Looking good...Le Grand-Pressigny.

Took this on a short walk around Le Grand-Pressigny yesterday on what was a lovely day weather-wise.

 

Setting the scene...

 Awaiting dinner guests yesterday evening.

https://experienceloire.com/house-sale.htm

Sunday bench in Le Grand-Pressigny

 

'Journees-du-Patrimoine' part V, back to Les Ormes.

 

The last stop on our Patrimoine weekend visits was to the 18th century,beautifully preserved 'relais de poste' in Les Omes, once a vital stop on the Paris to Bordeaux route. Built in 1752 and active until 1873, it still holds the echoes of galloping hooves, changing horses, and royal messengers. We had a look around the small museum, the former stables and riding school plus the historic courtyard where the horses would be refreshed / washed down.

The former riding school has a vaulted wooden ceiling.

The rise of the railway spelled the end for horse-drawn post houses. When the Paris/Bordeaux line opened in 1851, the days of relay stations were numbered. By May 31, 1873, the era of the poste aux chevaux officially came to a close.

* The coffee reference on the last post had a story behind it. As we were heading over to visit the 'La Bergerie' from the chateau opposite, we were all in need of a coffee/drink so decided to head down the street to find a bar or restaurant opened...no luck so it was decided to continue along the road in the direction of Chatellerault to Dangé-Saint-Romain where  we parked up and asked some locals where we could get a coffee, only to be told there was nowhere open! So it was back in the car and on to Ingrandes where, guess what?, nowhere was open!! We actually had to drive all the way to Chatellerault (1/2 hour) before we found somewhere open, ah Saturday afternoon in France. Dennis had agreed to go all the way back to continue our visits in Les Ormes and as we walked into 'La Bergerie' we were offered a free coffee (and cake) now if only we had known! All part of the fun of a good day out!     

'Journees-du-Patrimoine' part IV, Wednesday for windows, or lack of them...

A building that has intrigued me for many years in this one above. Many of you I'm sure will have noticed it as you drive through the the town of Les Ormes and been impressed by its grand facade without giving it much of a thought. I had convinced myself that it was part of the neighbouring 'La Poste aux Chevaux' (*more on that tomorrow) although its name 'La Bergerie' (the sheepfold) felt like a bit of a misnomer.

We had decided to visit as it was open for the heritage weekend and housed a photo exhibition and I might get to learn more about its origin. It was also just opposite the chateau we had just visited, although we didn't simply walk over immediately * . 

After passing through its impressive doorway we were met by a charming lady who offered us a free coffee and piece of cake * before solving its mystery.

She was a member of the local association responsible for the building’s activities and lucky for us, she spoke perfect English. She explained that the name of the building derives from a rather amusing story. The grand facade was constructed because the chateau’s owner at the time was dissatisfied with the view from the upper floors which looked over the main street of the town and ended with the sight of a field of sheep on the opposite side. This displeased him so much that he commissioned the elaborate facade, to improve his outlook and, perhaps more importantly, to massage his ego. As evidence she produced a photo which showed only the facade and no roof, this was added later. Even then she said it had never actually served any real purpose, neither as a barn or stables.

I was so engrossed that I shamefully, failed to check out the photographs

'Journees-du-Patrimoine' part III...Chateau des Ormes.

On Saturday after the disappointment of not gaining entry into  Château de Marmande we continued to search for another visit on our way home. Chateau des Ormes had always been our radar so it was good to see it was open for Patrimoine weekend. 

 

This was the nearest we had ever come to the chateau before and that was through the railings! So it was good to get inside...the first port of call was a kitchen which was in the building to the extreme left of the picture above.

It had a great butcher block.

We were then led through to an adjoining room where we were shown a 15 minute film presentation on the history of the chateau.

Then it was on to the main event...the chateau proper and what a delight it was. The Grand Vestibule is magnificent and the fact that it was lined with display cases showing wonderful metal locks and accessories was more than enough to keep Dennis happy.

The reception rooms we were allowed to visit were sumptuous, you can see more here on the webpage I have added to my chateaux page.

We then headed through to the next wing which contained a great model of the chateau, among other things.

We then went through to an enormous kitchen / dining room.

We finished the buildings tour with a look at the restored motor boat the have in one of the outhouses, before heading into the gardens.

We had been introduced to the current owner and after chatting with us his daughter decided to be our personal guide which made the visit even more interesting.

'Journees-du-Patrimoine' part II...The couple behind Château de Purnon’s remarkable revival.

When most people imagine a life-changing adventure, they think of travel or a career shift, not buying a 105-room château on the verge of collapse. But for Felicity Selkirk and Tim Holding, taking on the restoration of the majestic Château de Purnon in western France was exactly the kind of challenge they were looking for.

Originally from Australia, Felicity and Tim aren’t your typical château owners. Their backgrounds are rooted in public service, international study and a shared passion for history, architecture and culture. After years of working overseas, the couple felt drawn to a project that would allow them to create something meaningful, something lasting.

 In 2020, they discovered Purnon the château was a sleeping beauty, elegant but desperately in need of saving. With vision, courage, and no shortage of determination, they took the leap. Since then, they’ve poured their hearts (and hands) into bringing the estate back to life.

From urgently restoring the château’s crumbling roof to researching its historical details, Felicity and Tim are not simply renovating, they’re caretaking a piece of french history. their approach is as meticulous as it is passionate, driven by a deep respect for the past and an eye toward a sustainable future for the property.

Their journey is far from over, but one thing is clear: the story of Château de Purnon’s revival is inseparable from the story of this extraordinary couple. 

Through their grit, grace and global perspective, Felicity and Tim are proving that even the most daunting dreams can be achieve.

Check out their story here.

Mon banc dominical / My Sunday Bench...La Poste aux Chevaux des Ormes.

 

'Journees-du-Patrimoine' ...part I.

We had been invited to join a group of friends today for a visit to Chateau de Pournon near the village of  Verrue in La Vienne for 'Journees-du-Patrimoine'.The château which is the subject of a major renovation project opened its gates for this special weekend celebrating France’s rich architectural and cultural heritage. 

I will do a post on this tomorrow. 

After our visit,along with friends Angela & Dennis, who were kind enough to be our transport for the day, we decided to try and take in a few other sites on the way home.

Our first visit was to the the Château de Marmande, in Vellèches.

Guarding the historic frontier between Touraine and Poitou, the chateau has stood for over a thousand years, a silent sentinel shaped by war, peace and the passage of time. Built around the year 1000, the fortress has witnessed the rise and fall of lords, the clash of territories and the slow unfolding of history but today it would withhold its secrets from us as it is only open tomorrow for visits during this patrimoine weekend!. We only discovered this after driving all the way up its single track entrance road. This was disappointing as many years ago Pauline and I had spotted the curious tower on our way back from visiting people we knew over in the Vienne and climbed a steep path,which is now closed as considered dangerous, to check it out only to find it closed. Nick and Jean had visited this site and enjoyed getting its history including its connection to the chateau at Paulmy and the fact that its stone was plundered to help in the building of the Château des Ormes, among other things, ah well, another time perhaps.

 We didn't let our disappointment stop our desire to seek out more...but that's another post. 

A walk around the lake...

Yesterday our friend Bob organised another day out with a walk around the lake at St. Cyr followed by lunch at the nearby Golf club, on what turned out to be a lovely morning.

Take two.

Wednesday for windows...this view could be yours!

The view from the salon.

House for sale.
 

Mon banc dominical / My Sunday Bench...another from Apremont-sur-Allier.

In the beautiful 'Parc Floral d'Apremont'