Insights into the French way of life and European travels by an Australian living in Paris and the Loire Valley
Header photo: Château de Chambord in winter. All photos on website copyright by Rosemary Kneipp unless specified otherwise. All rights reserved.Sign up for the latest posts below and don’t forget to click the confirmation email link:
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Stay in our beautiful 400-year old Renaissance house in the Loire Valley. Click on Gîte Loire Valley above. We still have vacancies from 14th to 18th August and 25th August to 6th September. 3-night minimum stay.-
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Category Archives: Loire Valley
Shopping in the Sales in Tours
It’s the winter sales in France, which start in mid-January. I’m not a keen shopper at the best of times, nor am I a fashionista, so I prefer to wait for the second week of the sales and hope that … Continue reading
Forbidden Mushrooms
The last few times we’ve been mushroom picking, we haven’t had much luck because of the unusually mild autumn. The last time we were in Blois State forest we came across a group of forest workers and one of them … Continue reading
Moving is No Fun, Not to Mention Exhausting!
It’s 8 am on Tuesday and the removalists are already here (4 Russians, an Algerian and a Tunisian). They start with the apartment down the road from us where Jean Michel’s sons have been living for the last 9 years, … Continue reading
A Significant Birthday or Taking a Pensioner Out to Dinner
I’m always on the look-out for new restaurants to try so when my friend and neighbour Françoise mentions the Manoir de Contres in Sologne, I immediately note the name in my iPhone for Jean Michel’s next most significant birthday – … Continue reading
Posted in Accommodation, Architecture, Loire Valley, Restaurants
Tagged manoir de contres, vanilla soufflé
14 Comments
Blois Chambord Cycling Itinerary 11 & 11bis
Most of our time in Blois seems to be spent frantically gardening, restoring fireplaces and making laundries, but this time, I’ve checked the weather report and Thursday looks as though it will be bright and sunny. We have breakfast in … Continue reading
Last Three Months in Paris
We are well and truly back from our cycling holiday in Germany. It’s amazing how far away it already seems. Our next holiday, a six-day home exchange in Lisbon, is scheduled for September. Now we have to get ready for … Continue reading
An Anniversary Dinner in Romorantin and a Bike Ride to Mer
We’ve been to Romorantin in Sologne before and loved the fresh produce market. At the bread baking day in Les Grouets, Le Lion d’or was recommended to us as being one of the best restaurants in the region so we’ve decided … Continue reading
Posted in Closerie Falaiseau, Cycling, Flowers & gardens, Loire Valley, Restaurants
Tagged cour sur loire, l'épicerie in Mer, le lion d'or, Mer, romorantin
9 Comments
Breakfast at La Cigale
Family events are not always easy, particularly when you are a pièce rapportée as they say in French. The first time I heard the expression, which literally means a patch, to describe an in-law, I was shocked. A patch indeed! … Continue reading
Posted in Loire Valley, Restaurants
4 Comments
Photos of the Week – Roses in our Garden in Blois
Back in Blois for a week and loving the roses! The previous owners told us the roses on the front steps were Pierre Ronsard, but we now know they are not. We’re trying to track down their name.
Posted in Closerie Falaiseau, Flowers & gardens, Loire Valley
Tagged polyanthus, roses, Saharan roses
4 Comments
Bread Baking Day in Les Grouets
The sky is overcast and we’re hoping it’s not going to rain because we’re about to attend the 8th annual bread-making day in our neighbourhood, Les Grouets. It’s all happening at a bread-oven I’ve already photographed in the past. We … Continue reading
Posted in Cooking, Food, Loire Valley, Wine
Tagged bread baking day in France, les amis des grouets, Les Grouets
5 Comments
