Have a good weekend from all in the Loire Valley

Chateau Villandry

Friday from a different angle - at Chateau Villandry

More on Chateau de Villandry here

Thursday's 'taken in Touraine' - the river Indre at Azay-le-Rideau

Wednesday is Loches day here...and not just because of its great market.

Loches market on a Saturday and Wednesday is a good all year round experience...which we highly recommend.

Tuesday for towns in Centre - Val de Loire, Boussay in Southern Touraine.

Today we feature the tranquil little village of Boussay in Southern Touraine. The village is home to a 15th/16th/17th century chateau and a church dating from the 13th century.

Monday's Loire Valley Chateau - the mighty Chambord

More on Chateau de Chambord here

Loire Valley church for Sunday... 'Pont-Levoy?'..bridging the gap.

For our church on Sunday feature we tried to find one that could tie in with last week's 'bridges' theme - what we found was in fact two! The small town of Pontlevoy in Loir-et-Cher is understood to have derived its name from the fact that an early settlement was divided by the river Anguilleuse with only one bridge (pont) connecting the two halves. It had grown up around a church that was surrounded by a Merovingian (450 -500) burial site. The original church was dedicated to Saint John the Baptist and the current church of Saint-Pierre has a chapel dedicated to him with traces of a 13th century building apparently still evident. The current church is a melange of styles from different periods with its flamboyant gothic style asp being added in the 15th century when the monks from the neighbouring abbey were restoring their own church that had been destroyed by the English during the 'Hundred Years War'. Modifications continued throughout the centuries with the current nave dating from the 19th.

The surrounding  abbey was founded in 1034 by a local lord 'Guelduin le Jeune' in recognition of his live being saved during a storm at sea on his return a pilgrimage to Jerusalem - the Virgin Mary apparently appeared and calmed the waters. Administered by Benedictine monks the abbey complex thrived and with it, the town. Unfortunately the English incursions and the 'Wars of religion' saw a great deal of damage inflicted on the abbey and the reconstruction of the abbey church went no further than the current apse and choir.

In 1631 a new movement of  Benedictine monks came to the Abbey and it prospered spiritually and intellectually. The monks decorated the interior of the church with Baroque art and built the monastery buildings which still exist today. 

In 1644, the monks reopened a college and built new buildings to extend it. In 1776, a Royal Military School was established by Louis XVI here and became quite a prestigious place of learning.

It served as a military hospital during both World Wars and closed as a school in 1942. It then had a number of revival attempts before its future seemed secure when an American businessman acquired all of the buildings and organized internships for American students as well as cultural activities. The running of such an establishment has however proven to be a heavy burden an its future now is uncertain.

Have a good weekend, from the Loire Valley in France

The bridge over the river Vienne at Chinon

Friday from a different angle - Briare canal bridge over the river Loire

The canal bridge crosses the Loire river connecting the Briare canal to the canal Latéral à la Loire

Thursday's taken in Touraine - it has to be bridges

Chaumussay

Preuilly-sur-Claise

Descartes

Le Grand-Pressigny

Wednesday is Loches day here...let's check out some of its bridges.

Something that is not immediately obvious about the medieval town of Loches is the number of bridges it has. Most visitors will head for the citadel and the part of the town that grew up around it - perhaps only crossing its river once on the way from the parking at the railway station. 

Over the centuries the natural flow of its river,the Indre, has been somewhat modified first by the monks at the abbey in Beaulieu-les-Loches and then for industrial purposes. 

If you  pass through the 'Porte des Cordeliers' on the eastern side of the citadel you arrive on the aptly name 'Rue des Ponts', where you arrive actually standing over  the river, if you look to your left you will see the former large mill of the town straddling the river itself. The view to the right is far more appealing and one we enjoy all the year round.

If you were to continue along Rue des Ponts onto Rue du Dr Paul Martinais in the direction of Beaulieu-les-Loches you actually cross the river and its canals three times!

The bridge that leads to Place Quintefol on the other side of the public gardens is another one that affords some lovely views.

Tuesday for towns in the Loire Valley - Amboise and its bridge.

The town of Amboise has much to offer visitors to the Loire Valley and if you arrive via its bridge,Pont General Leclerc, over the river Loire it is not difficult to see its attraction. The long length of the bridge is supported half way across the river on the island of 'Ile d'Or.'

If you arrive on the town side of the bridge it is worth the stroll across the bridge to take in the view from the island.
It is not the original bridge as that was blown up by the locals in an effort to slow down the advance of the German army after the fall of Paris in 1940 as it was an important crossing over the Loire.

You can see some good aerial views of the bridge here: https://bit.ly/2V0TMUS

Monday's Loire Valley Chateau on a week of 'bridges' - it has to be Chateau de Chenonceau

We are going to  have a week featuring the bridges of the Centre -Val de Loire and starting the week with probably the most iconic - Chateau de Cheonceau bridging the river Cher.

Henri II gave it to his mistress Diane de Poitiers who added the bridge over the Cher. On his death, Catherine de Medici, forced Diane out of Chenonceau and proceeded to build the gallery and grand ballroom on Diane’s bridge which finally gave the chateau its now iconic look.

Church on Sunday - seeing the light.

In the church of Saint-Maurice, Barrou in Southern Touraine

Have a good weekend from the Loire Valley...

More from Chateau de Cheverny

Happy Valentine's Day - we hope you have love in your lives...

This is the 'L'arbre à coeurs' from the lovers garden in Saint-Valentin, Indre (36)

Friday from a different angle - Chateau de Breze

  

  

More on Chateau de Breze here