Mon banc dominical/My Sunday Bench - Chateau du Rivau

One of the many choices at Chateau du Rivau.

 

On the streets of Touraine...Tours

 

December evening on Rue du Grand Marché in Tours.

Have a good weekend everyone. Bon week-end à tous.

 

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...in Tours.

Taken in Touraine - Chateau d'Azay-le-Rideau

 

Chateau d'Azay-le-Rideau

Wednesday for windows...Loches

Shop windows dressed for Christmas at Loches.

Monday's chateau...Chateau de La Guerche

 Chateau de La Guerche under a clear December blue sky

Visiting Brussels...

Lucky enough to be invited over to Brussels for a few days, just back, this is the 'Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert' apparently the oldest shopping arcade in Europe and still among the most impressive.

Mon banc dominical/My Sunday Bench in Loches.

In the public gardens in Loches. 

On the streets of Touraine...in Loches.

 A cold December morning on Rue Picois in Loches.

Have a good weekend everyone. Bon week-end à tous.

 

Tours

Taken in Touraine...

 

December in Loches.

From our Brussels wish list...Horta Museum

 

We were lucky enough to visit home and workshop of architect Victor Horta yesterday, something we missed out on our last trip to Brussels. We loved the house,unfortunately we were not allowed to photograph the interior so you will have to do with the widows (it is Wednesday) and doors for today.

We love the Art Nouveau period and the works of Horta here in Brussels, Mackintosh in Scotland and Guimard in Paris

You can see the stunning interior of Horta's home here on the official website.

A visit to Chateau d'Azay-le-Rideau dressed for Christmas

Visited on Sunday to check out this year's Charismas decorations. - starting in the attic and winding our way down through the rooms.

More from our road trip south - that monastery and a church for Sunday

This is the 'monastery' that is one of the main draws for visitors to the mountain top village of Saorge. It was established in 1633 by a small French branch of the Franciscans known as 'Récollects', as small convent on the edge of the village. The tourist board list it as a monastery but his type of 'convent' was different in that the Franciscans did not isolate themselves but were very much a part of the local community. The current convent buildings and the  church,dedicated to Notre-Dame-des-Miracles, were finished sometime around 1662 with the help of donations from the villagers.

 

The convent has had a fairly turbulent history (which you can read about here) but today has returned to its tranquil past with the upper level serving as a retreat for writers,composers and more.

It is the lower level of the monastery that is currently open to the public. 

It would have been interesting to check out the accommodation currently offered compared to what the previous residents were used to.

Loved the view behind the altar - almost like a stage set!

The refectory, used as the monks dining room, is decorated with five 17th century frescoes which represent the three Franciscan virtues of poverty, chastity and obedience. Much of what they ate here would have come from their own gardens.

You can understand why when searching for peace (or so they thought) and tranquility, they chose this location.

 

Mon banc dominical / My Sunday Bench

Autumnal bench in Southern Touraine.

On the streets of Touraine...Azay-sur-Indre

Rte du Chateau in Azay-sur-Indre 

Had another very good lunch in 'Le Relais d'Azay' yesterday - highly recommend it though you have to reserve, even in winter.