Stone the crows

The weather this long weekend is poor. In fact the national TV channel TF1 headlined it as 'Pentecôte pourrie' [a rotten Whitsun]. It is cold! The maximum temperature forecast for today is 11C and 14C tomorrow.

Those of us who blog about the Loire Valley/Touraine have gone on a lot about the poor weather. All across France it's been poor; featuring on the news, even headlining. May has been unseasonably chilly. So much so, that we have caved in and switched on the heating from time to time to avoid turning into icicles.

Flying high over a crop of newly sprouted maize

Add to the chill the very wet weather we had earlier in the year and it's been hard on the farmers. Many have had to write-off winter sown barley, wheat and rape seed crops and have ploughed them in, deciding to re-sow with spring planted maize or sunflowers. These crops have just gone in and the first tender leaves are showing.

We've even seen fields which have been partially ploughed up resulting in an odd patchwork effect of, for example: flowering colza [rape seed] and newly sprouting maize.

A well dressed scarecrow

Eric, the farmer who has the large field adjoining our northern boundary, has done just that. Swathes of the field have been left with the winter sown crop [we think it is barley] while other sections --closer to us-- have been ploughed up. Nothing is showing as yet, so we don't know if he has has sown these sections with something else.

All this spring planting has brought on a rash of scarecrow styles ranging from ragged old fertilizer bags stuck on a pole, to imitation crows or to well crafted traditional chaps complete with drawn-on faces. The "boom" of the bird-scarer one of our neighbouring farmers uses each year has also returned [we wrote about it here].

Leaning into the work: another field of new maize

We saw all different varieties of scarers on a recent foray up to the wine co-op at Francueil near Chenonceaux. We wanted to buy some rosé  for drinking on the terrace -- we remain optimists -- although one could argue we'd be better off with vin chaud right now!

New gem on the block

The Hôtel de Beaucé was built in 1554 by a rich Protestant merchant, Jean de Beaucé, in Poiters. For quite a while now it has been undergoing a careful and, by the looks of it, sympathetic restoration. Wrapped in netting, it has been hard to see what was being done. Now however, the netting is coming off and the scaffolding is being taken down. There's just the section on the left of the photo which is still up.

Hôtel de Beaucé May 2013

It is a lovely building with its turreted spiral staircase. The turret [or tower] which houses the staircase harks back to the Middle Ages when this was a common feature of fortified dwellings as they were easier to defend. However, the windows spiralling up as they follow the corkscrew stairs are large and typically Renaissance and make it very appealing.

The lucarnes [dormer windows] are heavily ornamented; decoration which is very typical of the architectural style which was current during the reigns of Francois Ier and Henri II.

In 1558 the residence was the location of the first symposium which led to the founding of the reformed [Protestant] church in France. In 1561 the second synod of the French Protestant church was held in Poitiers.

Currently the building is privately owned and split into a series of apartments. Finding a photo of the Hôtel before restoration began just shows how much of an improvement has been made. We'll put up some more photos once the restoration is completely finished.

Hotel de Beaucé is marked in red

In front of the Hôtel de Beaucé they've installed a fountain which we think is lovely. It is very simple and offsets the building behind it very well. In fact, the whole area round the back of the Hôtel de Ville is undergoing something of a face lift. On the front gates of the Hôtel de Beaucé there's a small panel showing the layout of the quarter at the time of Napoleon. The Hôtel de Ville [Mairie], which was built in the 19th century is superimposed in outline. In the 'before' photo of the Hôtel de Beaucé below you can just see the back gates of the Mairie on the right.

Before: Hôtel de Beaucé in 2011 

© Wikipedia Commons

How nice to be able to live in an historic building such as this. Although we suspect the inhabitants will be very pleased when all the work has finally been completed!

Impromptu Lunch

Recently we had to be in La Roche Posay and, as luck would have it, it was about lunch time as we headed home. The weather was glorious and on impulse we persuaded ourselves --not a difficult affair-- that grabbing lunch somewhere was a good idea!

Chambon, village centre

Ages ago, last January in fact, there'd been a plan to meet up with friends for lunch at the Auberge le Vieux Fournil in Chambon which lies more or less en route between Preuilly sur Claise and La Roche Posay. That plan was foiled as it turned out that the place was closed unitl mid-February and somehow we've never gotten round to it since. The auberge had been originally recommended by Jim and Pauline Craig, fellow Scots who live in Barrou. We decided to give it a go.

Auberge le Vieux Fournil

It didn't disappoint. Two years ago with financial support from the region the auberge built a very modern extension and the resulting diningroom is lovely, with the restored bakehouse oven taking pride of place. The menu du marché was €12.00 for three courses with a choice of two dishes for the starter and the mains. There were 3 choices for desert. Wine was extra, €4.00 for a small pichet.

Pretty roof lines; the building with the window is a pottery

We had a smoked herring salad and a generous slice of pied du porc in aspic for our starters and the pork loin for mains. This came with a trio of very smooth purées: celeriac, carrot and broccoli and a pain d'epices sauce for the pork. It was very delicious although if we were going to be picky the pork could have done with something acidic to offset the sweetness. For afters we had a charlotte and cheese. It is definitely a place we will go to again and has gone on "the list".

Wisteria covered staircase

Afterwards we had a quick look around the village which is very pretty, although the monument historique plaque on the church promised a bit more than it delivered: 13th and 16th century architecture but sadly no hidden gems that we could discover. 

How does your garden grow?

To be honest, like crazy! Especially the grass. It seems to grow the second your back is turned! Trouble is we've had so much rain again that finding a dry 'slot' to mow it all
can be a challenge. However, the forecast is for more sun over the weekend so it will be mower and strimmer at the ready.

our Melrose apple in blossom

So far the best you can say is that our spring weather has been "mixed". Frequently it's been fairly chilly and the last few days we've had yet more rain. In between, we've had days with lots of sun and rising temperatures.  In fact, one day the farmers were grumbling as it was so warm they couldn't go and treat their fields as anything they sprayed would evaporate too quickly. Yet yesterday, the second day of May, it didn't get beyond a paltry 12C!

On the up side all our baby fruit trees which we planted in Nov 2010 have produced blossom this year, especially our dark cherry [we don't know what type it is] and our apple [Melrose].

quince tree full of flowers

We also have an elderly quince which is positively smothered in flowers which are just opening up. If the bees do their work it will be a good season for quince jelly. Last year with the frosts it was hammered and we had one lone fruit on the tree. I love the way the quince blossom has a pink swirl to the bud before it opens--rather like a raspberry ripple effect.

quintessential spring

As usual our ornamental cherry has flowered beautifully, and although now just past its best it will still look elegantly pink and frilly for a couple of days. We have 3 lilac bushes which didn't produce a single flower in the spring of 2011 so we cut them back hard and opened things up a bit as they were in too much shade. This spring for the first time they have produced flowers, two of the bushes are pale lilac and the third is a darker wine/purple.

lilac is back

As the semester is drawing to a close there will be fewer early morning starts and therefore, not as many opportunities to see the kind of sunrise below. Caught on a phone camera, the quality isn't brilliant but it certainly is a great view to have as you turn onto the D road from our lane and drive off to Tours to work. Our house is behind the woods and blackthorn tree/bush in the bottom righthand corner.

sunrise, last week

Two months short of a full calendar year

February to June

July to November

Up at a crossroads close to the banks of the Loire lies the village of Lignières-de-Touraine, right in the centre of an area of topflight Loire valley tourist destinations. Just to the north across the river and over the lovely 19th century bridge is Langeais, south lies Azay-le-Rideau. Go west and you run into Villandry. Turn east for Rigny-Ussé.

The town itself is fairly non-descript; a busy intersection of classic French D roads, the houses strung out along each one with an open tarmacked square at the center. To one side is a small church. You'd drive through without a second glance; your sights firmly set on one of the destinations mentioned above.

However, in 2009 some restoration work was being carried out in the church, and yes, you guessed it, they found some lovely wall paintings. We weren't aware of them but Susan & Simon tipped us off. They had found out about them by chance and had been to have a look with a client.

The church is small and the wall paintings are mostly from the 12th century. However, some were repainted in the 13th and 14th centuries. All are easily seen as the roof is comparatively low. There's a lighting system, which for a small fee, lights the wall paintings so you can see them more easily.

Detail: May -- a knight and his horse

In addition to a variety of religious scenes such as the story of Adam and Eve, Christ in Majesty, Cain and Abel; there are also visual exhortations connected to living a good life. On the arch leading to the chancel there is also a charming calendar of the months of the year.
 
Like a book of hours, most months portray a scene appropriate to the time of year. In September, for example, a man is shown treading grapes in a large tun.  Sadly it isn't quite complete as 2 months are missing. It looks as if, at some point, the pillars were re-done and thus the arch has lost December and January.

In the frame of one of the windows in the apse stands Cain holding a sheaf of grain. Opposite him stands Abel with the hand of God reaching down to bless him.

It looks a bit odd, as if there should be more of the figure than just this disembodied hand and a what looks to be a bit of beard, but this was quite a common convention. One couldn't 'portray' God so this was the solution.

The glass [although now 19th century replacement] is unlikely to have had any role in the tableau.

One of the most appealing wall paintings is that of a rich man's table. He's seated at the board which is elegantly draped in a white table cloth and set with gold plate. There's a platter with a boar's head, a plate, a trencher, what looks to be a knife, some covered cups and a flagon. At the door there's a servant who seems to be pointing down to a wee spaniel-like dog which looks longingly at the large joint of meat the lame beggar is waving over his head. Presumably this is a representation of one of the seven acts of corporal mercy. One of the best representations of the acts of corporal mercy [6 of the 7] are to be found in stained glass in the beautiful 15th century church of All Saints North Street, York.

Feeding a lame beggar

So the next time you're dashing off with friends or family to show them one of the four sights mentioned above you might like to pop in and see the wall paintings as well.

Simply click on any of the photos to enlarge them if you would like to see more detail.