Autumn scene - Loches

Bandstand in the public gardens

 

Tuesday for towns - images from La Chatre

 

Today we visit La Chatre a town in the department of Indre (36) which sits on the bank of its principle river. After an early history of fire and plague the town established itself around its tanneries and mills before settling for a more sedate reputation as a tourism destination around the heritage of the writer George Sand.

The town still has a few buildings dating back to its early history with the most famous being the 15th century 'La Maison Rouge',

Palais de Justice

Monday's Loire Valley chateau - Chenonceau from across the river Cher

 

More on Chenonceau here

Church for Sunday - Basilica Saint-Jacques-le-Majeu,

 

Today we visit the Romanesque basilica (11th /12 century) of Saint-Jacques-le-Majeu, collegiate church of Saint-Etienne, in Neuvy-Saint-Sepulcher (36) with its rotunda, styled on the Holy Sepulcher of Jerusalem and listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site as part of the roads to Saint Jacques de Compostela. 

 

Its rotunda sits 22 meters in diameter and 16 meters high amd is made up of three levels with an ambulatory. It is supported by 11 columns to represent the eleven faithful apostles.

Its reliquary is said to contain two drops of Christ's blood and is the subject of a pilgrimage every Easter Monday.

The rotunda was added to an earlier church on the site which has, over the years, seen a number of modifications.

Have a good weekend from all of us here in Southern Touraine

 

Montresor

Friday from a different angle - Chateau du Grand-Pressigny

 

More on Chateau du Grand-Pressigny here

Thursday's taken in Touraine - don't let it bring you down

 

Autumn arrives in Loches

 

More on Loches here

Tuesday for towns in the Loire Valley - images of the old town in Tours

 

 You can see more on our little slide show here

Monday's chateau - Chateau du Chatelier - Paulmy

Today we feature 12th/13th century Chateau du Chatelier in 'Le Chatelier' near the village of Paulmy in Southern Touraine.  

Church on Sunday - Saint-Mathurin, Saint-Mathurin-sur-Loire - glass doors and disappearing artist.

Today we visit the church at Saint-Mathurin-sur-Loire (49) which was completed in 1847 by Angevin architect François Villersat. Its stripped-down neoclassical style is not common along the banks of the Loire but it is imposing.

Inside the central nave leads to wood paneled choir

The church also has two side chapels

The main feature of the church however is a monumental gate "La porte de la paix" which was installed in 2012. It is the work of  the famous Catalan artist Josep Grau Garriga who had adopted the town as his home since 1992. Above the glass doors are painted panels that unfortunately the artist did not have time to finish before his disappearance in August 2011.

Where's Joan?

She is here in the church in a rather demure pose.

Little gems...

 

Touraine - full of jewels and little gems, like this view in Le Grand-Pressigny.

Journées du Patrimoine 2020

 Check out what's on by department here

 

Friday from a different angle - back to Brissac

 

Today we are back at Chateau de Brissac to have a look from a different angle...

Thursday's 'taken in Touraine' - the blue tractor

 

Loches, into the night...

 

 If you visit Loches for the market today why not stay and visit its monuments and later stay for an evening meal so as to come out and appreciate its night ambiance.