The Still – L'alambique

Jean Michel was most  intrigued by this still in the courtyard of Château de Moncontour wine museum and cellar, not only because of its size but also the presence of an electric motor. The one he knew in his childhood looked more coppery. Jean Michel était très intrigué par cet alambic dans la cour du musée …

Entwined carrots – Les carottes enlacées

As soon as I saw these carrots at the market this morning, I knew I wanted them! But when I asked the market gardener for the “entwined carrots” he didn’t realise what I wanted. Everyone was most amused! Dès que j’ai vu ces carottes au marché ce matin, je savais que je les voulais ! …

The Troglodyte's Bell – Le clocher du troglodyte

I love the details on this troglodyte house – the tree with its gnarled roots, the horseshoe next to the door, the TV antenna next to the chimney, the white picket fence and the rusty old bell. J’adore les détails sur cette maison de troglodyte: l’arbre avec ses racines noueuse, son fer à cheval à …

Sunset in the Trees – Coucher de soleil dans les arbres

No photo yesterday because we were without electricity from 6 pm to 5 am (in Paris!) following a storm. This photo of Château de la Vicomté is from the archives and taken in our street in Les Grouets. Pas de photo hier parce que nous étions sans électricité entre 18 heures et 5 heures (à …

Too Many Toadstools – Trop de champignons incomestibles

Ah, if only all mushrooms were edible! Still, the presence of toadstools often means the edible ones are not far away. Ah, si seulement tous les champignons étaient comestibles ! Mais quand même, la présence de champignons incomestibles indique souvent que les bons ne sont pas loin.

Postcard from Lisbon – Caravel

You may remember another caravel in Saint Dyé sur Loire. This one is in front of the statue of Marques do Pombal, both emblematic of Lisbon. Vous vous souvenez peut-être d’une autre caravelle à Saint Dyé sur Loire. Celle-ci se trouve devant la statue du Marquis de Pombal, toutes deux emblématiques de Lisbonne.

Postcard from Lisbon – Palacio dos Marquesas de Fronteira

The Palace and Gardens of Fronteira were built by the first marquis in 1670 in the outskirts of Lisbon as a hunting pavilion. The azulejos are quite stunning – even in the rain! Le Palais et jardins des Marquis de Fronteira furent bâtis vers 1670 par le premier marquis aux alentours de Lisbonne comme pavillon …

Postcard from Lisbon – Rooftop Pinnacles

These pinnacles are very common in Lisbon but they look particularly effective on the terrace of the Monastery of Saint Vincent  Outside the Walls. Ces pinacles se trouvent un peu partout à Lisbonne mais ils sont particulièrement décoratifs sur la terrasse du monastère de Saint Vincent Hors les Murs.

Postcard from Lisbon – La Fontaine

The Monastery of Saint Vincent Outside the Walls in Lisbon has a magnificent collection of 38 azulejos depicting different fables by La Fontaine. This is one of them. The dog with his master’s dinner round his neck A dog was carrying his master’s dinner and another dog tried to steal it. When more dogs appeared, attraced by …