The Loire Valley and especially Blois
Il y a une semaine, j’ai posté une photo d’un tapis de perce-neige dans le petit bois derrière notre maison. Maintenant, c’est une foule de jonquilles pour citer le célèbre poème de Wordsworth “Les Jonquilles” dans la traduction de Catherine Réault-Crosnier. A week ago, I posted a photo of a carpet of snow drops in the little …
Continue reading “A Host of Golden Daffodils – Un foule de jonquilles”
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 stone staircase with its wrought iron railing is in Vienne, on the south-eastern bank of the Loire. It guides us to Saint Nicolas, one of Blois’ most recognizable monuments. Ce bel escalier avec sa rampe en fer forgé se trouve en Vienne, sur la rive gauche de la Loire. Il nous guide vers l’église …
Continue reading “Stepping Up to Saint Nicolas – Marches vers l'église Saint Nicolas”
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 …
Montlivault, 11 km from Blois, has a 12th century church that was recently restored. It also has a tall bell-tower with a portal from the late 15th century. During restoration, 15th century wall paintings were discovered which we haven’t visited yet. Montlivault, à 11 km de Blois possède une église du XIIe siècle nouvellement restaurée. …
A couple of days ago, I posted a photo of a whetstone sheath that I took in a local château. I was describing it to Jean Michel when I suddenly realised we have our own whetstone sheath! Our previous owners very kindly left us quite a few museum pieces, including the sheath. However, I could …
The whetstone sheath, in this case made of wood, was filled with water or oil and a long stone called a “whetstone” placed inside which was then used to sharpen blades such as a scythe. The water or oil coating on the whetstone made it abrasive. The sheath was traditionally made out of cow’s horn …
Here is the seafood starter at one of our favourite restaurants in Blois, L’Embarcadère. Clockwise: fines de claire oysters, prawns, shrimp, crayfish, shallot sauce, mayonnaise, whelks, salted butter. Voici l’entrée de fruits de mer d’un de nos restaurants préférés à Blois, L’Embarcadère. Dans le sens des aiguilles d’une montre: huîtres fines de claire, crevettes roses, …
Continue reading “Seafood Starters – Entrée de fruits de mer”
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.