Merry Christmas...

Merry Christmas...

Click below to see Jim & Pauline ...

Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree 

sendables.jibjab.com

Rockin' around the Christmas tree is even more fun when you rock with a friend! You know what they say, the more the merrier!

Check out the Scottish Production of 'The Snowman'

Angles sur l'Anglin

A walk on the high side...

It was such a lovely day on Friday (2nd Dec.!) that we decided we had to go out for a walk. We drove down to one of our's and our guest's favourite villages Angle sur l'Anglin to try out another of the five 'Promenades communales' walks around this lovely village.We chose the walk that took us by the cemetery and 40 metres up over the river L'Anglin.  Once we climbed up on to the top there was a terrific viewing point 'Roc a Midi' which isn't for the faint-hearted.

Click on the image to enlarge it -the village is unrecognisable apart from the castle ruin on the right

 Here is a view coming into the village on the D2 road.

 

Here is probably the shot that all visitors take of this lovely village.

Work has just finished behind 'Le Bourg' to thin out some of the trees to open up more of the river view.This should make a big difference for 2012's guests. 

When I was asked to rendezvous with the tree-fellers at 'Le Bourg', I thought I was meeting up with three Irishmen - sorry old joke but couldn't resist it - but no, it was with Laurent Blain who describes himself as 'arboriste grimpeur'. It was he who was contracted to cut down some of the trees behind the house.

                                          

His skills were obvious as he clambered and climbed between the trees.

Villages of Southern Touraine - Montresor

Many of our guests last year commented on the number of beautiful villages this part of the Loire Valley is blessed with. One of their favourites was the village of Montresor which has the added attraction of a 'lived in' chateau to visit. 

You can view a pictorial 'walk round' the village here

It is indeed beautiful and one of our own personal favourites.

Views from the balcony

Previous guests are kind enough to send us copies of their holiday snaps and we are delighted to see them.Here are some showing the views from our balcony in Le Grand Pressigny.

Loire Valley in October

Here is what our last October guests thoughts of 'Les Balcons' from our guestbook.

The Loire Valley gave us a true sense of French culture and lifestyle outside the big cities.A fabulous mix of wide open spaces country lanes and beautiful villages - not to mention the chateaux! Add beautiful weather and excellent food and it was the perfect holiday. Thank you Pauline and Jim for the use of your beautiful, spotless and comfortable home. We have not wanted for anything. We found your advice on trips, restaurants and sights spot on. 'Les Balcons' was well situated for everything we wanted to do in the area and being located in a village the size of Le Grand Pressigny was a real bonus. We will definitely recommend 'Les balcons' to friends

Heimut, Shannon Englehard & Lorraine Hayden, Australia

Reflections on the river Claise

This time of year is a good time to visit the Loire Valley as the changing seasons give it a whole new look Here are more autumn shots, this time along the river Claise in Southern Touraine copied from my other blog.

Bridge at Martizay

From the bridge

Boats on the Claise

Big trees at Preuilly-sur-Claise

Footbridge at Preuilly-sur-Claise

Reflections Prueilly-sur-Claise

 From the bridge at Chaumussay

Other side of the bridge.

Hard to believe it was October 30th !

The last three are from the bridge on our street, Avenue Andre Theuriet,in le Grand Pressigny.

On the 9th November.

The Loire Valley in Autumn

I notice when people search for the 'Loire Valley' on the internet one of the most popular terms is 'weather'- we have a page dedicated to this on our site- but a picture, as they say is worth a thousand words.  In the last few days we have seen blue skies and lovely and warm days -in the 20's and in October. This can be a great time to visit the Val de Loire as you also have the benefit of fewer tourists at the major attractions.

Barrou

Attention!

 By the river Creuse  on Grande Rue

Rue de Lesigny

Le Grand Pressigny

Down our street, Avenue Andre Theuriet.

click to enlarge

"True sense of French culture"

My confusion as to what day it was at the beginning of their stay did not seem to affect our last guests at 'Les Balcons' and they seem to have embraced French rural living.

The chuch over the rooftops of Le Grand Pressigny

Here is their comments  from our guestbook:

"The Loire Valley gave us a true sense of French culture and lifestyle outside the big cities. A fabulous mix of wide open spaces country lanes and beautiful villages - not to mention the chateaux!  Add beautiful weather and excellent food and it was the perfect holiday. Thank you Pauline and Jim for the use of your beautiful, spotless and comfortable home. We have not wanted for anything. We found your advice on trips, restaurants and sights spot on. 'Les Balcons' was well situated for everything we wanted to do in the area and being located in a village the size of Le Grand Pressigny was a real bonus. We will definitely recommend 'Les balcons' to friends"

Heimut, Shannon Englehard & Lorraine Hayden, Australia

Change to changeover day.

 We welcomed our latest guests from Australia to Les Balcons  yesterday. After they had the tour of their new home for the next week they asked where the nearest supermarket to the village was. I, of course, was in Saturday (our usual changeover day) mode and proceeded to to tell them about the ever-popular market at Descartes,"which is on tomorrow", where they could stock up on fresh fruit and veg. and also have access to the supermarket for anything they couldn't find there. So I had to make the embarrassing phone call this morning to let them know that it was not in fact on today! Fortunately they found the beds so comfortable that they had a lie in - so I saved face - and they will go tomorrow!

Here are some examples of what they can expect to see there.

Indian summer?

Our current guests are enjoying our Indian summer, temperatures of 29 degrees and everything looking great!

Here is how  the chateau in Le Grand Pressigny looked yesterday...

click to enlarge

and the view from the balcony at  Les Balcons

Australians in Barrou

Our last guests for the season at 'Le Bourg', Penny and Ivan from Perth, Australia thought that the end of September was a good time to visit the Loire Valley even though they might miss the best of the sunshine -  well how lucky were they, temperatures of 29 degrees and everything looking bright and sunny! They had actually originally wanted the 'Old Walnut Mill' but due to the roadworks we offered them 'Le Bourg' along the road as an alternative as that part of the street was completed during the first phase of the works.

As you can see from the above pic.they would have found getting in and out of the house slightly difficult!

They had arrived in the Loire Valley on Saturday (24th Sept.) evening after a days travelling where they had been on five different trains to get from Switzerland to us here in Barrou. They took advantage of the great car hire deal from the supermarket 'Super U' which you can read about here. Because of their arrival time on Saturday they had to wait until the Monday to pick it up.We took them into Descartes market on the Sunday morning plus had a little walk around the town's pretty gardens, often missed by visitors. 

Then we took them to a brocante in the village of Ligueil where they were treated to some traditional dancing. So a good introduction to Southern Touraine. 

 

Canadians in Barrou

Getting right up to date we have just said farewell to last weeks guests in 'Le Bourg' who were also from Canada! Joan & Murray are from  Newmarket, Ontario. Here is what they said of their stay from our guestbook:

"We have loved this spacious, 'homey' comfortable place. Also the area is so lovely - enjoyed Chinon, Chenonceau and Azay le Rideau plus visiting many local towns and markets. Thank you so much to you Jim & Pauline, for being here on our late arrival, for the food and drinks here, for your suggestions and wonderful hospitality. Hopefully we will return."

 

Chinon                   Chenonceau              Azay le Rideau 

Blasts from the past 1

As I was was writing the post on the 'Old Walnut Mill's end of renting it got me thinking about some of the great guests we have had there and thought I'd share some of their comments from our guest book with you ( will feature them as 'Blasts from the past' ) as it also gives some insight into the many facets of this wonderful part of the world.

Our very first guests back in April 2007 were the Krumms from Quesnel, British Columbia,Canada, who, like many of our guests after them, were far too generous with their comments and also coined the phrase 'ghost- hosts' as this was when we were doing it remotely!. Anyway it went like this...


"We've come a long way from the west coast of Canada to visit the Loire Valley and sample it's secrets- every step of the journey has been worth it. It's been a whirlwind of touring, an overload to all our senses, but this beautiful little "pièd à terre" has helped to keep us sane, with feet still on the ground for the most part. The Old Walnut Mill will always be a tremendously fond memory.
 Jim and Pauline, we appreciate how much of yourselves you've put into this place and how much effort you've expended making it the ideal jumping off spot for the Loire's garden of delights. You are the perfect ghost-hosts.
 It has been a delightful week and it has been so nice to be in a home environment rather than a hotel! What it does do is now the temptation to maybe, just maybe, someday, do something like this on our own! Thanks again and may your future with the Old Walnut Mill be full of success."  

Their description of the area as a 'garden of delight' is rather apt and it is what brought the French nobility and their entourages here - and all of us! You don't have to go far to see what we all mean - the above photograph was taken (yesterday) just as you leave Barrou in the direction of Le grand Pressigny.  

End of a chapter.

Our first post here is timely as we are soon to receive our final guests at 'The Old Walnut Mill' before we start to renovate our barn at the property. We have decided that the 'Old Walnut Mill' should be our 'summer' home going forward with a gite attached (the existing barn). This will mean an end to our nomadic existence ( see 'About us' ) we have, for the last two years been living in the one house of the three we offer for rent, that is not booked - this has meant living out of suitcases and the back of the car - not the most ideal way to live. The experience has taught us the value of 'roots' and of friendships - we have had many offers of accommodation and assistance when our planning was not up to scratch and they were/are appreciated - you know who you are! So next year we are taking the gamble of loosing the income from 'The Old Walnut Mill' and hope the other two have a good occupancy rate. We will of course be offering the same level of customer service and care.

Pauline and I would like to thank all our guests over the years at the Old Walnut Mill,who have come from far and wide, for choosing us for their Loire Valley Experience and for all the great memories you have given us - we hope you have your own.