Monday's chateau...Chateau de Villandry and being a tour guide.

I have decided to feature last weeks visit from Rab and Julie this week as it had me out and about as a tour guide again. Choosing which of the Loire Valley chateaux to visit first an be difficult as they all offer something different. For their first chateau visit I took them to Chateau Villandry. Pauline and I have of course visited many times before so we let them have a look around the inside while I took even more photos of the gardens.

The beautiful spell of weather we are haing made it a pleasure!

I just about managed to catch them on the roof terrace.

They enjoyed their visit a lot...as you can tell!

Mon banc dominical / My Sunday Bench...in Tours

Looking onto the 'Façade du Palais de Beaune Semblançay' which is all that remains of a once grand private mansion destroyed during WWII bombing of the city. the facade is hidden away behind Rue Nationale (a passageway at No28 will get you there) in Jardin De Beaune-Semblançay. 

You can read more about this and its 'nomadic fountain' here.

Le Grand-Pressigny...in the pink!

We were with friends yesterday for the 'October Rose' walk (12k) in Le Grand-Pressigny to raise breast cancer awareness and funds for Cancer Research.

The village was well decked out in pink on what was a lovely October day.

They had a fun warm up before the start.

Above pic by Nicole Crawford.

We headed over the metal bridge and up into the countryside to the north of the village.

The walk back to the village took us through the chateau which is always a hit with the walkers.

The ladies were all presented with a rose as they passed through the pink gate at the finish of the walk - nice touch!

Saturday on the streets of Touraine...Pl. du 14 Juillet in Langeais.

 Place du 14 Juillet in Langeais.

Magic moments...

 

Some magic moments with friends - 

1st October garden party here in France.

Great set of pics, by our friend Alison. 

Monday's chateau...

Monday's chateau...golden autumnal morning glow on Chateau de La Guerche

Bon-weekend!

 

Have a good weekend everyone.   Bon week-end à tous. Le Pont de Beaugency

Monday's chateau...An autumnal Royal Lodgings

 

Loches 

https://www.experienceloire.com/loches-chateau.htm

Belleisle benches

 

For our last walk in Ayrshire Pauline and I walked along the seafront again before heading back inland along the river Doon and onto Belleisle Park.  

The gardens around the glasshouse were a delight...

and we were spoilt for choice for benches!

The benches of Mount Stuart House...

Leaving Rothesay and the Isle of Bute.

Before heading for the ferry back to the mainland after our visit to Mount Stuart House we decided to check out the Isle of Bute Discovery Centre, formerly the Winter Garden which sits within the well manicured esplanade gardens, note the palm trees! 

The Winter Gardens started life as an open air bandstand (1895), it received its circular cover the early 1920s and its stage hosted top-ranking variety summer shows for many years for the many holiday makers who would venture 'doon the watter.'

The current Discovery Centre has a tourist information and visitor centre - plus a cinema and restaurant. It was a good way to end our visit to the island.