BON SOIRÉE

The evening sunshine at the Pre-Histo

FRENCH VILLAGE LIFE

 

Sometimes, when we lived in the village, there would be a tap on the door.  We would open it to find nobody there but a basket of something on the doorstep.  

Sometimes it would be a bunch of flowers from a neighbour's garden.

Often it would be a basket of produce from their allotment.

It's hard to describe the feeling you get from this aspect of French village life.  

Bon weekend!

AL FRESCO

Outdoor dining at the château de Brézé.

Picnic tables at the château de Candé

Take the weight off your feet, Château d'Islette style.

 

Picnic table chez nous.

All set for a spot of alfresco dining with friends last summer.

Will Boris's plan for the lifting of all restrictions by 21st June become reality?

Will the French have opened their borders to allow us in?

We've bought a new gas BBQ and a fire pit for the summer here, just in case.

A SPOT OF KNITTING TO PASS THE TIME

These knitted covers for window boxes appeared in a Chinon street a few years ago.  The crocheted flowers are a nice touch I think.

They were still there when we walked around Chinon during our precious eight weeks in France last summer, although they were a bit faded.

If I run out of things to do during lockdown I might knit one myself.  Although I'd feel obliged to finish one of my half knitted jumpers first.

GONE FOR EVER

 

When we first found Le Grand-Pressigny the river bank furthest from the village centre looked like this.  The row of trees by the water's edge was cut down some years ago.

This fisherman misses it.  So do I.

SEASONAL TABLES

 

Chenonceau has the most fabulous seasonal flower arrangements.  This is a Christmas one.

The same table decorated for summer.

(Is that a new floor, too?)

A WINTRY CHENONCEAU

Chenonceau was open all year round when I last visited.

Winter is a good time to visit.  It's less crowded so you get to see it in a relaxed fashion and the wintry attire of the visitors tends not to spoil the photos.

ON HOLD

 The blog is on hold until I decide what to do with it.

In the meantime, there are some photos from previous posts to tide us over.

I wonder what happened to that doormat.  I rather liked it but haven't seen it for a while.  And we still miss Lulu, our best girl.

CHANGES. THE BLOG IS UNDER RECONSTRUCTION/REINVENTION/REJUVENATION!

 Changes to the blog are afoot.

Just in case it doesn't come back, a huge thank you to all those who have taken the time to read it and been kind enough to leave lovely comments.  I will still be around and dropping in on my favourite blogs from time to time.

All the best, look after yourselves and stay safe.

RESTAURANTS WE HAVE LOVED AND SOME WE HAVE LOST

LE JEAN BART, LE GRAND-PRESSIGNY

Le Jean Bart in August 2007.

When we first set foot in the village of Le Grand-Pressigny there were two bars, plus a restaurant and a hotel.  The one that has been through the most changes is the bar named Le Jean Bart.

The Jean Bart in 2008.  The local plumbers had the shop next door.

It had an excellent position in the village square with plenty of space outside for chairs and tables so that people could enjoy the view and the weather at any time of day.

There is no question that to keep a bar like this is hard work and long hours.  After a few years the word was out that the lady owner wanted to retire.

Le Jean Bart in 2011.

The Jean Bart was closed for a while until the business was taken over by a couple who began to serve snacks and ice creams.  After a few years this couple also moved on.

For the first few months of 2017 there was great excitement as people watched huge changes taking place.  It was rumoured that the new owner had great plans for the bar, running it as a bistro, serving good food and not just drinks and snacks.  The name of the bar was changed to "Chez L".

It was just what the village needed, providing something other than a full evening meal for the visitors and plenty of space to enjoy a drink with the local ambience.  Chez L was without doubt a huge asset to the village.

The old fashioned, crouch down and hope for the best loo was replaced by a modern toilet building with disabled access and a dinosaur outside.  

Chez L served great food and as if that wasn't enough, there were also music nights, usually in the bar but also outside on the pavement.  Sadly, it didn't last and at the end of December 2019 Chez L, or the Jean Bart as we had known it, closed again.

It came under new ownership in the summer of 2020 and re-opened as "Le Comptoir" with a grand opening night.

It is currently closed again due to the lockdown in France but with a bit of luck will be back in full swing by the summer.  We're keeping our fingers crossed that Le Comptoir will survive although we still refer to it as "Lisa's" and even occasionally as the "Jean Bart".  We certainly don't want to lose it.