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

If it's shade you're after, this bench in Ligueil is hard to beat. Set in the gardens in front of Église Saint-Martin, the carefully pollarded lime trees create a natural canopy that has been keeping village squares cool for generations.

 Those distinctive rounded trees aren't naturally shaped that way. They are pollarded, a traditional pruning technique dating back centuries that encourages dense new growth, provides welcome shade in summer, and keeps the trees healthy in compact village spaces.

“On Sundays, Touraine 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 — rue du Chateau in Crissay-sur-Manse.

Crissay-sur-Manse is regularly included among Les Plus Beaux Villages de France , a distinction reserved for villages with exceptional heritage and carefully preserved character. 

The village has fewer than 100 permanent residents, yet its 15th and 16th-century tuffeau stone houses and the ruins of its medieval château have earned it national recognition as one of France's most beautiful villages,you will have to visit yourself to see if this is deserved.

“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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Le George, Loches - Bon week-end from the Loire Valley.

Why not spend the weekend in Loches, one of the Loire Valley's most attractive medieval towns, and treat yourself to a leisurely lunch or dinner at Le George? Set beside the River Indre, its terrace is one of those peaceful spots where the water flows gently past as the town carries on around it.

The River Indre has shaped Loches for centuries. Before it became a picturesque backdrop for cafés and riverside walks, it powered mills, fed the town's moats, and helped protect the medieval citadel that still dominates the skyline.

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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On the bridge at La Guerche for an anti-climax.

Waited with others on the bridge in La Guerche to watch the lunar  eclipse last night and although we caught a glimpse through the special glasses it was a little underwhelming from visual point of view we had some dimming rather than the darkness people imagined....the clouds didn't help either!

“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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Windows & Balconies of the Loire: Le Petit-Pressigny

A window that doesn't quite look like a window in Le Petit-Pressigny. The figures appear to be standing behind the glass, but this is a painted scene set into the opening of the building housing Les Chambres de l'Aigronne.

It also brings to mind a curious piece of French history: the window tax.

Introduced in 1798, the contribution des portes et fenêtres was one of France's "four old" direct taxes. It was calculated according to the number and size of doors and windows opening onto streets, courtyards and gardens. The reasoning was that the number of openings provided a visible indication of a property's wealth.

The tax remained in place until 1926. It became notorious because it encouraged some owners to reduce the number of windows in their buildings, while existing openings were sometimes blocked up. The tax was even described by critics as an "impôt sur l'air et la lumière", a tax on air and light.

So, nearly a century after the tax disappeared, we find a window in Le Petit-Pressigny that is there purely for appearance.

“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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Terraced gardens, La Guerche.

There’s a particular kind of quiet that settles over the terraced gardens of La Guerche. The stone walls hold the day’s heat, the leaves on the banana tree that still grows, improbably green, barely move. 

Not much has changed here over the years with the only real sign of modernity being the 'dish' on the roof!

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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