Saturday 29 June 2013: Pt 2

Relaxed Sunday before the rally

Still in bleary eyed and weary brain state even after a cup of coffee or two. Comes from another, but not quite as late a night, meaning we got to bed around 1.30am in the morning - Sunday. Cravant was elevated to almost Le Mans status on Saturday, when the sports car rally arrived. If the upheaval, noise and general bizarreness of the occasion wasn't for you, you probably have wanted to jump out the window. As for us, we spent the day with a really fun group of neighbours.

Patient by-sitters

Saturday, Cravant was in party-ish mode, with groups here and there, some having les pique-niques, others had tables set up with drinks, food etc. Outside L'Auberge in the centre of Cravant, a covered seating area had been rigged up for a large group of their regular clubbers (it's a night-club and during the day, our local and very good restaurant) who spent the day there, getting slowly hammered. Some neighbours in rue des vignes had pulled a table out into the road for some impromptu drinks, which eventually finished around 2 in the morning!

Alain pouring some drinks

Meantime we were into serious food in Alain's garage. The twelve of us and four children started our party around 12noon. We'd all taken things along. Alain's girlfriend had kindly organised all the wine. Her daughter and children came as well. Jacqueline and Norbert were there, who've been mentioned in earlier blogs,  along with their sons and families, Mike and I, and Dominic et Jeanette who we'd first met when we walked together for the Cravant randonnée, earlier in June.

waiting for the race

We began with apèros, during which Mike and I were given a guided tour of Alain's house for the first time. Quite amazing. From the outside it looks like an average sized and shaped detached house that we  used to live in, in London. However it just goes on and on and on. A real Tardis. Pretty much all the work he's done himself and it's an incredible job. We asked him if he had a map! Could easily have got lost. Then back we went into the garage for the entrée of different salads, followed by a barbecue, that had been building heat since around 10.30. Next came a huge selection of cheeses, followed by at least four different desserts. Different wines of course and last but not least, plenty of breads etc., Fantastic. By this time it was just after 16h00. The rally was now to start at 4.30pm.

First arrival

Not sure how many cars took part. There were 120 in the programme which listed all their details and drivers, but there were a few gaps in the running order as the cars passed by. We were perfectly positioned to see them hurtling towards us down from old Cravant, screeching, growling, coughing and loudly farting their way round the bend which took them into the road, as pictured here, which runs across the top of our road, then drops down to the main road through to Chinon.

Somewhere on the way to Cravant there had been an accident. Not sure if it involved any of the race cars and haven't heard any more details. Hopefully no one was injured. But it meant the race stopped for about an hour. The temperature started shooting up, so we thought we'd nip home for a cup of something and then come back as  we were only minutes away. Only it wasn't that simple. You're not allowed to walk on the 'race track', so we crossed from our viewing position through a field that leads on to the back of Jacqueline and Norbert's garden. Jacqueline came as well, got a ladder, and then we all climbed over her fence into her garden, which runs along the bottom of ours. Then we put the ladder over their hedge and climbed into our garden. Had a cup of tea and of course fell asleep. About an hour later back we went, this time walking up rue des vignes. Met up with our immediate neighbours. At this point we spotted two hot air balloons drifting over head. Didn't have the right lens unfortunately, which is why the balloons look like pimples. But it was a glorious day for a ride like that. 

To get back to Alain's house, we walked through a field belong to Jacqueline and Norbert's parents to the far end, that took us opposite  Alain's house, sneaked under the tape and legged it across the road. Wine and nibbles in gorgeous evening light and a fantastic view from Alain's terrace. Just great. The race finally finished around 10pm, but we hadn't.  Back into the garage we went, this time for a late dinner.  Entrées, roast pork, cheese and the remainder of desserts. We all got hysterical. I could barely move or think. Jeannette was crying with laughter, Alain was laughing so much he could barely get a word out. Some time after 1am, we started clearing up, the party broke up and wandered home. A brilliantly knackering day. Loved it.

On the go go go: Pt 2

Eyes aren't quite being held open by match sticks. Busy day Friday which ended up with our friends Sue and Dave coming round for supper before we headed over to Avoine for a rock gig at Le Temps des Crises. It's a community run space which has entertainment on all year round. From the outside it looks like a church hall. Inside there's a small foyer and then behind a door is the space, which probably can hold 200 at anyone time. There's a little bar at the door end and a proper stage and lighting rig at the other. Then there's an outside area, which on  a hot night like Friday was just great to be able to escape to. Quite often there'll be small tables and chairs laid out, but for the Monkey Junk gig on Friday it had been cleared out, except for a few high tables and chairs round the sides. We'd seen Monkey Junk - a Canadian band - last year in Chinon at Café Français. They were just brilliant live. So when we saw they were in France again we just had to go. Thought Sue and Dave might be interested in them and the space so invited them along. Also a Canadian/American couple, Chris and Moira, who we've got to know and who are based in Seuilly. They've bought a huge old place and spent a year in France, starting to get to grips with the repairs. Late in July they go back to the States and then do the six months a year arrangement  as we did until April. They love it in France as much as we do. Chris's brother and sister in law had arrived from Canada earlier in the week, so they came too.  Brilliant night. Monkey Junk just excelled themselves. We all loved them and they clearly loved the audience and Les Temps des Crises otherwise we wouldn't have had five encores. One of those nights that leave you buzzing the next morning. Think we got to bed around 2am.

Le Temps des Crises by the way is a play on words from the French song Le Temps des Cerises. It was written in 1866 by Jean Baptiste-Clement as a sentimental love song and was then set to music in 1868 by Antoine Renard. But the song took on a whole different meaning when the Paris Commune emerged in 1871 and the workers governed themselves and their interests. Clement was a revolutionary and fought in the final battle of the commune known as Semaine Sanglante/bloody week. The song was dedicated to an ambulance nurse called Louise Michel. It was at this time that the red cherries were used to symbolize the blood that was shed and the colours of communism and socialism. The song is littered with metaphors and has remained closely associated with political struggle. It's extremely well known throughout France and has been recorded by all sorts of people including Yves Montand, Charles Trenet and has even had the hard rock treatment from Noir Désir in their 2008 recording. Found a you tube compilation of various interpreters and their interpretations, which obviously took some time to put together.

Saturday 29 June 2013

An auspicious day both sides of the channel. In the UK a friend of ours Becca Newlan is getting married. So excited for her and James and hope they have a truly wonderful day and wonderful life together. Here in Cravant the village battens down the hatches for the annual car rally of about we think 150 sports cars, that begin the competition in Beaumont en Verron and converge on Cravant around 3pm this afternoon. The village is blocked off from about 2pm this afternoon till 11pm tonight. We are shortly walking round, armed with salad and dessert (pavlova) to neighbours Jacqueline and Norbert to spend the day with their family and another neighbour, Alain's family, for a barbecue. After that - no doubt in shambolic ebullient fashion, we will walk to a good viewing point.
Taking camera.  More later

On the go go go: PT 1

Woke up this morning to something excessively shiny creeping in round the shutters. Can someone tell me what it is. Think the name begins with an S. There was definitely some heat to it and everything seemed brighter. And most intriguingly this warm S thing was around all day and I believe is meant to be around for the rest of the week. Ha!

Been a very good week so far even without the S thing. Had friends round for an apéro dinatoire last Saturday. That hybrid event which sits between a drinks do and a dinner party, with different plates of tasters including homemade guacamole -the avocados were just perfect and beetroot tzatsiki. Mike made some baby smoked trout tartelettes and some savoury cases with different fillings. cold meats, gorgeous melon with a slightly sharp blue cheese. One of our friends made a mirabelle tart with very fine and slightly crisp pastry - it was very good. Fun evening with a mixture of French friends who speak a little bit of English, Americans who speak a little bit of French and the rest of us filled in the gaps or translated whenever necessary. Sunday our friends Sue and Dave who are staying nearby in Cravant cooked us Sunday lunch, which was really lovely. Sue did a great job but then she would as she's a very good cook. The weather didn't - do a good job. Chucking it down throughout the afternoon with total abandon. As if we needed more of the wet stuff. Hey ho. 

The mayor of Cravant has been organising support for insurance claims after the flooding mess in Cravant. We downloaded some images for our neighbours Jacqueline and Norbert, whose cave and contents were flooded out and totally ruined. The images were revolting. The water carries all sorts of stuff with it, so looks and smells badly and is inevitably corrosive. So nothing was safe. Absolutely foul. Just hope insurance is settled quickly for everyone.

Le Festival de musique

Chris's music school

Come rain or shine - nothing was going to spoil this baby on Friday in Chinon.  The Festival has become an annual event and it's very popular with loads of people out and about in town. Anyone who has been to Chinon will known it's not a big place. So the way the festival is put together and presented is very interesting. Also the musicians playing are a mixture of professional, semi-professional and aspiring beginners. 


A beginner here can be anyone of any age. We saw this a few years back, when we went to an afternoon accordeon concert over in Beaumont en Verron. The local music school was putting on their annual show, so the players were students, professors and some very good professionals. What we liked was that the beginners were encouraged to play in front of everyone, regardless of their ability and standard. They were helped over performance nerves and the audience was expected and did provide support and patience sometimes, in listening. It was lovely to see.

The same thing applied on Friday, in the central square on the stage were all the students from Chris's music school. So mixed ages, instruments, music styles and abilities. They kicked off the event from this very prominent position. Families of course came to support, others like us were milling around and being near cafés, could grab a bite and a glass of something. Worked very well and everyone was having a good time.

Starting up

The festival was in fact all over town, with different stages rigged up small alleyways and in other squares. This rock band who had just started up when we got there, were really good. They had been sensibly positioned! as were all the bands near a watering-hole. We were quite early, but even so people were starting to gather round, away from the main square. It's a free event, so with music all over the place and half decent weather, it was a fun time to wander about and to stop and stay for a while at each venue. We're often in this part of town for shopping. Also in the background is the building where we go for one of our anglo-french groups.

Vol de Nuit

One of the best bands were playing outside Le Lion D'or. It's a big hotel and brasserie just off Place Jeanne D'Arc, where the weekly market is held. Our neighbour Karine also works in the brasserie. Most of the bands playing off the main square were into rock music. Vol de Nuit were a trio of older guys playing Pop Rock. They were great. Again we arrived just after they'd begun. Their stage was the outside coffee area for Le Lion d'Or, wherr we often stop on market day.  

Jean-François (JF)

Of course the weather changed suddenly and dramatically. Across the main road opposite Le Lion d'Or is an area called Quai Jeanne d'Arc. Quite often it's used for boule competitions or les brocaderies. This evening it was the venue for the line dancers. Great fun. First came across them last September in Chinon for the Forum des Associations - the big open day for groups and organisations in Chinon, which is held in a venue the other side of town called L'Espace Rabelais. It's a big multi-purpose hall, used for sports, conferences, concerts, dance and theatre. Good space. The poor line dancers Friday night got well and truly soaked. They just kept going, regardless of what overhead was chucking at them. We stayed for a while huddled under umbrellas until it got to heavy and even the dancers had to stop. Such a shame.

Jean-François otherwise known as JF is a key figure on the music scene in and around Chinon. With his wife Severine and their children he lives 'over the shop', otherwise known as the Café Français. We often go there, for a glass before the cinema or for the music gigs they regularly host. We've heard some fantastic musicians there. JF is very supportive of all events in Chinon. If there's a possibility of a cross-over with another event, he'll find it and help get it going. So for example, Chinon film festival -a four day event in September - will involve him, either in a special showing of music related films, such as one year, a film about Chet Baker and another year about Charlie Parker. Or he'll organise a brunch for the Sunday, which is an all day film affair, meaning four or five showings. For the first time this year, we'll be able to go to the whole thing including the brunch. The enthusiasm is one of the things we like about him and Severine, as well as them being just such lovely people. Friday at the music festival, of course there he was in the main square, helping, watching, supporting and finding a moment to stop for a chat with us. We're now, as of a few months back, FBook friends.

Fun and games in Cravant pt 2

Neighbour's Garden - Cravant

Food problem due to the village being cut-off was resolved by a quick phonecall to our local bistro L'Auberge. Got in early. Lots of discussion about what was happening and the generally feeling in the village. Bumped into another neighbour Loic who works for the Maire and also Florence who works for the Mayor and had dropped in to l'Auberge for a spot of lunch.



Outside L'Auberge the weather was doing its best to make things more difficult. A lot of the

The Lavoir - Cravant

villages have a Lavoir or communal washing house, where in the past the women of the village would gather to do a bit of washing and have a good gossip. There are four lavoirs in Cravant. One is opposite L'Auberge. Usually there is a low level of water, today the level was so high and the speed so fast and powerful that the water had gone over the top to flood the road. Walking back we spoke to three vignerons all of whom had lost vines. Roads had started to collapse and were causing more flooding. Our neighbours Jacqueline and Norbert had got some people in with a pump to help clear  the mess from their cave. Took most of the afternoon.


Some other links about vignerons in our immediate area. Two films about Pierre and Bertrand Couly in Chinon: 'thanks to the firemen' and 'a new flood'. Met some friends this morning in the market who are themselves good friends with the biggest wine producer in Vouvray. Apparently he has lost everything. There's little to be said with something like this.
This disaster has come on top of a short crop last year, caused mainly by frost. One way or another the outlook is tough.

Fun and games in Cravant

Severe flooding in various parts of France at the moment. As for Cravant, well it has its own problems as we discovered this morning. There has been rain pretty much from the beginning of the year with odd days of sunshine. We arrived in rain yesterday and reported on the storm that had done so much damage.

This morning we woke up to a grey day. We'd had a good evening last night with our friends who are in Cravant for a month, renting a house nearby from other friends of ours.  We'd arranged to take them to Leclerc on the outskirts of Chinon this morning, which is also where we pick up petrol. The weather suddenly went from grey to black with rod iron rainfall for about two hours. Our friends had an electrical problem in the house, which was in the process of being sorted out. We went to collect them from the house. They were following us to Leclerc on the back route which is also the most direct. Great start to our friend's holiday!!

I set off on with Sue, arranging to meet Mike and Dave at Leclerc as they were sorting the electrics out. The latest rainfall had brought a lot of gravel and mud on to the road as we drove along. Some big branches were down as well. Just ahead the traffic had stopped outside the house of Jean-Claude and Christine Dellalande - wine producers who we know. The water was pounding down the road next to their house, across the main road causing flooding the otherside. Impassable because a water main had also burst and so was really aggravating the problem. I backed up and turned round.  Saw about six caravans coming towards the same point. Tried to slow them down. Then saw Mike and Dave in other car. Tried to slow them down. I was at this point blocking my side of the road so had to go on. Found a place to stop, turned round and went back to where I thought Mike and Dave were in the other car. On the way back, saw Dave passing me without Mike. Picked Mike up further along. An electrician was going to the house, so Dave was returning home. Mike, Sue and I were going on  to Leclerc.

With everyone now together, I turned round again and headed in the opposite direction to Ile de Bouchard where there is also a SuperU and petrol station. Took me past our road. Saw our neighbours Jacqueline and Norbert whose cave had been severely flooded. Stopped for a chat with them and their neighbour who we know - Matthieu. Then carried on into the centre of Cravant to pick up the Ile de Bouchard road. As we suspected the road to Ile de Bouchard was flooded, so the entry was barred. Usually happens after heavy rain but thought we'd give it a try. So turned back and picked up the Cravant road which would take us through the forest. It comes out on to the big Tours to Chinon road, which also goes past Leclerc. No chance. In Cravant saw various neighbours whose gardens are completely flooded. The gulleys were full to breaking point and running very fast. Water was pouring fast across the forest road at various intervals. At this point it was safest to just go home. Fortunately I had picked up a few supplies when I went shopping yesterday. So was able to give some things to Sue and Dave who hadn't anything edible in the house. Of course being a Wednesday, our breadshop was closed. So couldn't buy fresh bread from anywhere.  We have been incredibly lucky so far and not had any problems in the house.  The rain of course having eased off, is now chucking it down again. It's meant to be clearer this afternoon and evening. Let's hope for once the méteo is right.

Storm Update

Some information has been released, by the Ministry of Agriculture, giving an indication of the damage levels in the region. I've translated the important bits. The vignerons have sustained most of the damage. Vouvray is the worst  with 2 out of 3 being seriously affected representing 80% damages. This is disastrous. Chinon as sustained damage of between 35 and 80%. In Cravant 200 hectares out of 800 have been damaged. Sunflower crops have also been affected, although the extent of the damage along with that of the fruit growers and farmers is not known.

We have officially moved to France

Got in through our front door in Cravant a short while ago. Unpacked the car and now start to sort ourselves out. We have tenants in the house in BOA, all the bits and pieces we wanted with as are now finally in France. So home is officially here. Bottle of fizz in fridge for later. Another visit to the UK isn't expected until November.

Our Brittany Ferries crossing was very good. Slept like a log. Loads of people on board. We were out of the port by 7am and into yet more heavy rain, which has been non-stop until we got to Azay le Rideau. The damage to the vines has been considerable.  As for us, unlike some of our neighbours with flooded basements and caves, we're ok. Even the garden seems remarkably upright, given the pounding by golf ball sized hailstones. Some friends Sue and Dave arrive today for a month. They've rented a house near to us in Cravant from some lovely friends of ours in the village, so are about a five min walk away. That will work out well for all of us.  Dinner here tonight which will be lovely. No one needs drive!!! Party...............

Weather problems in France

Final day for a while in BOA. Caught up with a friend of ours Birgitta, for coffee in the Fat Fowl. Lovely to see her and so pleased we found a moment to get together. We first met back in 2008 I think it was when we were on the local Arts Festival committee. Birgitta loves glass and designs some beautiful things. She's always looking for ways to develop her ideas and techniques and her enthusiasm is infectious.  Went for a quick stomp round town, grabbed some lunch and then back to base to pack up.

Checked emails and found a message from our next door neighbour, Isabelle. Seems there was a massive storm in Cravant last night. Serious hail and rain that has done a lot of damage round the region. Our friends Jacqueline and Norbert, who have been mentioned in previous blogs, had 2m.50 flooding in their cave which they'd just gone down to clear out. Another neighbour's top soil for their new garden, which was recently delivered, has collapsed into Isabelle's drive way. Vehicles have been damaged. The firemen came out to help etc. 

Of course the additional problem is with the vines. Vouvray has suffered between 30 -100% damage. That's devastating stuff. No idea yet what the news is locally, but can't imagine Cravant has escaped unscathed. Isabelle was going to check our garden as a lot of plants and vegetables have been flattened. Haven't heard anymore. Will find out more hopefully later on or tomorrow.

These images come from the Nouvelle Republique which is a syndicated paper across France.


 

Busy few days

We got down to Bradford on Avon (BOA) early on Friday afternoon.  Our friends Sue and Dave Maude very kindly let us stay with them for a few nights but then on Monday, all of us are going to France. They are renting a house belonging to friends of ours in Cravant, for a month, which is about a five minute walk from our house. Our first few days back are a bit hectic, but hopefully we'll be able to do some things together after that.

Friday evening the four of us went out to dinner at a recently opened restaurant called Sebastien's Bistro. The owners, Sebastien - also the chef - and his wife Shahnaz, we know very well from when they were running the Ale&Porter in BOA. An interesting space, it had previously been used as a visual arts centre which then closed, and which was how we found it when we moved to BOA in February 2008. Sebastien and Shahnaz arrived, I think the following year, and we became regulars for coffee, lunches and dinners, until they closed last year. The struggle to get Sebastien's Bistro open is a long story, involving a highly inefficient developer, but finally it happened, although it was after we moved to France. Now at last we've seen their new business. The food is as it has always been, delicious, with a good wine list. Location is ideal - next to the river in the centre of town. It's contemporary in style, with maroon and light grey colour scheme.  We like it a lot and so hope it proves a success.  

Saturday late morning we went into Bath. I'd was going for a haircut at The Cavern with Jim who owns the business and is a fabulous cutter. Top-notch and a great character.  I've had a real problem finding a hairdresser in Chinon who can cut to the same standard. I have hair that really has to be cut well. I went to Jim a few days before we moved in April and the cut ten weeks on looked amazingly good and had held it's shape. Jim has cut it shorter again so I probably won't need to have it  cut until the autumn. Talking to a friend in Chinon, I heard about her daughter-in-law who is Chinese and whose hair was very difficult to cut. She'd had real problems finding anyone who could do it. Then fortunately a new salon opened up, and she went there and bingo, met with Sondrine who has cut her hair beautifully. So there's hope for me. Can't keep coming back to the UK just to get a haircut.  Mike was also in Bath, getting bits and pieces and checking up on the sale of a guitar. Having become a ukelele fanatic, his guitar although beautiful and specially made for him, no longer excites him enough to play, so up for sale it has gone. Quite a bit of interest as it's gorgeous. Bath on a Saturday afternoon is not a good place to be. Packed with shoppers - so congested and generally horrible. But needs must when you're making a flying visit.  Saturday evening we were round with one of our oldest friends, John, who had been storing the last few boxes that we weren't able to stuff in the car when we left in April. Good to see him. Looking extremely well. Caught up with his news and had dinner together. Lovely evening. Loaded the car with our boxes and then went back to Sue and Dave's.  Forgot to mention Saturday morning I'd gone with Sue to visit Trudy Montgomery, an artist who lives in BOA. Met another friend Sandra there. Had a chat and coffee together and then went next door to see Trudy's studio which is a big space. She works large scale. She's married to Shaun Moulton of the Moulton Bike family, so lives on the family estate in the town. Sandra is an excellent print maker and one of the best teachers. She also has a fabulous studio at her house from which she works as well as runs workshops and courses. My friend Sue is also an artist, currently studying for her MA in print making over at Bristol and have an amazing time. Don't think she has a website yet - so no links to post.

Sunday morning we all walked into BOA for coffee. Then Mike and I called into Local Morsels which is a local initiative attracting all sorts of highly skilled creative people. Needless to say, it was impossible to walk away empty-handed. Afterwards we drove over to The New Inn for a traditional Sunday lunch. Been over there at various times for lunch and dinner. Great place, excellent atmosphere and the food is always good. Met with some friends. Got there around 12.30 and left about 3.15. 

Dropping in on the UK

A bit quiet on the blog front the last few days. All due to us being back for a brief but hectic visit to London and Wiltshire for a combo of seeing friends and a little bit of business. Travelled overnight on Monday and got to our friend Robin's place in Pinner on Tuesday morning. Good to see him as always. Very kind to us he is. Tuesday night we were round to see a very good friend Angie and my god-daughter Nicky who was looking rather lovely. The rest of the family were out. Husband Mark was rehearsing The Tempest which opened last night and went very well and older sister Clare was at a Voice Master Class with fabulous mezzo-soprano Sarah Walker, having just before met Bryn Terfell. Sounds like she had a particularly good day. I was looking for a you tube link for Sarah Walker and instead came across a French and Saunders sketch including Carl Davis and Sarah Walker. Here it is!

Up to London yesterday - Wednesday - for some meetings, then last night some mutual friends, Di and Tony came round for dinner. Yet another good evening. Great to see them. Today Thursday, we had some time to go back into town to see a couple of photography exhibitions. One of our regular haunts when we were living in London was The Photographers' Gallery, which then was based in Gt.Newport Street, Covent Garden. It was a strange space. Essentially a small café  area of one room, surrounded by photographs. It wasn't the most easiest of spaces to really look at the images, but the quality was always tip-top, so we always went. The Photographers' Gallery has now moved to premises in Ramillies Street, W1. We were really impressed with it. Reminded me a bit in layout, of a smaller version of the Wellcome Trust building in Euston Road, which is another favourite place. Both have excellent gallery spaces, shop and café, which are at the front of each building, so you walk straight into them. The Wellcome introduced us to the wonders of photography in science. Using highly specialised photography techniques and equipment, details are revealed which are otherwise completely invisible to the human eye. Quite astonishing.

The other exhibition we saw, was in a commercial gallery just round the corner from Baker Street tube station. A day of two firsts: getting out at Baker Street rather than just changing lines and, the Atlas Gallery in Dorset Street, which hosts some stunning exhibitions, such as the one we saw this morning.

The inclination quite often these days is to believe that we've seen all there is to see and know, perhaps want to see and know, about World War 2 and the Spanish Civil War. There's a proliferation of images on these subjects in our visually congested world. But the  exhibitions at the Atlas Gallery of images by Robert Capa, Sebastião Salgado and Dimitri Baltermants demonstrate that photography can still surprise, amaze and that each photo still has the ability to reveal more from even the most frequently told of tales. The Atlas Gallery isn't a big space. Two floors - entrance level and first gallery and the basement - second gallery. Each photo we saw was a masterpiece, capturing a particular moment and mood, because the photographers had placed themselves right at the heart of the action. There were images of jubilation and defeat, extreme sorrow, human courage, compassion and exhaustion - civilians and soldiers alike, as well as the photo that launched Capa's career - Trotsky in Denmark/ 1932 - and the camera he took it on, a rare Leica. Capra founded Magnum Photos along with Cartier-Bresson and the Atlas Gallery is their official UK gallerist. 

Thursday evening was spent with some more friends John, Lesley and surprise, surprise, Charlie (Lesley's daughter) who travelled down from Northampton with son Nathaniel who is now fifteen months old - I think. Haven't see Charlie for ages and gorgeous Nathaniel we have only seen in photos on Facebook. So just wonderful to see them as well. Hopefully John and Lesley are visiting us in early August and Charlie some time soon. John cooked a terrific dinner. Lots to chat about, loads of laughter as always. A really fab last evening before heading off down to Bradford on Avon.

A hefty weekend: Part 3 - À fleur de vigne

Cravant June 2013

Sunday according to the météo was going to be rain and thunderstorms. The last thing anyone wanted. Since Friday the Cravant festival committee had been putting up covered stalls and chapiteaux (marquees) for our village foire aux vins (wine fair). In the past the Cravant wine fair had been held in the square in front of the church and the mairie. But it had begun to attract people who only wanted to drink rather than to buy and after a while, the decision was made to stop. That was two years ago. Cravant then represented the Chinon appellation for two years, playing host to the big September Vins, Vignes and Randos. An annual event, combining wine tasting and walking that takes place across the entire Indre et Loire region, wherever there are wine producers. Cravant proved the perfect spot, with it's rolling vines, little hills with great views across the valley and the plains, the forest and forty vignerons, who produce some wonderful wines. The two events held in Cravant, the village received nearly two thousand visitors. It was extremely well organised and both years, started and finished at our football ground. Someone locally realised that this was perhaps the ideal event with which to replace the traditional Cravant wine fair and so À fleur de vigne was born and took place for the first time on Sunday 9 June 2013. 

Starting point

There were three possibile routes. One for car drivers, a six kilometre walk and an eleven kilometre walk. The starting and finishing point was up near Le Gateau, which consists of a private house (with the same name) in the old part of Cravant (Vieux Bourg) and a large area of open land, and where big marquees for eating had been set up, along with other local producers - cheeses, patisserie etc. It was here you bought your 'entry ticket' - a wine glass, which had been specially engraved for the event. Apparently in the past before the wine fair was staged in the square in the centre of the village, it used to take place at Le Gateau. So À fleur de vigne was  returning to its roots, with around thirty wine producers taking part. We were so lucky. Apart from a bit of drizzle first thing, it stayed dry.  

Alain leading the way

Our day began at 9.15 am. round at the house of our neighbour's Jacqueline and Norbert. They'd invited Alain who lives opposite them and his new girlfriend and some other neighbours who we'd not met before. So coffee and croissants to get us going. Alain is an ebullient buoyant personality and Sunday, he was on top form. We were in stitches. It was a great way to get started.  We set off at 10am. It was cool, greyish but in many ways perfect for walking. We kept bumping into people we all knew. So lots of stopping to chatter. The routes kept crossing over each other so although we were doing the six kilometre walk, sometimes we found ourselves doing a section of the eleven kilometre and even part of the car route. 

Glorious Cravant

We walked all over the place, into parts of the village we didn't know existed, vines we'd never seen before, and met vignerons whose faces up until now, we only recognised from the group photo retaken in 2010/11, of all the Cravant wine producers. We have a copy at home. The first photo was taken at least thirty years ago. The latest one reveals the generational changeover, with sons and quite a few daughters taking on the family domaine.

Mike heading into Le Chateau

The routes took us through wonderful Cravant countryside, with various pit-stops along the way. Armed with wine glasses and accompanied by enthusiastic neighbours, we all headed off to our first at Le Château  which from the opposite side of the valley you can see perched on the hillside. Part of Le Chateau is being restored, but today it had been taken over by musicians, wine producers and visitors. Each stall had two vignerons. At Le Chateaux our  tastings included Pierre Sourdais, Cristel Sourdais, Dumont, Denis Gasnier, Delallande, Domaine Pallus (another Sourdais) and Jaulin. Lovely atmosphere and there we bumped into some other neighbours, so our walking group of eight became a walking group of fourteen.

Amongst the vines

Next stop was a fabulous walk through vines from the top of the village down to pit-stop 2 at the Cravant panorama. 
Wine producers on this site included Bernard Baudry,  Gouron, Spelty, Bournigault, Moreau and Pascal Lambert who is our closest wine producer and completely bio. Have no idea what time it was. With all the chatting and meetings of friends and neighbours, the walk was more at a stroll place. Met a French friend from one of our Anglo-French groups who'd been intrigued enough to come along and see what À fleur de vigne was all about. This particular group often visit Pascal Lambert for a wine tasting, but not anyone else really in Cravant, so it was an opportunity for them to try a few other wines and get an idea of the range from just one grape - Cabernet Franc.

Working the old way

From there we headed off to pit-stop 3 which was at a site called Le Sauleau. There's a particular wine producer, Vincent Girard who works this area and he was actually there, with horse and plough. Distinctive looking individual with an incredibly long black beard. Ideal Father Christmas material - in another setting. By the time we'd arrived he was having a break and someone else was looking after things, as in the photo. The weather had started to pick up. So lovely sunshine. We didn't taste all the wines, so can't say who they all were, other than there were more vignerons from our part of Cravant and then some others slightly further away in Chezelet, a hamlet really between us and the next village along, Panzoult.

By now we were all feeling incredibly hungry, so started the walk back to Le gateau and the food tent. We got there around 2pm. Plenty of people there already. Given the type of event it was and the number of people they were catering for, it still comes as a surprise to be asked how you want your steak cooked. Of course it  was delicious.  We bought wine separately. Then cheese arrived from a special stand where you were served a little mixed plate of five local goats cheeses on freshly sliced bread. They were all gorgeous. After that Alain bought a bottle of fizzy and Jacqueline and Norbert bought a traditional tarte au vigneron, which was lovely. Met up with some American friends from Seuilly, who'd arrived with some of their friends who were staying for a short while. After lunch we started walking again, taking a slightly different route towards more wine tastings. Although truly by this time, I wasn't in the mood for any more wine. Had been carefully only sipping never drinking the tastings. It's the worse thing to do, if you expect to have wine with lunch and survive the day. 

Finally, eight hours later at 5pm we arrived back at the old church in the vieux bourg, Cravant. The others were continuing on walking and also waiting for the band to play at 7pm. But we had to call it a day. Things to get sorted out for our flying visit to the UK this week for meetings, to see friends and to pick up the last few boxes that we left with a friend in Bradford on Avon, after they wouldn't fit in our car. Also we had a barbecue to go to later that evening.

Our American friends are barbecue champions. Chris particularly loves to do them. He is a brilliant cook. But their barbecues aren't for eight or ten people. They do them when they have a houseful staying. The first time we went there must have been about thirty five people. Last night about twenty five. It was lovely relaxed evening. However by 11pm we were feeling pretty tired, so came back home.

This morning I sorted out photos which Mike printed off for me from the walk. Took some round to Jacqueline and Norbert and some others to Alain. They come out pretty well. We had a fabulous day and by the end of it, had that feeling of satisfied exhaustion which only arrives when you've had a great time.

A hefty weekend: Part 2 - Lovely lunch

We were both in Chinon this morning, but doing different things. A young friend of ours has her English conversation presentation looming in two weeks, for her BAC. Two subjects: the history of human rights and global cities. Not easy. We see her, her sister and mother quite often. Sometimes for coffee and conversation. Usually Mike is talking to the two girls in English and their mother Isabelle and I are nattering away in French, generally about arts stuff. She's far more comfortable with Spanish than English, so French is happy medium. We occasionally go to the cinema together as well. Lovely family. Today however was different. Mike was going for a concentrated session of English, while I was at the AGM of Chinon's Cinéma Rabelais.  We have joint membership of Cinéma Rabelais and Cinéplus. I've mentioned them in various blogs before. But just to recap Cinéma Rabelais is the name of the building and has a management that schedules the more commercial films. They work with Cinéplus who look after the arthouse film side of the programming, and show films on Thursday evenings as well as organise the film festival in September each year. Out of interest the theme this year is L'Extrême Orient, which will be showing Korean and Japanese films amongst others.

Just recently Cinéplus heard a rumour that the cinema might be moved to the industrial zone outside Chinon, near to MacDonalds and Leclerc.  I touched on this in another blog. I went along today really to  hear the 'other side' of the discussion, having been to the Cinéplus AGM. The mayor was present this time and gave an indication of the level of discussion surrounding 'the rumour', as well as confirmation that economically no one wanted to touch the project. One woman  said today that the communities on the other side of Chinon for whom the centre of town is not readily accessible, would welcome a serious discussion. They feel cut off and left out. So it's bit tricky.The accounts were interesting as they showed the audience range and take-up. 

After all that we drove over to Pouzay today, which from us is around 12 kilometres. It has a similar size population to Cravant, but by comparison is more built up. We were over to have lunch at a restaurant that specialises in seafood, au-gardon-frit. From the outside it doesn't look particularly big and first impressions on going in, is that it isn't. But in fact there is as much space outside as inside, so probably 120 covers plus.

We'd heard about au-gardon-frit from some people we met at a birthday party a few weeks ago. It sounded interesting so we booked. They told us the food was excellent quality, a good price, but that the decoration was antiquated.  If the food is a pleasure to eat, antiquated decoration is fine with me. Everyone was really friendly. The atmosphere was very pleasant and yes it is a bit 70s with the heavy pinewood panelling on all the walls and the ceilings. But no matter. There's a choice of five menus with varying price ranges and à la carte. There are of course alternatives to fish and seafood, for anyone who wants them.

Lunch was just fab. The most gorgeous fish, perfectly done, nothing elaborate. Well there's no need really when the product is that fresh. If you're not an oyster fan, then our starter wouldn't appeal. But given we went for the cheapest menu for our first visit, which is always a good test, the starter of eight beautiful fresh oysters was an absolute treat. Haven't had plump oysters like that since the last time we were in Cape Town. Will definitely go again.

Footnote: if you hang on for 18 seconds of advertising to finish, here's a little film about au-gardon-frit. In French of course, but it's straightforward and with the visuals isn't difficult to follow.

A hefty weekend part 1: Friday night is party night

"When the goose honks high, fair weather; when the goose honks low, foul weather"
I don't know whose quotation that is, but somewhere there must have been a goose honking low enough to cause the wind, rain, hail, and thunder to arrive all at the same time around 6.00pm yesterday evening, just before we were due to leave for a fancy dress barbecue. Eventually it stopped. For goodness sake, it's not as if  we're in a state of drought over here. CHESNUT STUFFING to you goosebird, wherever you might be!

The barbecue is annual event which a lovely French lady - Marie-Do, organises for one of our Anglo-French groups. This was the first time we'd managed to get to it as previous years we've been away. The theme this year was Cowboys and Indians. Mike went in cowboyish mode with lanyard, jeans and check shirt - his authentic cowboy boots are in storage in the UK. I was in Navajo Indianish mode with jewellery we'd bought when we were over in the States a few years back. We were passable, others really went to town and had hired costumes. We had cowgirls, mexican bandits, outlaws, sheriffs, a few Indian maidens, ranch hands, gunslingers and an Indian Chief otherwise known as Jean-François.

The goose honking weather didn't spoil anything. A really fun night. About forty of us. Everyone had bought something for the meal, along with glasses, plates, cutlery etc. Our host Marie-Do, supplied wine, bread and all the barbecue meats. We were on lift duty, taking two friends who'd been before, which is just as well as we'd never have found the cave (phonetically carve), where the barbecue was being held. All I can tell you is we picked our friends up in Chinon, took the road from Chinon to Avoine, but at some point about half way turned left into a village, then turned right, continued straight on for a bit, then turned left. We went straight on again at which point we were on a narrow grass track. Then we turned right and parked under some trees. There in front of us was another track leading to an open door and Marie-Do's cave - basically in the middle of nowhere. Suddenly the torch became one of my most favourite items. A fire was going inside - one of those large grates you often find in old chateaux, which here doubled-up as the barbecue grill.  Four friends had got the space ready and had lit the fire first thing in the morning, as it was so damp inside. The walls were literally dripping.  By the time we all got there in the evening, the cave had dried out perfectly. With all the tables, it looked great.

We were outside to begin with for apèros, but after that we went back in. Mosquitoes were out and about. Fab food.  We'd got some songs organised -  Home on the Range and other groan worthy oops sorry. . . quality compositions that conveyed to perfection the wild, open plains of the American West - welcome to Trip Advisor.  One of the Americans there had an interesting family history, which included settlers travelling by wagon across vast swathes of territory, with everything they owned.  Think she has diaries from the period. From what she was saying, it's one of the details that American Westerns, tv and film, have actually managed to get right. The party started around 7.30 and we left there after midnight, so after we dropped everyone off, we crawled in about 12.45.

As to the cave - well it's due to Marie-Do's own family history that we were able to have the party there. Her father bought it a while back as a place to specifically to have parties. She's continued the tradition as a hommage to her father, who was by all accounts a very popular man. He was also the village blacksmith and made everything for the village, from locks, keys, bolts and of course horse shoes. At one time all the village horses were wearing his hand made shoes. That's bespoke for you. Marie-Do has undoubtedly inherited her father's personality and his sense of fun. As we saw last night, she knows how to throw a party.
 

It's a small world

Out and about today, getting various local goodies together for friends in the UK. We'd made an arrangement to visit Christelle Sourdais, (French website) one of the increasing band of female wine producers in the Chinon appellation and one of the forty wine producers here in Cravant. We've tasted her wine at the Chinon wine fair which takes place late April every year. It's the perfect introduction and an opportunity to note those vignerons you'd like to visit at their domaine.  We'd made an unexpected visit to Christelle Sourdais after the concert in Cravant last Sunday. There's always an apèro to be enjoyed after an event, which the wine producers are always willing to support. They get called on a lot. This morning we went back and spent about an hour with Christelle- a lovely lady, very jolly and chatty. We tried about six wines and in the end bought two different cases of reds and one of rosé, some of which we'll be taking across to the UK. 

In last Sunday's blog I mentioned that the estate buildings of Christelle Sourdais and Pierre Sourdais - another wine producer we know quite well - are next door to each other. They are literally joined together. The guess was that they were cousins. However Pierre turns out to be Christelle's uncle. We mentioned to her that while our house was being built, we'd stayed in the gîte belonging to Jean-Claude and Christian Dellalande, then the owners of La Semellerie. It's since been taken over by their son Fabrice. We know them all very well. Anyhow Christian, as we found out several years later, is another Sourdais. This morning we discovered that she is in fact Christelle's aunt. A couple of years ago we went to visit Les Bouquerries, another domaine about ten minutes from us by car. We just dropped in  - no appointment. The husband, who is the wine producer and another Sourdais, met us and showed us into his kitchen where he was finishing off a meeting. He gave us some wine to try, finished the meeting and came and joined us. He wanted to know where we were from and what we were doing. So we explained and mentioned that we had stayed in the gîte belonging to Jean-Claude and Christian Dellalande. Oh yes he said. She's my sister. A big family! And the village being a village, even if they aren't related, they all know each other. 

After Christelle Sourdais we drove over to Crissay to visit the  honey producer Alexandra Laubigeau, who I've blogged about a couple of times. The honey is fantastic. A gorgeous day to go as the landscape is quite open, so you can see for miles. We turned a bend into the most fabulous view of poppies. They've been steadily appearing along the roadside for the last few weeks. The field of poppies made us stop. A solid blanket of red. So beautiful.

The first time we visited Alexandra's shop it was her husband we met. Mike then went again with some friends last month. That time Alexandra was there. This visit she was there again. Our timing couldn't have been more perfect. Shortly afterwards a large group arrived, so the shop was suddenly heaving with people. Hope they had some good sales. We bought some honey for us and the UK. Alexandra suddenly mentioned my blog. She'd been googling on the internet to see what came up about her shop and honey production and found my two entries - Perfect Partners and Sticky Origami.  I was so chuffed. Firstly because she likes the blog and reads it quite regularly. But she was also so happy with the entries about the shop, that she sent the links to her father who lives in Norway, who also likes the blog. I'm international! I hadn't picked up on the messages they'd left. So when we got back, I had a look, found them and replied to them both. Really made my day.

A Good Weekend - Part 3: Sunday - A Private View and a concert

The private view was the subject of much speculation. A sculpture - temporarily on view at the old collegiate church of Saint Mexme, before being permanently installed at the Museum in Chinon. It has taken twenty three years to complete.

A tiny bit of information about Emmanuel Saulnier, the creator of the piece, entitled Alter. There isn't a lot on the web that is useful. A Frenchman, born in Paris in 1952 he has been exhibiting pretty much non-stop since 1976, in Europe and occasionally internationally.  He's written numerous articles and there are various videos dedicated to his work, though as yet I haven't found anything particularly useful for this blog. He has two essential concepts.The object and its movement.

A good friend of ours Marie-Michèle Esnard was heavily involved with the sculpture commission. We first heard about it a few years ago when she was still an adjoint for Culture and Heritage at Chinon. But the initial idea began back in 1988 and progressed until 1997, when it was put on hold. Not sure why. The project was then revived in 2003 and completed in 2011.

The sculpture is a memorial to the Jewish community in Chinon.There is a multi-layered historical relevance. First of all from the moment in 1321 when one hundred and sixty Jewish men, women and children were burnt to death, through the centuries to events that took place in France during the WW2. It was a delicate project to manage. There are  various contexts. For example medieval and contemporary history, anthropology, culture, education and heritage. 

I haven't got photos to post and there aren't any as yet on the web. I'm being totally unhelpful. All I can say is that the sculpture  consisted of two long, narrow and separate pieces of glass, each about 1m80 in length, which were enclosed. One piece had been filled with water and the other with ink. Each end was sealed by a glass bubble, to contain the liquid. Each piece had an additional  slim baton of glass about 1m50 in length which had been attached to each of the liquid filled tubes in the middle. They looked like  exceptionally thin helicopter blades.

At present we are working our way through the brochure which consists of a series of interviews with our friend Marie-Michèle, Emmanuel Saulnier and Anastassia Makridou-Bretonneau who is the Network Director for an organisation called La Fondation de France. It was on her recommendation that Emmanuel Saulnier was commissioned. 
We haven't formulated an opinion. Whilst we could see all sorts of interesting associations
it has been very difficult from our first viewing, to fully appreciate what the sculptor was trying to convey. So we need to read the brochure through cover to cover. Hopefully we'll get clued in. 

We left before all the speeches and got back to Cravant in time to drop off the car and walk round to the Vieux Bourg (old Cravant) for an afternoon concert that started at five p.m. We have an old deconsecrated church in Cravant as well as as a fully operational one. The old church was playing host to a concert organised by L'Association Musiques et Patrimoine, who place music in unusual venues. The programme was a homage to Benjamin Britten and the first time we've seen the church used as a venue. 
A glorious afternoon, so the sun was streaming in. The little church was full. Two musicians
a soprano and harpist Philippe Carrillo. There were other British composers included in the programme, Thomas Morley, John Dowland, all of which were sung in English and of course some fabulous pieces by Britten as well as his arrangement of compositions by Henry Purcell. Another piece they included was an arrangement Britten had made of a poem by Yeats. It was a lovely afternoon. Thoroughly enjoyable. We're going to subscribe to the Association. They've some great concerts coming up, including a Basque Choir just before Christmas. 

The concert over, there was an announcement that we were all to wander down to wine producer Christel Sourdais who is about a ten minute walk from our house. We've never tasted her wines. Those of Pierre Sourdais, yes, who lives next door and is presumably a cousin or maybe a brother - not sure. So off we went. Lovely apèros. Met Christel and her husband and arranged to go back tomorrow morning (Wednesday) for a proper tasting.
Great end to a lovely day and a fab weekend.