Mon banc dominical / My Sunday bench - the still waiting bench

 

Two days before our departure down to the Dordogne back in July friends Dennis and Angela got a call from the Prefecture to say they had to go down to Montmorillon to finalise their Carte de séjour. application - as luck would have it our planned route would take us through the town. We had a good lunch then as they went for their meeting Pauline and I sat here to wait for them after we had a walk around this pretty place.

Their meeting had gone very well and they were finger-printed, as is required and were told to await their hard earned cards. Unfortunately due to an error, first time it has ever happened apparently, Dennis' card duly arrived but with Angela's photograph! You can imagine the administration problems this has caused - Paris has had to get involved and it has meant they are now even more familiar with Montmorillon after a number of return visits. On the plus side we sampled some lovely macaroons from the town last night and they have been invited to the office's staff dance! (Only joking re the dance)

Mon banc dominical / My Sunday Bench - location never in drought!

 

Montmorillon

Happy coincidence and start to the holiday...

 

Two days before our departure down to the Dordogne Dennis and Angela got a call from the Prefecture to say they had to go down to Montmorillon finalise their Carte de séjour. application - as luck would have it we had planned to go via this pretty 'book' town.

We arrived in time to have lunch before they went to the office to put in place the last piece of the jigsaw for their right to permanent residence here in France while Pauline and I had another wander around the town. We were surprised by how quiet the town was with the country opening up more we expected to see more tourists.

Vendredi à vélo - and masking some pleasures

 

Pauline and I were talking this morning about last year and realised how, for us, compared to some folks it was not quite as bad as we thought. On looking through photographs for my Friday feature I was reminded of the visit of Pauline's sister Eileen in August and of how much we crammed into her stay. It was a taste of 'normality' (whatever that is) for a short period.  

Yes there were masks but we still had fun and some great visits and revisits. The velo above is at L’ARTelier de la Gartempe on Rue Bernard Harent in Montmorillon a very picturesque town we  revisited and one well worthy of a visit. 

Eileen and Pauline at Amboise.

A church for Sunday - Saint Martial in Montmorillon

On our recent visit to Montmorillon,while the sisters were popping in and out of the many interesting shops in the town I  visited this rather grand 19th century church. It replaced its 12th century forerunner as it was considered too small and in too poor a condition for expanding town .

 With the exception of the old choir and the bell tower dating from the Romanesque period it was rebuilt. 

The church has some fine examples of stained glass.

Where's Joan? - she  is here!