De captivants à banals, les articles et photographies de “The Baguette” sont une tentative de publier un journal de ma vie dans la Manche et de proposer un forum de discussion pour tout ce qui touche à la Normandie.
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The City of Chinon is situated in the southwest of the Touraine region, on the borders of the Anjou and Poitou. The site is remarkable being built on several levels between the Vienne River and the chalk cliff where the fortress was built. The site was...
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Villandry was one of the last great Renaissance châteaux to be built on the Loire; it has unusual features for Touraine, like rectangular pavilions (instead of round towers) as well as the layout of the esplanade and its moat. Villandry’s international...
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The Musée des Beaux-Arts is housed in the former bishop's palace built in the 17th and 18th centuries near the Cathédrale St-Gatien. A magnificent Lebanon cedar planted by Napoleon in 1804 adorns the courtyard of the museum. Work on the cathedral started...
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La gare de Tours was built between 1896 and 1898 under the direction of the Touraine architect Victor Laloux. Four statues dominate the façade—two were created by Jean-Antoine Injalbert (allegories of Bordeaux and Toulouse), while the other two were created...
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The Église paroissiale Notre-Dame in Montbazon was built between 1851 and 1862 under the direction of Gustave Guérin . Two artists named Jules Benard and Alexandre Ripault painted all of the décor including the spacious barrel-vaulted nave and its walls...
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In 991, the Benedictine monks of Cormery complained to Hugues Capet, the King of France, that Fulk Nerra, Count of Anjou (17 years old and Earl of Anjou in 987), was building a fort on their land in Montbazon. Despite their annoyance, the King did not...
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After visiting Château du Lude, I thought we’d stop at Château de Champchevrier since it was on the way to Tours. Upon arrival, I found out that it wasn’t going to open for another two weeks. Oh well. At least I was able to get some photos of the exterior...
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The origins of the château date back to the 10th century when it was first situated on the border of Anjou on the banks of the river Loir. It was used as a stronghold to protect the region against attacks from the Normans. Until the 15th century, it was...
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L’abbaye de la Piété Dieu de l’Épau was founded in 1229 by Queen Bérengère of Navarre, widow of Richard the Lionhearted and Dowager Countess of Maine (who also lived in the heart of old Le Mans—Cité Plantagenêt). It is one of the last Cistercian establishments...
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Another great way to get around Le Mans is to use their ultra-modern light rail service, which takes you to stops on either end of the city. It’s not expensive and it is certainly worth trying if you are heading somewhere in the suburbs. I chose to visit...
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