Mon banc dominical / My Sunday Bench - International Garden Festival, Chaumont-sur-Loire

Not all benches are waiting areas. Some are part of an idea.

This year’s visit to the International Garden Festival at Chaumont-sur-Loire will include a small bench collection, four today and more here over the coming weeks. There are many scattered through the gardens and grounds, each one responding to its setting. 

At the Domaine de Chaumont-sur-Loire the benches are part of the conversation between landscape, design but also a place to take a sit and ponder the gardens which this year are designed around the theme 'The garden goes to the movies'.

“On Sundays, the Loire speaks softly — and you have time to listen.”

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Part of the “My Sunday Bench” Series

Each Sunday, we share a quiet bench somewhere in the Loire — a small reminder that peace is often found where you simply stop to notice it.

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On the streets of Touraine - expect the unexpected.

Mosnes does not really have a traditional village square, instead, its church seems to sit almost like an island in the middle of the street, with everyday life flowing around it rather than gathering in front of it.

That unusual layout makes this scene feel all the more unexpected. Beside the church, a trio of metal musicians appear permanently mid-performance, turning what might otherwise be a passageway into a stage. Old stone, quiet streets and contemporary sculpture create one of those small Touraine moments that reward slowing down.

It is the sort of place where you realise that village centres are not always planned spaces, sometimes they simply evolve around whatever was already there.

Bon samedi dans la Touraine !

“The streets here don’t hurry. They simply invite you to walk, to notice, to belong.”

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Part of the “On the Streets of the Loire” Series

Each Saturday, we stroll through the lanes and cobbles of Loire towns and villages — places where every step feels like a story.

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Something for the weekend...

More info. here:

Part of the “Bon weekend from the Loire” Series

Each Friday, we share a quiet moment from the Loire — a region that invites you to unwind, a beautiful weekend at a time.

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Taken in Touraine - La Lanterne de Rochecorbon.

There are landmarks you notice so often that they almost become part of the landscape, and in Rochecorbon the Lantern is one of them. Standing above the limestone cliffs beside the Loire, this slender stone tower catches the eye of anyone passing through, yet nobody seems entirely certain of its original purpose.

Known locally as La Lanterne de Rochecorbon, theories range from a medieval watchtower to a symbolic marker connected with river traffic or religious use. Local legend has also added its own layers over time, with stories of secret passages and hidden meanings attached to its solitary position above the troglodyte hillside. What is certain is that it has become one of those familiar Touraine landmarks, quietly watching over the valley while keeping part of its story to itself.

From below, framed against the sky and perched on the pale tuffeau rock, it feels less like a monument and more like a question left unanswered.

“In Touraine, even the silence tells a story.”

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Part of the “Taken in Touraine” Series

Every Thursday, we pause somewhere in Touraine — a village, a vineyard, or a quiet riverside — to capture the spirit of this timeless Loire region.

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Wednesday for windows - sometimes less says more.

There is something quietly satisfying about windows like these in the villages of Touraine. No grand display, just a few carefully chosen details behind the glass. Lace, filtered light and a hint of life indoors.

Preuilly-sur-Claise has long been a place of passage and quiet permanence, once known for its powerful abbey and position on old regional market routes. Walk its streets and small touches still matter: a painted door, an old barrel reused as a planter, curtains chosen as carefully as flowers. Sometimes a little subtle interior window dressing is all you need, proof that understatement can be every bit as rewarding.

“Through every window, the Loire breathes — calm, patient, and quietly luminous.”

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Part of the “Windows of the Loire” Series

Each Wednesday, we share a glimpse of the Loire Valley through its windows — small frames of everyday beauty and quiet reflection.

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Tuesday for towns in the Loire Valley - Villandry

The small village of Villandry which sits on the banks of the river Cher 20km west of Tours plays second fiddle the chateau and its gardens. The villages population of just over 1000 swells during the tourist season to accommodate the 300,000 visitors to the chateau.

There are restaurants and accommodation in the village but it never feels crowded perhaps because the coachloads of sightseers are whisked away to view another one of the regions mighty chateau.

It has an interesting church - Saint Etienne with some frescoes but it is not always open!

As we have said visitors mainly come for the chateau, not the village but it is worth a walk aound!

“Some towns in Touraine speak softly — Villandry is one of them.”

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Part of the “Towns & Villages of the Loire” Series

Exploring the towns and villages of the Loire Valley — their streets, stories, and quiet beauty.

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