LEVROUX

The weather was not great in our part of France last February.  We did have a few days when the sun came out and we could sit outside and have a drink, enjoying the warmth of the sun on our skin.  But on the whole, as we have found in previous years, February is not a terribly reliable month.  Mostly it’s as cold, damp and miserable as in the UK.  This is one of the reasons that after much discussion, we have decided not to live full time in France, especially for long periods in the winter.

Towards the end of my two weeks in France last February I was running low on ideas of how to keep myself and my friend entertained.  Just for myself I would have been content to stay home, watch TV, read, knit and sew, but having a friend with me I was conscious that for her this was a holiday so felt the need to organise visits and events, plan proper meals and so on.  If I had been by myself, just keeping warm and on top of the housework would probably have occupied me full time.  Keeping two log fires going all day long takes a lot of time.

A few years ago some friends gave me a book full of beautiful full page photos of some of the more attractive villages in France so I asked my friend to have a look through and choose somewhere she would like to visit on her last day in France.  She picked a place called Levroux.

I had never been there before, so off we went to explore, on a bitterly cold and windy day.

It’s greatest claim to fame, if it has one at all, is the tower entrance or gate into the town, which is absolutely spectacular but in a sad state of repair.

In fact, Levroux seemed to be one of those really sad towns, full of dilapidated buildings, closed shops and businesses.  There was hardly a soul about as we wandered around taking pictures.

There was a fine old church in the centre of town and we managed to find a little café open where we were the only customers.  We warmed ourselves up with a drink of delicious and indulgent hot chocolate before bracing ourselves against the increasingly strong wind and heading back to the car.  

We had parked in the town square opposite the most amazing junk shop I think I have ever seen.  In fact I’m not sure it was a shop at all, there were no opening hours displayed or any indication of owners.

I wondered if it was just someone’s collection of brocante, or a shop that had given up trading some time ago.  Inside there was a huge amount of stuff, all typical junk shop fodder, and some of it I would really have like to get a closer look at.

Including this rather nice painting of the town gate.

As you will have come to expect, I took dozens of pictures of old doors and windows, but I’ll spare you the bulk and show just three of my favourite door knockers instead.

Later in the year, Nick and I returned to Levroux for another look and found it to be a bit more lively.  On that occasion, one château led to another……..I’ll come to that story in due course………..