Sunday, 22 February 2026

Mon banc dominical/My Sunday bench - Garden bench at Château de Chenonceau


Simple Garden bench at Château de Chenonceau

Today's spot: a modest black bench tucked under a modest shelter in the jardins du Château de Chenonceau.

The sign above points the way: "Potager des fleurs,Vegetable and flower garden" and "Jardin de plantes médicinales, Medicinal plant garden / Parc aux ânes – Donkey pen garden." The shelter itself—worn stone walls, red-tiled roof with moss and lichen, wrought-iron bench supports, feels timeless, a small, simple, refuge amid the château's famous gardens and grandeur. You can almost smell the earth and herbs waiting just beyond the archway.

These gardens, redesigned in the 20th century but rooted in Renaissance tradition, include the potager-fleuri (ornamental vegetable plots) and the medicinal herb garden, both practical and poetic, much like the bench itself: simple, sturdy, waiting for someone to sit and reflect.

A perfect Sunday pause: sit, listen to distant birds or the faint rustle of leaves, let the château's history (Diane de Poitiers, Catherine de Médicis, the river-spanning architecture) settle quietly around you.

Bon dimanche à tous ! Have a peaceful Sunday, everyone.


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


Part of the “Mon banc dominical” 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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Saturday, 21 February 2026

On the Streets of Touraine: Rue Rabelais, Chinon – Medieval Charm.

On the Streets of Touraine: Rue Rabelais, Chinon – Medieval Charm.

Today's street: rue Rabelais in the heart of Chinon, one of the most picturesque thoroughfares in Touraine.

This narrow lane, named after the Renaissance writer François Rabelais, born nearby in 1494, winds through the old town with its signature half-timbered houses, pale tuffeau stone, slate roofs, and wrought-iron shop signs swaying gently. Flower baskets and window boxes add pops of color, while the street offers glimpses of the royal fortress (Château de Chinon) perched on the hill above. The cyclist in the foreground, the distant shoppers, the mix of bakeries, cafés, and antique shops, it's pure small-town Touraine energy: historic yet lived-in, quiet yet welcoming.

A few street-level gems nearby:

  • Place Jeanne d'Arc (with her statue and the old town hall).
  • Caves Plou et Fils or other local wine shops for Chinon AOC tastings.
  • The steep climb Saint-Martin leading up to the castle for panoramic views.
  • Easy access: Chinon train station or parking at the base of the town.

Touraine streets like this one remind us the Loire's magic is often in the details, cobblestones underfoot, history overhead, life unfolding at walking pace. What's your favorite medieval lane in the region?

Happy Saturday in the Loire Valley! 🇫🇷🍷




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


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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Friday, 20 February 2026

Bon week-end à tous...A visit to the Musée des Beaux-Arts de Tours?

Museum of Fine Arts of Tours with cathedral in background

Housed in the former bishop's palace beside Tours Cathedral , the Musée des Beaux-Arts de Tours showcases art from antiquity to the present day. Beyond its collections, it's known for its formal garden, its famous stuffed elephant Fritz, and a remarkable listed Lebanese cedar. The building has been protected as a historic monument since 1983.




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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Thursday, 19 February 2026

Taken in Touraine – View Toward Église Notre-Dame, Yzeures-sur-Creuse

Cloudy skies over southern Touraine... a quiet path leads the eye to the village spire. 🌳⛪

A scenic outlook in Yzeures-sur-Creuse (Indre-et-Loire), looking across hedgerows, fallen leaves, and the Creuse valley toward the Église Notre-Dame.

The church, rebuilt in neo-Romanesque style between 1895 and 1903 (architect Jean Hardion), stands on the site of an ancient Gallo-Roman temple dedicated to Minerva—evidenced by sculpted blocks and Merovingian sarcophagi discovered during foundations. Its tall spire and stone silhouette dominate the village skyline, a landmark in this peaceful riverside commune (confluence of the Creuse and Gartempe), one of the oldest continuously occupied sites in Touraine (traces back to Upper Paleolithic times).

This viewpoint offers classic Touraine serenity: rural rooftops, and the gentle rise of the church against the clouds. Yzeures-sur-Creuse is a hidden gem for quiet walks, with nearby museums (Musée Minerve, Musée Mado Robin) and spa vibes from La Roche-Posay just across the river.

Taken in Touraine: these understated views remind us the Loire's magic often hides in small villages—history, nature, and calm all in one frame. What's your favorite off-the-beaten-path spot in the region?

Bon jeudi dans la vallée de la Loire ! 🇫🇷🌿


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

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.

 Discover more about the Loire Valley
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Wednesday, 18 February 2026

Wednesday for Windows: A listed medieval treasure in Tours


Today's spotlight: the upper gable of 57 rue du Grand-Marché in the historic heart of Tours , a 15th-century timber-framed house officially a 'Monument Historique' (protected for its facades and roof).

The star is the arched dormer window crowning the steep gable—framed by black slate tiles laid in a classic fish-scale pattern, with half-timbered (pans de bois) stripes in dark tones. Red curtains glow softly behind the small-paned glass, adding warmth to the weathered slate cladding. This style is signature Touraine medieval architecture: slate (often from nearby quarries) for fire resistance and longevity, combined with overhanging timber framing for extra space in narrow streets.

Preserved in the protected sector around Place Plumereau, this house exemplifies how Tours windows and roofs blend practicality with quiet elegance, protruding upper stories, small openings for light, and that dramatic gable silhouette against the sky.

  • Right in the lively rue du Grand-Marché, steps from Place Plumereau cafés and the old market square.
  • Nearby gems: Cathédrale Saint-Gatien (Gothic masterpiece), Basilique Saint-Martin crypt, or Rue Colbert's half-timbered row.
  • Easy access: Tours train station or tram A (Hôtel de Ville stop).

Paris may have its Haussmann grandeur, but Tours windows whisper older, more intimate secrets, textured, protected, full of character. What's your favorite historic facade detail in the Loire?

Bon mercredi ! 🇫🇷

 

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


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, 17 February 2026

Tuesday for Towns and Villages – Vendôme, the Little Venice on the Loir.

Vendome with Blue skies reflecting on the Loir... a gentle riverside stroll in a town full of medieval charm

Reflections on the Loir... a gentle riverside stroll in a town full of medieval charm.

Today's town: Vendôme (Loir-et-Cher), often called the 'Little Venice' of the Loire Valley thanks to the multiple arms of the Loir River criss-crossing the historic center.

From this riverbank perspective, the view highlights the town's medieval heritage: the 12th-century tower and remnants of the old château walls perched on the hillside, overlooking stone houses with slate roofs, chimneys, and autumnal foliage. The Loir flows calmly below, bordered by quays, flower beds bursting with chrysanthemums and other blooms, and the quiet townscape—perfect for a peaceful walk or photo stop.

Vendôme is a classified 'Ville d'Art et d'Histoire' with a rich past (from Gallic origins to counts of Vendôme, including César de Vendôme son of Henri IV). Key sights nearby include the Flamboyant Gothic Abbaye de la Trinité (with its stunning façade and cloister museum), the ruined Château de Vendôme (panoramic terrace views), Place Saint-Martin (with its carillon tower), and the Rochambeau district's half-timbered houses.

Why linger in Vendôme?

  • Riverside paths along the Loir for calm walks or cycling.
  • Covered market halls (15th century) for local produce.
  • Easy day trip base: 40 min TGV from Paris, close to Lavardin (one of France's "Most Beautiful Villages") or the Loir Valley vineyards.

A quiet Tuesday gem: history mirrored in the water, flowers framing the stone—pure Touraine serenity. What's your favorite riverside town in the Loire?

“Every town and village in the Loire Valley tells its story gently — in rooftops, stonework and narrow streets.”


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

Each Tuesday, we visit one of the Loire Valley's towns or villages of the Loire Valley — their streets, stories, and quiet beauty.


Browse the full series


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