The Loire Valley and especially Blois
I was intrigued to see this bull’s eye outside the Vendôme town hall which used to the the Lycée Ronsard. All I can imagine is that it was possible to monitor the comings and goings of the school boys sitting down. J’étais intriguée de voir cet oeil de boeuf très bas à l’extérieur de l’hôtel …
Continue reading “The Sitting Bull's Eye – L'oeil de boeuf assis”
The system that enables the washerwomen to be level with the water can be seen in this washhouse, built in the 15th century on the Saint Jacques branch of the Loir River in Vendôme. It is one of the rare examples of a two-story washhouse, designed exclusively for a community, in this case the Cordeliers …
Continue reading “Fifteenth Century Wash House – Lavoir du XVème”
The mediaeval town of Vendôme lies at the foot of a hill flanked by the Loir River, 35 km from Blois. This gate, fortified in the 13th to 15th centuries, is also called the Big Meadow Arch after the surrounding countryside. In the Middle Ages, the amount of water from the Loir River was regulated …