Musical weekend coming up...

Two good musical evenings for your pleasure this weekend...

On Friday we have 'Siansa' returning for their second visit to Touraine to give us a taste of Ireland here in France. The location, in the square behind the church in Le Grand Pressigny is ideal with space for dancing as well as the food and beverages on offer.

Then on Saturday Barrou offers its annual music festival with an eclectic mix of music on the stage by the river Creuse...

Or you can visit Abilly and listen to 12 choirs at 6 different locations throughout the village.

The organisers put in a huge amount of effort to bring these events to you so it is very important to support them...hope to see you there! We do however wonder why two villages so close to each (13km) other have these musical evenings on the same date, thus reducing their potential audience and denying some people the opportunity to sample both.

Wot we bot..

On our way to the brocante at Nouzilly on Sunday we passed through the village of Cerelles who were having their brocante and decided to stop there on the way back. Glad we did as we found this large copper urn and were happy to pay the 15euros asked.

Sunday's brocante visit...

Yesterday we headed up north of Tours to Nouzilly to check out their brocante.I chose it as it had a good number of stall holders and was in a little pocket of Touraine we didn't know that well. I also decided that we should drive up around the west of the city off the main routes to again see a bit more of the area. 

When we first arrived we thought that we had made a mistake as there was not a stall to be seen in the small village but a friendly local pointed us in the direction of the nearby woods where the brocante was laid out.

It was a good setting with plenty of shade plus the usual 'restauration' tent where we had our Sunday lunch

There was the usual mix of items on offer...

Does anyone know what this section of tyre might be used for? 

There was a couple of tempting musical items but I resisted the temptation.

Did enquire as to the price of Serge but at 150 euros to rich for my blood.

Bonne soiree...

Glad to see a good turn out at the soiree at Chez Grand Ma's in Le Grand Pressigny last night. 'I Don't Know' provided the music and again were generous enough to allow me sing a few songs...good fun for me...hope it was for the audience.Dave (fiddle) and Bernard (clarinet) added to a good set.

Something for the weekend...

Brocantes / vide greniers Saturday 25^th June

* Up to 50 stalls ** 50 to 100 stalls *** 100 to 200 stalls ****More than 200 stalls    ? Unknown

BOSSAY SUR CLAISE  Vide-greniers, Brocante **

Brocantes / vide greniers Sunday 26th June

* Up to 50 stalls ** 50 to 100 stalls *** 100 to 200 stalls ****More than 200 stalls    ? Unknown

BOURNAN  Foire à la Farfouille **

CERELLES  Vide-greniers **

COURCAY  Brocante Vide-greniers ?

ESVRES  Vide-greniers ***

L'ILE BOUCHARD  Brocante Vide-greniers ?

LA CROIX EN TOURAINE  Vide-greniers **

LA ROUCHOUZE  Brocante ***

MONTLOUIS SUR LOIRE  Vide-greniers ***

NOUZILLY  Vide-greniers ****

SAINT BAULD  Vide-greniers **

SAINT BENOIT LA FORET  Vide-greniers **

SAINT GENOUPH  Foire aux Entrecôtes - Vide-greniers ***

SAINT PIERRE DES CORPS  Vide-greniers - Jardin Gambetta **

TOURS  Troc du Grand Marché - Vide Grenier Brocante ***

TOURS  Brocante Antiquités Bd Béranger ***

Fete de la Musique continues...

More Australians visiting the Loire Valley...

Said goodbye to our lovely Australian guests at 'La Belle Vue' yesterday. Needed a bit of 'hand-holding' during their visit but perhaps overstating our contribution to their holiday.

"Lovely six days in 'La Belle Vue' - so quaint and cosy. We have achieved what we came to do ,experience life in a little French village. Have loved the local characters, meeting other folk on holiday, the people have all been very helpful.
The most 'extraordinary plus' would have to be Pauline & Jim - their welcome, their daily care for us - amazing!
Everything about the little chalet was A1 - hot water, warm, cosy & delightful outlook - birds singing, La Creuse flowing -who could ask for more. 10/10 - great!"

http://www.loirevalleyexperiences.com/la-belle-vue.htm

Bringing tourists to Touraine...

We like the fact that we do our little bit as far as bringing  tourists to Touraine...currently we are delighted to have, Australians in La Belle Vue

an American in the Old Walnut Mill,

a Swiss couple and an English friend in Les Balcons 

                             

plus two English couples in Le Bourg

Sunday at the Fete de la Confiture in Abilly

We headed over to Abilly yesterday for their annual brocante/jam festival

It was getting near lunchtime so perhaps this was why it wasn't so busy

The circus is in town as was evidenced by some of the performances on the streets.

As is normal at these events there was a 'rich' variety of goods on display...

including these happy chappies...

and these bicycles, in tandem of course.

Fete de la Confiture,Abilly...

It is the annual 'Fete de la Confiture' in nearby Abilly today, an event that is a melange of brocante,jam tasting and arts and crafts...nothing to get your heart racing but a very sociable occasion'

My favourite moment from previous  'Jam’ festival's in Abilly was the brass band's rendition of OMD's 'Enola Gay'  - who'd have thought! There is the obvious connection with some of their other songs, 'Joan of Arc' 'Maid of Orleans' which I would have thought more appropriate – but loved it just the same!

You can see some pics. from way back in 2013 here

Fete de la Musique 2016...

This weekend is the 'Fete de la Musique', the annual music festival here in France where musicians are asked to provide free (plus paid for concerts) live music in a variety of venues. The tradition inaugurated by the then French Minister of Culture in Paris in 1982 continues to reinvent itself with free concerts with everything from hunting horns to hip hop.

Check your local tourist office for what is on near you...or check out some of what's on in your department here

Locally at Le Grand Pressigny we have the annual 'Feu de la St Jean' complete with bonfire...

                   

or you can head over to Le Petit Pressigny where some friends are providing some of the music under the name 'Le Troi Daves'

There are also bands playing at 'Bar La Saulaie' (The Riders) and 'Cafe de la Paix'  (Les Reactors) in Descartes on Friday evening plus they have a programme of music over the weekend.

Something for the weekend...brocantes 18th/19th June

Brocantes / vide greniers Saturday 18^th June

* Up to 50 stalls ** 50 to 100 stalls *** 100 to 200 stalls ****More than 200 stalls    ? Unknown

FONDETTES  Vide-greniers ***

à 249 km

LES ESSARDS  Vide-greniers **

à 272 km

LOCHE SUR INDROIS  Vide-greniers **

à 258 km

PONT DE RUAN  Brocante **

à 266 km

Brocantes / vide greniers Sunday 19th  June

* Up to 50 stalls ** 50 to 100 stalls *** 100 to 200 stalls ****More than 200 stalls    ? Unknown

ABILLY  Fête de la Confiture - Vide-greniers **

AMBILLOU  Brocante Vide-greniers ***

ARCHIGNY  Brocante Vide Grenier, Foire aux Vins ***

ATHEE SUR CHER  Vide-greniers ***

AZAY SUR CHER  Vide Greniers ***

BEAUMONT EN VERON  Bric à Brac du Vélor

BETZ LE CHATEAU  Brocante Vide-greniers *

CHATEAU LA VALLIERE  Brocante ***

  

CHATELLERAULT  Vide-grenier Brocante ***Lac de la Foret, rue Agnès Sorel

CHINON  Brocante mensuelle **

HUISMES  Vide-greniers **

JOUE LES TOURS  Brocante Vide-greniers ***

LA VILLE AUX DAMES  Vide-greniers ****

LIMERAY  Vide-greniers ***

MONTRESOR  Vide-greniers ?

MONTS  Vide-greniers Monts ***

NEUILLE LE LIERRE  Brocante **

PORTS SUR VIENNE  Vide-greniers ?

ROCHECORBON  Brocante Vide-greniers ***

SAINT PIERRE DES CORPS  Vide-greniers *****

SAVONNIERES  Vide-greniers ****

TOURS  Vide-greniers ***

Music for the weekend...

'Les Reactors'

Café de LaPaix rue Rabelais -Descartes

Friday, June 17 at 9 PM

           

Artist in residence...in the Loire Valley

Old Walnut Mill where Sandra is currently 'in residence'

We are delighted to receive our fifth visit here in Barrou from our American friend and artist Sandra Beck.
Originally from Maine Sandra has now settled in Sedona, Arizona where her passion for painting has flourished.She has studied with many artists both at home and abroad and now mainly paints in watercolour.

Back in 2012 we organized an exhibition of her work in the restaurant here in Barrou which included many local scenes.She sold around 20 of her works and also won commissions to paint a few of our local residents homes in watercolour.

'Le Bourg'

She is at the 'Old Walnut Mill' here in Barrou for six weeks and if you would like your property captured in watercolour then let me know and I will pass on your details.

You can view some of Sandra's work here on her website 

Extending friendships...and stays in the Loire Valley

Old Walnut Mill

We were delighted when our last guests at 'The old Walnut Mill' and 'Le Bourg' asked if they could both extend their stays at the properties. It gives us a great deal of pleasure to share our Loire Valley experiences with new people and to see them quickly appreciate what this beautiful part of Centre-Val de Loire has to offer.

Terrace of Le Bourg

Le Grand-Pressigny's Garden Party...

Yesterday's inaugural 'Garden Party' at Le Grand-Pressigny should have been blessed with better weather,it is June after all but in spite of this the organizers should be applauded for their efforts in bringing together a diverse range of stall holders around the 'garden' theme.

The Place de l'Eglise was the perfect spot for the event.

We even had the ever-generous musical accompaniment from our local musicians.