Friday from a different angle - ruins of the Collegiate Church of Roches-Tranchelion

Today we feature the mysterious ruins of Collégiale des Roches Tranchelion near Avons-les-Roche in Touraine. 

Thursday's taken in Touraine

July sunset just outside the village of Chaumussay  

Wednesday is Loches day -- why not visit the gardens after lunch.

A visit to the Wednesday market at Loches is a good way to experience the town as it creates a good atmosphere for strolling through its ancient streets. If you stay on for lunch and you should, afterwards you should seek out the calm of the public gardens which will also give you a great photo opportunity with excellent views up to the citadel. Please remember that you still need to practice safe procedures and consider others while in what will be a busy environment.  

Tuesday for towns and villages in the Loire Valley - Cravant-les-Coteaux

Today we are featuring Cravant-les-Coteaux which sits just over 10km east of Chinon in the heart of wine country. 

This pretty little village offers a good walk past many of the fine wine caves of the area plus a picnic opportunity with a panoramic view over the vineyards.

 It also offers something for history buffs in its ancient church in the old town (Carolingian or Merovingian, depending on what you read) plus a fine example in the village itself. 

Monday's Loire Valley chateau - Chateau de Ris

 The private Chateau de Ris was built on the site of an earlier feudal castle just outside the village of Bossay-sur-Claise in Southern Touraine. It was restored in the 1850 by Louis-Joseph Dauphin, who was to be mayor of the village until 1854, and dressed in a pink stucco neo-Gothic finish.  

Church on Sunday...Saint Genitour, Le Blanc

The church of  Saint-Genitour in Le Blanc was a Benedictine Priory up until the revolution. The original priory was built in the 12th century in a Romanesque style of which only the steeple and chancel remain.

On entering the church you cannot fail to be impressed by the church door hinges.

Once inside the 13th century Gothic nave of the church is slightly offset to the chancel, perhaps they intended to knock down and rebuild the older chancel or maybe the architect had simply got it wrong! 

The 15th century side chapel.

The church has an impressive organ. 

Stuff of legends - you can check out the legend of Saint Genitour here

Have a lovely weekend...

Have a lovely weekend everyone from all of us here in the beautiful and currently very sunny, Loire Valley.

Friday from a different angle - Chateau de Cheverny

More on Chateau de Cheverny here

Thursday's taken in Touraine - river Veude at Champigny-sur-Veude

Wednesday is Loches day - open for business...

Madame Frederique Grego, 'Art & Antiques',

1 place de l Hotel de Ville,

http://www.art-et-antiques.com/

Tuesday for towns - Montlouis-sur-Loire

Chaumont-sur-Loire - 2020 Garden Festival,permanent gardens 26 to 40

We have taken you on a walk around this year's (2020) 
International Garden Festival at Chaumont-sur-Loire by revealing the festival gardens using images from our own recent visit. This year's theme is 'Return to Mother Earth'. but did you know there are also a number of permanent gardens (above) on the site at 'Les Prés du Goualoup' that are worth seeking out to add to your festival experience?

Monday's Loire Valley Chateau - Chateau De Jallanges

Today we feature the privately owned  Chateau De Jallanges which sits half an hour north east of Tours among the vineyards of Vouvray. The chateau built using the less common (certainly for the Loire Valley chateaux) brick and stone method was commissioned by Louis XI in 1495 on the site of a former medieval castle for one of his high ranking ministers. 

The chateau had over the centuries,fallen in to disrepair but has been rescued by its current owners, the Ferry-Balin family who purchased it in 1984 and continue to invest in its restoration.

A walk around the International Garden festival - gardens number 23 & 24

We are taking you on a walk around this year's (2020) International Garden Festival at Chaumont-sur-Loire by revealing the gardens using images from our own recent visit. This year's theme is 'Return to Mother Earth'. 

This is garden number 23 - 'Le jardin de Gaïa... Aïe Aïe '.  You can get a detailed explanation of this garden on the festival's website here. 

This is garden number 24 (below)- 'La planète fleurie'  Detailed explanation of this garden on the festival's website here.

Church on Sunday - Saint Etienne in Le Blanc

The 17th century church of Saint Etienne in Le Blanc was originally the chapel of a Récollets convent and dedicated to Notre-Dame-de-l'Assomption. It became St Etienne parish church at the beginning of the 19th century. 

Its main feature, not unsurprisingly, is its elaborate altarpiece portraying the Assumption of the Virgin Mary but it has many other interesting internal features. 

   

The church apparently contains the relics of some lesser know  Saints,Tridore and Principin,  

It has some pretty 20th century stained glass windows.