Last night's sunset in Southern Touraine

Last night's sunset coming down the hill from Le Grand-Pressigny back to Barrou.

Loches Dunjon reproduced...

On Wednesdays my mind tends to drift to Loches and its market plus all its other delights that guests to our houses can experience. Its dunjon is a great place to visit as it transports you back in time via the remains that you can explore plus the exhibition within the 'governor's house' shows how the original citadel would have looked.

Recently Google have taken to thanking me for my photo contributions ( would be nice if they actually 'rewarded' you) and being prompted to 'view' one of my Loches chateau pics the image above also came up, intrigued, I followed  the link which took me to an interesting blogpost from 2008 where the writer had actually made a reproduction of the citadel at Loches which gives a reasonable idea of how it may have looked at its peak.

Returning to the Loire Valley

Took a booking this week for the Old Walnut Mill from guests who stayed last year,always reassuring when people return! We are lucky to have returning guests (new friends) who have returned to the three houses year on year.

Looking to La Guerche...

Not all work at La Guerche...

Working at La Guerche yesterday but took time ou to capture the lovely November day. 

A walk in the round...

This weeks's walk with the Le Grand-Pressigny Randonnee club took us back to the forest behind La Guerche at 'La Rond du Chene'...

and we're off!

It was a good mix of Brits and French (+dogs) for the walk.

We had a carpet of foliage for our walk,which was fine until we walked along the shallow ravine where on a previous walk we noticed that the protruding rocks underfoot were marked with red paint...no chance of seeing them today! 

Joel also managed to include a few 'climbs', as ever!

It was quite a change from last week with the temperature reaching a very pleasant 16 degrees under the sun.

This is looking over towards Descartes, though its not obvious!

After about 10km a number of split from the group as our starting point was within striking distance and we had a 'Thanksgiving' event to attend. 

The rest of the group continued for another 4km.

You can find more detail of this interesting part of the forest on a post of a previous walk here.

Autumn at the chateau...Le Grand-Pressigny

Wednesday at the chateau at Le Grand-Pressigny

The autumn leaves...at Barrou

Another November walk

Last Thursday's walk with the Le Grand-Pressigny Randonnee club took us over towards Abilly and along the edge of the Creuse Valley.

It was probably the first real autumnal day we have walked this year...no blue sky!

Looking over the Creuse valley towards Leugny. 

A glimpse of Abilly.

Are we headed for a cold winter?

Autumn is certainly with us now!

We finished the walk just as the light was fading...shorter days ahead.

Simple things...

On Friday I had to shell some walnuts for the starter for our dinner party that evening and as it was a beautiful November day here in Barrou I choose to do it in the courtyard. It proved to be a lovely way to pass some time...very therapeutic. As I went about the task I was reminded about the time a few years ago when we were out walking and we came across an elderly Frenchman bending down to pick up some walnuts, after exchanging the customary greetings he gave out a slight groan and said "isn't it odd that the older you get the further away the ground gets"...can relate to that!

Had we just not noticed this before?

On a recent trip up to Tours we caught site of this Bollée wind turbine as we passed through Sorigny. We had not recalled noticing it before - because it wasn't there. There did use to be one in the village but it is long gone this one actually came from Saint Gervais-la-Forêt near Blois and local enthusiasts restored it to the condition it is now presented. The Bollée wind turbine is a French invention (clue in the name) and was used here as a water pump. The family it seems were all very innovative...you can read about them and the wind turbine here.  

There is another good example of this wind turbine at Esvres. 

Something else for the weekend...at Angles-sur-l'Anglin

From tourisme-vienne.com

"Red shoes strewn in the streets of the village will guide visitors from one house to another, to discover the achievements of 30 exhibitors: craftsmen and gourmet small producers all passionate! 
- Earth, metals, wood, textiles, glass, leather, etc ... materials transformed into unique pieces. 
- Chocolate, saffron, snail, donkey milk, honey, nougat etc. to taste and share without moderation. 
- This year, hats off to formier Didier Laforest! He will share his craft and his passion by explaining and showing how he makes hat shapes for millinery and hat makers. To accompany them, crazy hatters, a harpist singer and a ra'conteuse 
- At the end of the day, paths of candles will illuminate the heart of the village."

Angles-sur-l'Anglin

Saturday 14h-18h and Sunday 10h-18h in Angles-sur-l'Angles. 
Free access.

Something for the weekend...buy a unique piece!

This weekend November 18th and 19th from 14h to 20h at 3 Avenue Claise 37350 Le Grand-Pressigny. (old railway station) you are invited to discover or rediscover the 'G'ART'/Me Machin showroom and brand new collection of lamps, furniture, armchairs, low and high tables, mirrors etc..

Beaujolais nouveau night at 'Chez L'

A bonne soiree last tasting these three examples at 'Chez L' in Le Grand-Pressigny...in good company!

Music provided by the talented Cally, David & Dave.

Trick of the light...

Stopped on way back from Le Grand-Pressigny to Barrou to catch the bright sun breaking through the trees...this was the effect!

A trip to Tours...

Yesterday Pauline and I took the bus from Le Grand-Pressigny up to Tours (at 2.40 euro each way, why wouldn't you?) where we had a busy afternoon...

visiting the small market on Boulevard Herteloup...

did some touristy things...

did a lot of walking...

had lunch at the first restaurant we ever ate at in the city (scarily 14 years ago!)...

followed by more walking...



and *church visiting



and even more walking, this time over the river Loire...

so much walking that Pauline was reduced to a shadow!

*footnote 

As we were walking towards the church of Saint Julien I said to Pauline "I wonder if I'll ever get to see inside there" as the last few times we have come up to Tours it has been on a Tuesday which means, as the church is a national monument, it is closed. On other visits we have also found it closed. No sooner had I said it than I noticed workmen bringing gear out of the church...a polite request and I was in there...more to follow!