Mon banc dominical / My Sunday Bench – Hôtel Groslot, Orléans

Here in the garden behind Hôtel Groslot, this wooden bench sits low against a wall of diamond-patterned bricks that seems to go on forever. The red and black of the Renaissance façade rise above it, almost hiding it in the carefully ordered geometry that has stood since the mid-16th century.

This is the rear of the former private mansion of Jacques Groslot, later town hall and still used for weddings. The garden that opens behind it is a 19th-century creation, gravel paths, a few metal sculptures and the perfect spot for the wedding photographs following the ceremony. From this angle the famous patterned brick becomes almost abstract and the simple bench gets lost in the background,

This bench does not try to compete with the architecture, it just waits, slightly out of place, for whoever needs a moment to sit and reflect on their day.

“On Sundays the Loire Valley 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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Pl. Savoie Villars in Le Grand-Pressigny.

In the pink for October Rose, this morning on Pl, Savoie Villars in Le Grand-Pressigny which has been decorated with pink ribbons, bows and even pink touches to the café seating to mark the annual October Rose campaign. Behind it all, the château tower rises above the village roofs.

The place sits in the heart of Le Grand-Pressigny. The château dominates the village and the Claise valley, and what survives today includes its partly ruined medieval donjon, sections of the medieval enclosure and a Renaissance gallery. The site has been protected as a historic monument since the 19th century.

Bon samedi dans Centre-Val de Loire!

“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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Hope your week ends well and it's followed by a lovely weekend.

Château d'Amboise

Hope your week ends well and it's followed by a lovely weekend.

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 - Le Grand-Pressigny welcomes October.

1st October and the first day of the month brings this view across Le Grand-Pressigny towards its château, now home to the Musée de la Préhistoire, this view captured earlier this morning.

Le Grand-Pressigny is one of the places where the history of southern Touraine can be read on a much older timescale than its medieval buildings suggest. The château, seen here above the village, began as a stone fortress in the early 12th century. Its Renaissance gallery was added later, and the surviving château now houses the Musée de la Préhistoire.

The village is particularly important for its prehistoric heritage. During the Neolithic, the distinctive flint found around Le Grand-Pressigny was worked into long blades and exported well beyond the region. The Musée de la Préhistoire has one of the major collections documenting this industry and the wider prehistory of Touraine.

“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 onto Place du Château in Blois

At 9 Place du Château, the windows belong to one of the houses that line the historic approach to the Château Royal de Blois. The square was once the castle’s medieval forecourt and during the Renaissance, became lined with houses and hôtels particuliers needed to accommodate the royal court and administration.

Much of the surrounding buildings disappeared during the bombing and fire of June 1940, when the south side of the square was destroyed. The present-day Place du Château was subsequently redesigned as part of Blois’s post-war reconstruction.

“Through every window,the Loire Valley 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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Orléans - enough to turn your head!

Place du Martroi

Rue Royale

Stand in Place du Martroi,as the square opens wide under soft evening light. Classical façades rise on either side, their ground-floor arcades sheltering shops. Cobblestones stretch forward, tram rails glinting, cars and bikes tucked neatly along the edges.

Place du Martroi

At the centre stands the bronze figure of Joan of Arc on horseback, arm raised, forever pointing the way.

Rue Jeanne d'Arc

Behind her the streets pull the eye toward the twin towers of Sainte-Croix Cathedral, glowing gold against a pale sky. Ukrainian and French flags hang from the balconies, catching the last light.

All this around you - enough to turn your head.

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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