photo was taken from a school yard. How wonderful to play alongside such a beautiful monument. L’abbaye romane bénédictine de Saint Benoît construite au 11e siècle est connue pour ses chapiteaux sculptés. La première photo est prise dans …
Category Archives: Architecture
The Mystery Hut – La cabane mystérieuse
This renovated hut at the end of a cul de sac with new houses along each side is obviously a remnant of the past. There are two rooms and the front one has what appears to be a fireplace in one corner. There aren’t doors but gates. Cette cabane rénovée qui se trouve au bout …
Postcard from Sicily – Monreale
Each of the capitals on top of the 228 columns of the Monreale Cloisters, built on a hill overlooking Palermo, is intricately sculpted with motifs influenced by Provençal, Burgundian, Arab and Salerno medieval art. Chacun des chapiteaux des 228 colonnes du cloître de Monreale construit sur une hauteur surplombant Palerme est superbement sculpté avec des …
Postcard from Sicily – Palermo Cathedral
There is no mistaking the Norman, Moorish, Gothic and Baroque influences of this Unesco heritage cathedral in Palermo. Les influences normandes, mauresques, gothiques et baroques sont toutes évidentes dans cette cathédrale classée au patrimoine mondiale de l’Unesco.
Postcard from Sicily – Etna
We waited all day to see it and we finally did! The snow capped peak of Etna is in the middle of that opening at the Ancient Greek/Roman amphitheatre of Taormina. Nous avons attendu toute la journée pour la voir et on a enfin réussi! Le somment enneigé d’Etna se trouve au milieu de l’ouverture …
Postcard from Sicily – Taormina
A few rays of sunshine at last and a change of architecture in Taormina. Piazza del duomo with is cathedral built in 1400. Very subdued compared with all the baroque we’ve been seeing. Quelques rayons de soleil enfin et un changement d’architecture à Taormina. Piazza del duomo avec sa cathédrale construite en 1400. Très soft …
Postcard from Sicily – Piazza Archimede
Archimedes after whom the piazza was named was born in Syracuse in the 3rd century BC but the fountain of Diane the Huntress was built in 1906. The second photo is a typical street on the island of Ortigia on the tip of Syracuse. Archimède qui a donné son nom à cette place est né …
Postcard from Sicily – Agrigento
A Greek temple built in the 5th century BC, a 500 year old olive tree and a contemporary statue of Icarus stand side by side at the Unesco World Heritage site of Agrigento. Un temple grecque construit au 5ème siècleavant Jesus Christ, un olivier de 500 ans et une statue contemporaine se trouvent côte à …
Discovering Limoges – Limoges inattendu
We once stopped briefly in Limoges (about 15 or 20 years ago) and wrote it off as being without any interest whatsoever so were surprised this weekend to discover that is has many attractions! Nous avons fait une visite éclaire à Limoges il y a 15 ou 20 ans et l’avons trouvé sans intérêt. Nous …
The Blue Shutters – Les volets bleus
This is a very unusual house for Sologne. C’est une maison très inhabituelle pour la Sologne.