Mon banc dominical / My Sunday Bench - Chatellerault.

This bench by Joël Ducorroy is one of nine that can be found along a walk on the site (Le Manu) of the former arms factory in Chatellerault, local and international artists contributed to the creation of each one. Its nine plaques borrow words from the worlds of automobiles and manufacturing, quietly echoing the site. Placed beside a parking area (empty today), it nods to license plates and an obvious connection to the Grand Atelier and its collection of iconic vehicles.  

A lot of disappointed people...

On the last day of 2025 we had decided that our last walk with Paul and Eileen should perhaps be an indoor one as we had subjected them to some rather cold outdoor ones during their visit. We chose 'Le Grand Atelier – Musée d'art et d'industrie' in Chatellerault which we had last visited as the 'Auto Moto Vélo Museum' in our early years here. We made a point of checking their website to confirm that they were open.

On arrival, just after their opening time, along with other potential visitors we found a notice saying they were closed exceptionally for this date! Shame they had not thought to put it on their website! Fortunately access to the twin chimneys via the 18-meter spiral staircase was open. It joins a steel walkway which offers a panoramic views of the town.

Up top Paul an I became shadows of former selves.

Above is a view of Eileen taking our photo from the ground and below is her photo.

This large industrial site along the Vienne River, has been successfully repurposed into a vibrant cultural, leisure, and educational hub known as 'La Manu'. It's now a multifaceted public space which hosts the 'Musée d'art et d'industrie', a skateboard park, an ice rink, a circus school among other things.

More disappointed people had arrived for a visit as we left the site. 

something else for the weekend...a bit of blues

More info here 

A touch of spring in Chatellerault...

Part of the brocante on Sunday in Chatellerault  was set up around the public 'Square Gambetta' which is somewhere we would normally only drive around as we pass through the town but it is,a s we discovered, a pleasant space for a short stroll.

Yesterday's brocante at Chatellerault.

Yesterday we went over to Chatellerault to wander the streets around their brocante. On a day that predicted heavy rain (Le Grand Pressigny cancelled their event) we had a pleasant stroll round the various stalls. 

I have a feeling this couple may come to regret this purchase!

Live music...Breton style...Tri Yann style!

Before going to listen to the 'Tri Yann' on Sunday I had checked them out on t'internet and YouTube and was surprised with their pedigree. The band were formed way back in 1970 during the 'Folk Rock Revival' by three friends Jean Chocun, Jean-Paul Corbineau and Jean-Louis Jossic, thus the name 'Tti Yann' - the three Johns in Breton. The Johns are still in the band and have been doing their stuff for 45 years!!

Their 'stuff' consists of a set of 'Celtic' music performed in outlandish costumes (which they stayed in all night)

with rousing tunes that make it difficult not to clap along. Their opening number could have been made for Pauline and I...'Far away from Skye'...

but we were brought closer to home later...

 

They also did a song 'Onion Johnny' which I'd love to get a translation for...remember seeing these guys in my youth (where did that go) and thought they were local men pretending to be French, surely it couldn't be worthwhile cycling all the way from France with a bicycle of onions...I now know better (check out)

"Chatellerault, Poitou Port"

The weekend saw the riverside near the Henri IV bridge in Chatellerault transformed to evoke the atmosphere of the' port of Chatellerault' in the 18th Century..

There was a street market on the bridge itself...

and along the riverside.

With plenty going on in the river itself.

We strolled along and grabbed a bite to eat before heading along to the free concert for the evening.

Too much of a good thing?...I think not.

After our visit to Loches on Saturday we headed back to the Old Walnut Mill where we were joined by friends for a bite to eat before heading over to the Châtel Blues festival in Chatellerault to catch a performance by Angie Palmer. Our dessert for the evening was more of Pauline's cake which was given the thumbs up!

Angie's performance went down really well and as a precursor to her gig at Barrou was timely as most of our table will be there on the night.

Choco-late festival...and last years model.

When we saw Colin & Elizabeth's (who have just celebrated two years in their French home) car in the car park of the Festival du Chocolat at Parc des Expos in Chatellerault on Saturday we knew they would be first past this particular post, what with my 'Church on Sunday' taking precedence. Anyway we had wanted to visit it after their enticing post last time around when we chose an alternative distraction.  

Any colour you want!

I'd have to say that I felt the entrance fee was a little steep given that to get the equivalent 'tasting samples' in  value wasn't easy (true Scotsman) as most of the stalls offered only mouse size portions - some none at all. Also the prices for the chocolates and macaroons were too rich for us - though we did eventually break out and buy a small box as a treat for Christmas day.

Not these little fellows though - couldn't bring myself to eat them!

As C & E said the creative juices were flowing

One for the global market?

We didn't wait to see Mona's smile being added

This fellow had the lion's share of the attention but I much preferred last year's model from C & E's visit!

An area full of surprises...

As we have said before our location here in Southern Touraine allows us the advantage of having all the attractions of the Loire Valley on our doorstep plus we have easy access to the neighbouring department of the Vienne. Its principle town of Chatellerault,only 30 minutes from us here in Barrou,has often surprised us with what it has to offer. On a trip back from dropping off a friend at Poitiers airport I remembered that someone had asked (think it might have been Jean and Nick) us if we had visited the 'Lac' in the town. Knowing it is situated near the large Auchan supermarket I decided to check it out.

What a surprise - I was expecting a small lake with perhaps a surrounding park - what I got was a lake to rival that of St, Cyr,a little further south with its beach, set in acres of parkland...
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...which is obviously popular with the locals but not really 'sold' to visiting tourists. We will certainly be letting future guests know about it! Great for the warm sunny weather we are having at the moment.
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The lake is set in  532 hectares of parkland.

You can check it out  and see map on the tourist board's site here

Another Llama post...

We had to do a 'double take' driving through Descartes last week as we saw this collection of animals grazing by the side of the road,

We then remembered the circus was in town for the Easter weekend's fete.

Did you know there is an annual World Circus Day, this year 21st April  and that there is a circus school in Chatellerault, that will explain all those clowns on a Saturday night ! (only joking)  Apparently Antonio Franconi, the founder of the French circus, is credited by many to be a co-creator of the modern circus, along with Philip Astley.

Did you also know that there is a clown organization called  'Clowns without borders.' and that there is a 'Clownfest'...you do now!

Restaurant Bernard Gautier...

Following several recommendations, we decided we had to visit Bernard Gautier for lunch. A few months ago we set off for Chatelleraut only to find the restaurant closed for re-decoration and our visit had to be postponed.  Last Friday, we had occasion to visit La Fauvette, the depot-vente in Chatellerault so we timed our visit there for after lunch.  We arrived at the restaurant around 12.30 and were ushered into the very attractive dining room.

The staff were very pleasant and attentive.The menu was 19 euros for the plat du jour and dessert and 20 for an entree and plat du jour.  The aperitif was accompanied by a selection of canapes.  We were served an amuse bouche, a sizeable portion of vegetable soup with black pudding, whilst awaiting the main course.  Very tasty.  The plat was a lamb shank with vegetables and mashed potatoes.  A hearty portion, well cooked and flavoursome. There was a choice of dessert.  We opted for tiramisu, which proved to be a very good choice.  The meal was served with a glass of wine and was followed by coffee, all included in the price and excellent value for money. We look forward to returning and would thoroughly recommend this welcoming establishment.Do not be put off by the location!

Shelling out....

“Le Vieux Moulin de Noix”

We are always a little sad when we leave our Barrou house as it is here we consider as our 'home' but we have come to accept the our lives over here have to be different and anyway 'Les Balcons' is not so bad! Some of our friends refer to it as our 'grown-up' house, I suppose for us it will now be our 'winter home'.

We called our Barrou house“Le Vieux Moulin de Noix” as the room currently used as the lounge in the house, was formally a walnut mill and would probably have a set-up similar to the  photograph opposite. You can still see evidence of the collecting vats here plus partial grinding stones within the garden. The power would perhaps have been provided by an animal such as a donkey which would also provide a heat source rising to the accommodation above. We were interested to see if there was a local 'mill' that we could visit. The nearest was just outside Chatellerault. 

So last year we collected walnuts from local trees and we took our harvest to the walnut mill in the village of Availles-en-Chatellerault. We had spent a couple of winter nights cracking shells along with our French neighbour until we had what we thought was enough (4kg actually but that's a lot of shelling)) to take for crushing at the mill, to give us our very own Barrou walnut oil.When we arrived there were people there with giant sacks full - obviously a large part of their winter evening entertainment - nut cracking. Our  minuscule amount was put in with small contributions from other 'gatherers' and we were given some already bottled oil. We did watch other nuts being 'milled' and left happily with our virgin oil.

This year we are just eating our walnuts in various guises and replenishing our oil at a much reduced cost from the mill.

The Lepine family have been producing oils here since1810.The mill  is open all the year round Monday through to Saturday from 8:00 to 12:00 and from 14 to 18H00. You will smell it before you see it!

      

Website: http://huilerielepine.perso.neuf.fr/