Something for the weekend,brocantes Sunday 3rd September

La Guerche

Brocantes / vide greniers Saturday 26th August

OYRE  Vide-greniers ***

Brocantes / vide greniers Sunday 27^th August

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

AZAY SUR INDRE  Brocante *

BALLAN MIRE  Vide-greniers ***

BOURGUEIL  Brocante Mensuelle *

CHATEAU LA VALLIERE  Vide-greniers **

  

DESCARTES  Vide Greniers et Concours de Labours *

DRACHE  Vide Grenier

LA GUERCHE  Brocante Vide-greniers

LA ROCHE POSAY  Brocante Vide-greniers **

LARCAY  Vide-greniers ***

LOCHES  Brocante des Bas-clos

MONTS  Vide-greniers **

MOSNES  Vide-greniers **

SAINT BENOIT LA FORET  Vide Greniers **

SAINT GERMAIN SUR VIENNE  Vide-grenier **

SAINT PATERNE RACAN  Vide-greniers ***

SAVIGNY EN VERON  Vide Grenier *

SORIGNY  Vide-greniers **

TAUXIGNY  Vide-greniers

TOURS  Braderie Brocante *****

Trains,planes & automobiles

We are back in Scotland for another sad occasion so yesterday was a day of  driving to Saint-Pierre-des-Corps to catch the train to CDG airport,a flight to Glasgow where we picked up our hirecar to take us to Kilmarnock. Though this time our little Fiat was red...unlike the twin of our last visit. 

Reacquainting themselves with the Loire Valley

Saturday's departing guests at 'Les Balcons' were a lovely family who had visited many years ago and used their two week stay to reacquaint themselves with this beautiful part of France that is the Loire Valley.

Canoeing

Here is their comments from our guestbook:

12 to 26/08/17

Brilliant time - thank you Jim & Pauline. 'Les Balcons' was a joy and we had a great time seeing chateaux, canoeing and getting reacquainted with the Loire after many years away.

Thank you!

Lochlan, Ossion,Mary,Jo & Neil Thomson

North Yorkshire,

UK

On a roll at Sunday's brocante...

Well four actually, picked up 4 rolls of this traditional pattern for the princely sum of €4 at Chaumussay. Will some time in the future reappear as a feature wall in one of the bedrooms in 'the project', Were going to head over to Cussay but got the better offer to join friends for lunch at nearby 'La Grange' - glad we did.

Footnote: 

Sadly, Dave,the owner of 'La Grange', is putting it on the market and returning to the UK. It is a delightful prospect as it has two properties and has been run as a gite business. So for a young (or not so young) couple seeking to find a new life here in France it could be ideal.

You can check out the sale details here: Property for Sale

Church on Sunday - chapel Notre-Dame-de-Tous-Aides at Maulévrier (49)

When over visiting the Parc Oriental at Maulevrier we popped into this lovely little chapel...without a Joan.

Even better than expected - Parc Oriental de Maulevrier

Yesterday along with Mike & Liz we made the two hour drive over to the 'Parc Oriental de Maulevrier' in Maine-et-Loire. It was a trip I'd wanted to make as it looked great in any photographs I'd seen. I was not disappointed with the real thing -well worth the trip. 

Something else for the weekend - Fête de la Chasse et de la Nature

WEBSITE

Something for the weekend,brocantes Saturday 26th & Sunday 27th August

Brocantes / vide greniers Saturday 26th August

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

HOMMES  Brocante Vide-greniers *

Brocantes / vide greniers Sunday 27^th August

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

BALLAN MIRE  Vide-greniers lac des Bretonnières ***

CHANCEAUX PRES LOCHES  La Forêt des Livres 2017 *

  

CHATEAU RENAULT  Brocante ***

CHAUMUSSAY  Brocante Vide-greniers ***

CUSSAY  Fête du Pain Brocante, Vide-greniers  ***

MARCAY  Vide Grenier en Fête *

RAZINES  Vide-greniers

REIGNAC SUR INDRE  Vide-greniers **

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

TOURS  Vide-greniers Place Strasbourg ****

TOURS  Brocante BD Béranger ***

VEIGNE  Brocante Vide-greniers ****

Another 'bonne soiree'

A few pics from a lovely evening on Sunday over at Montebœuf just outside Vic-sur-Gartempe helping Chris and his son celebrate birthdays. Sally laid on a great spread as usual and Chris made sure the refreshments continued to flow - great evening. 

Artist in residence at the Old Walnut Mill in the Loire Valley

We have been very lucky to have a number of artists staying at our Loire Valley vacation rentals over the years. One of these,*Sandra we now consider a friend. She loves France and this year,even after having stayed with us on six previous occasions, included us in her very varied  European itinerary.

She painted the courtyard of the Old Walnut Mill,not for the first time. It has been my intention to do a post on these very talented people and showcase their work...and I will.

*Sandra Beck Art

Live music in rural France, Paulmy, Centre-Val de Loire

Some images from Saturday nights Angie Palmer gig at the Bar de L'Union at Paulmy. Jacky (Pineau), owner of the bar, reopened its doors at the weekend to satisfy a legal requirement that means he has to open at least once every (I understand) three years so as not to lose the license. It also means that he can continue trying to sell the business including the said license. The place holds many fond memories for Pauline and I in the company of Cally & Nev and many other friends.

Church on Sunday - Chapelle Notre-Dame des Chauveix à Vicq-sur-Breuilh

This weeks church comes courtesy of  American artist,friend and seven times visitor to our Loire Valley houses, Sandra. She was taken on a visit by friends she was visiting in the area. Notre-Dame des Chauveix is a small chapel just outside Vicq-sur-Breuilh on the D76 in the department of Haute- Vienne, This simple little chapel has a surprising interior which is the result of 3 years of work by the artist Roch Popelier.

You can read and see more here

Something else for the weekend...

You can catch Angie Palmer at the Salle des Fetes, Paulmy 8.00pm Saturday 19th...or

...you can take a guided tour of the village of Louroux on Sunday from 10:00 to 12:00 or from 15:00 to 18:00 adult full price for 3 € Free (- 12 years). It is in French but easy to follow as it is more of a visual tour. We did it way back in 2014 and enjoyed it...or

...you can go racing at La Roche Posay on Sunday 20th: 4 Trotting races, 3 Steeple chase races
Events start at 2:00 p.m. website

There in black and white...

Pauline noticed these as we were shopping in Lidl in Chatellerault !!