The Loire Valley and especially Blois
I don’t know what to think of these stained glass windows in the royal chapelle at Blois Castle. The woman on the left looks demure enough although her bodice is somewhat revealing but it’ the one on the right that is surprising. She doesn’t look like chapel material to me! Ces vitraux dans la chapelle …
Continue reading “Risqué Chapel Windows – Vitraux de chapelle osés”
This is one of two medallions about 50 centimetres high, found in the attic at Hôtel d’Alluye built in Blois by Florimond Robertet in about 1505. They are early samples of this type of medallion made of patinated limestone. Florimond Robertet (1458-1527), secretary of state for Charles VIII, Louis XII and minister of finance for François …
Continue reading “Renaissance medallion – Médaillon renaissance”
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 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 …
There are some surprising details in these Delft tiles in Château de Chaumont. The second last row seems to depict a biblical story. Il y a des détails surprenants dans ces carreaux de Delft au château de Chaumont. L’avant dernière rangée semble raconter une histoire biblique.
This beautifully preserved mosaic depicting a wild boar and two hounds is on the archway at the entrance to Château de Chaumont just next to the underground kitchens. Cette belle mosaïque représentant un sanglier et deux chiens de chasse se trouve sur l’architrave à l’entrée du château de Chaumont à côté des cuisines souterraines.
Another porcupine symbolising Louis XII, cette time on the painted fireplace mantle in Château de Chaumont. Un autre porc-épic le symbole de Louis XII cette fois sur le manteau d’une cheminée peinte au château de Chaumont.
These intricate sculptures are on the outside of château de Chaumont next to century-old cedars. Ces sculptures bien travaillées se trouvent à l’extérieur du château de Chaumont à côté de cèdres millénaires.
Some of the old cast iron radiators, like this one from Château de Beauregard, are really beautiful. Il y a des radiateurs en fonte anciens qui sont vraiment très beau comme celui du château de Beauregard.