Alain Pageard has established a fantastic beekeeping interpretion and education centre in the old railway station at Champigny sur Veude. Recently I went there with some colleagues to scope out the site with a view to organising a multidisciplinary outing in May. The site is partially a wetland because half of it is a flood meadow sitting between the Mable and the Veude Rivers.
A painting that Alain acquired from the Pussifolies (an art festival during which the streets of Pussigny are decorated by artists. They have 8 hours to produce a giant canvas each).
Christian attempts to photograph a territorial male Mute Swan. The swan is fed by a local resident, but is not tame.
A flooded poplar plantation next to the Veude River.
Many poplar trees have uprooted, snapped or fallen, the result no doubt of successive drought then flood. They are shallow rooted and often planted in regimented rows, so more vulnerable than other trees.
Flooded poplar plantation along the Veude River.
The flood meadow between the two rivers doing its job. The Veude is two metres higher than the Mable so at its peak the flood waters flowed from where I was standing to take the photo, towards the middle of the picture.
Flooded poplar plantation, with a willow and the Veude River in the foreground.
We head out across the flood meadow. The info board asks 'Wetlands, what are they for?'
Ice on the surface of the village pond (Fr. plan d'eau). The temperature never got above 1°C the whole day.
The beautiful Chapelle de Saint Louis, a 16th century replica of la Sainte Chapelle in Paris, reflected in the pond. Alain tells me the pond is always still, always the same level. The Chapelle is part of the Chateau complex, and the Mable joins the Veude in the grounds. Unfortunately the American owners of the Chateau have seemingly abandoned it. The Chapelle and boundary walls are in an increasingly derelict condition and the French State has begun proceedings to wrest ownership from the Washington based couple.
The Mable River.
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