Trick of the light...

Caught this butterfly on the pavement on Grande Rue with no obvious light source - interesting trick of the light.

It had to happen sometime...

We went to the brocante at Yzeures -sur Creuse yesterday, loads of stalls...

and stuff in a lovely setting and I didn't buy anything!!

Even this 'must have' item didn't tempt me!

Church on Sunday - Genillé...

This Sunday we are taking you to the delightful  little church of Saint Eulalie in the village of Genillé in Indre-et-Loire. As you enter the church the first thing that strikes you is the ornate vaulted ceiling and beams.

The church is again a common mix of styles as it has evolved and been restored throughout the centuries from as early as the 11th century. The apse dates from around the 15th century and has three rather fetching stained glass windows. 

The centre window depicts the martyrdom of Saint Eulalie (?) to whom the church is dedicated, the one on the left shows the four evangelists Mathew,Mark,Luke and John. The one on the right shows the four great prophets Isaiah,Jeremiah,Ezakiel and Daniel. All made by the prolific Lobin workshops.

There is a pretty17th century 'Rosery Chapel' that was added to the church by the then landlord or fief holder of the village as a private place of worship and buriel place.

 As you look back to the main door of the church the rostrum you see is one from the 19th century replacing the original damaged one.

There is a rather fine 15th century baptismal font which was apparantly cut from a single piece of red marble under the rostrum.

 Where's Joan...

 The bell tower has a base that dates back as far as the 11th century with the top from the 15th century.

There is a charming little access turret attached to the main tower.

You can see evidence of earlier damage by the absence of statues from their positions  around the apse exterior..

There is also evidence of more deliberate change.

There is a little door to the side with the Latin inscription 'Dilexi decorem domus tuae' ( I have enjoyed the beauty of your house) - couldn't have put it better myself!.

If you are passing through or nearby Genillé  you should pay it a visit.

                             
View Larger Map

French holidays...searching for sand

It shouldn't have been so difficult...I needed to buy some more sand for our on-going work, so I headed off to 'CMC' in Yzeures-sur-Creuse  where you can buy it in 'bulk' at a good price. When I arrived I noticed the weighbidge was blocked off - the division which sell the sand was closed for the holidays!

Ah well all is not lost, I thought as I drove to the other side of town to 'BricoMarche' where I knew I'd pay more by buying it by the sack but at least I could get on with the job. Guess what - no sand! They obviously didn't take their competition being on holiday into account! Don't they have a stock history report to refer to?  Holidays here are like everywhere else  - they happen every year!! 

Next it was down to Brico Depo - not our favourite trip - where  at least we could pick up the materials for our new roof for our outhouse - so not a wasted trip. We don't enjoy this shopping experience - for building materials you have the 'drive through' - ok, if there is no one else in the 'labyrinth' but cars and trailers and white van men stopping at the necessary different pick-up points can make for long waits. Then you have the queue to get out. This time the van in front - who only had three items took what seemed like an eternity in the sweltering heat of our car to settle up! The girls here do a good job but why the delays? We moved through quickly with our purchases neatly fitted into our trailer - well in and out of our trailer!!...

but we were not alone! We made it home safely (Colin) but as we were entering Barrou we got the flashing light signal from oncoming cars to let us know the 'Gendarmerie' had set up a speed check at the end of the road -wasn't concerned about the speed as had rather gingerly come all the way from Dissay with one eye on my purchases at a slower (for me) pace than normal.As I approached the junction I felt a little uneasy but luck was on our side, as one of the lady Gendarmes was pointing the camera to the right of the junction while the second had pulled in the car in front of me. I did get a backward glance and a knowing smile from the one with the camera-'next time!'

Footnote:

Were with new found friends in Boussy-sur-Claise yesterday morning who showed us around their new French home - lovely - with interesting mix of furniture which included a bookcase from 'Depot Vente' in Chatellerault -after saying we were looking for something similar for 'Le Bourg', they told us that there had in fact been two of them for sale. So we rushed over there in the afternoon - only to find...yes..they are closed for AUGUST.
Ah France!!

Living it large...

After posting the photograph of Mike and Liz's 'Albizia' tree's progress earlier in the week I couldn't help but notice its big brother in the garden of Malc.and Sue on the Lesigny road from Barrou.  

I wonder if they are aware of just how large they can get?

Set to surprise...

As I was putting the rubbish out last week for collection this simple chore took on a different complexion as the light drew me westward to view nature at its best.

Barrou Brocante...

It was our annual brocante on Sunday here in Barrou and for our visit in the morning the weather held out and we had a very pleasant time browsing the 'stuff' on display and did a lot of "faire la bise" with friends and neighbours.

  

There is a lovely house on the square which is owned by the very flamboyant Jean-Charles and he was displaying his artist friends work in a rather unusual way. We had never seen inside the house,though we have had the invitation to 'come and take an aperitif' but as yet had not taken him up on this. Today we had a chance to view the interior - it is, not surprisingly - like his own little Versailles. 

There was not any really bizarre items on sale - or perhaps the unexpected has become expected to us...

though these little men looked as though they had not seen a lot of 'action' for a while!

From a different time...

As we were leaving the house recently this horse-drawn caravan went past - raced back in for my camera only to catch this view. With a little 'tweeking' could have been a different era!

Flowering in France...

Friends Mike and Liz are back in England at the moment taking advantage of Olympic games tickets - they were sorry that they might not see the recently planted tree in bloom ...well here it is...very pretty.

Church on Sunday...St. Etienne, Chinon

 There has been a church dedicated to St. Etienne (Saint Stephen) in Chinon since the 11th century but the current church dates predominately from the 15th.

The flamboyant gothic influence is in evidence from the moment you step through the elaborate portal.

It was constructed between 1460 and 1490  replacing an 11th century church that was destroyed. It comprises a nave of five bays, two side chapels, a choir of two bays and a polygonal apse. 

                         

The stained glass windows are by the master glass-maker Julien-Leopold Lobin who's workshops provided many of the windows for the 19th century church-building programme in the region.

There is an ornately sculpted pulpit, with panels representing the gospels.

There is also an example of a twelfth century fresco within the church.

The church's organ loft is from the 19th century.

Where's Joan...

As you would expect here in Chinon she is not hard to find. There is a large a white marble statue of Joan as you enter the church.It is by the sculptor Francois Sicard.

Outside you can view the 15th century bell tower and the gothic windows and door.

I tried to get an external view of of the apse but it seemed,not for the first time, to be enclosed in someone's garden!