Risky Ramparts

 In February 80 people were evacuated by the police from their homes in rue Victor Hugo under part of the ramparts of the Chateau Royal d'Amboise as the ramparts were found to be at risk of collapsing.

At the time experts estimated they wouldn't be allowed back for at least three months.  Work on the ramparts started immediately but they are going to take time. A public meeting was held to inform people.

 

This is the best photo of the works I've been able to get.

The town hall initially issued a warning notice after cracks appeared in the rampart walls, but after the experts had assessed the site they realised that the situation was worse than first thought. Residents affected by the evacuation order only had a few minutes to collect personal belongings and get out. They are staying with friends or in hotels. 

According to the Director of the Chateau Royal the cause is mainly due to the rain in 2024, when we had 30% more rain than average for the year. 

 

Carefree tourists at the other end of the Chateau Royal in Place Michel Debré.

The Chateau Royal has remained open throughout the works and visits can be conducted as normal. Only a small part of the south-east corner of the grounds is out of bounds.

In late May a helicopter was used to deliver a metal 'exoskeleton' to the worksite. Unfortunately we missed that excitement. It took 27 trips to deliver all the elements and modules. The heaviest piece weighed 950 kg. 

This 'exoskeleton' is necessary to stabilise the ramparts sufficiently so they can support a huge drill, which will be used to insert giant metal pins to provide the final anchoring system.

The work is due to be finished by the end of June, and only then will residents be allowed back into their homes, nearly five months after they were first evacuated.

Visiting Chenonceau in June

 I've been to the famous Chateau de Chenonceau multiple times in the past few weeks.

 

Wild native Bee Orchid Ophrys apifera.

Wild native Ivy Broomrape Orobanche hederae.

Floral arrangement in the entry hall.

A small early instar Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis larva.

Roses.

Bee hive. Further reading: Teaching Hive at Chenonceau.

This swathe of pink 'wild flower' or 'prairie' planting is new for this year.

Young Japanese women enjoying their visit. I love how they are channeling their inner 19th century wood block print artist.

On the Sheeps Back

Chateauroux has had its ups and downs, but for several centuries it rode high on the back of its sheep. Chateauroux was wool country and its factories famous for making French military uniforms, and later flags. As I was walking through the city centre recently with Jean-Louis Cirès the City Archivist (on a completely unrelated historical quest) we passed a rather grand building with a carved scene above the door. According to Jean-Louis the building was the headquarters of one of the wool producers syndicates. I need to do much more digging into this fascinating period so more blog posts may see the light of day in due course. 

 

The relief sculpture depicts two women in work smocks and caps with a sheep at their feet. They are bottle feeding a lamb on a bench.

Nowadays one barely sees a sheep around Chateauroux, and the old woollen mill is converted into the University campus. The new mill is out of town and makes carpets, carpet tiles and acoustic tiles. I assume it no longer works with wool but synthetics.

Common Striated Feather Moss

If you've ever taken a walk through the forest in the Touraine Loire Valley then you've probably seen this moss. But because it's a moss, you probably didn't know what it was called. 

Common Striated Feather Moss Eurhynchium striatum (Fr. Eurhynchie striée) is a big bouncy sort of moss, and very distinctive in the way it climbs up the stems of small saplings scattered around the damp shady forest floor.

The species is present all over France, but especially in a wide band from the North-East to the Pyrenees. It's not so abundant in the North-West or along the coasts. Its heartland is Central lowland France, right where we are in the Touraine. Our damp clay soil and deciduous leaf litter suits it perfectly and it can form cushions and carpets. It is a species you would expect to encounter in any long established woodland.

If you examine the leaves with a loupe you will see that they are wrinkled, forming lengthwise folds (or striations). Overall it presents as bright green and a bit shiny.

Know Your Cherries

Cherries left to right: the late sweet dark cherry 'Giant' (Fr. bigarreau "géant"); the mid-season yellow blush sweet cherry 'Napoleon' (Fr. bigarreau "Napoléon"); the early sour cherry Amarelles (Fr. guignes).The coins, left to right: Australian 50 cent; British 10 pence; 1 Euro; US dime

A glorious cherry season is upon us and cherry trees all over the Touraine are laden.

The little guignes which are the first to ripen are thin skinned, fragile and sour, with translucent scarlet skins and yellowy flesh. They have a natural spiciness which gives jams and sauces a certain zing. The bigarreaux are large and sweet, with quite tough skin and firm flesh. The Napoléon are by far the best cherry of these three in the photo to eat fresh. The Géant are good, and certainly look the business, being a rich dark crimson, but they don't quite have the flavour of the bi-coloured Napoléons. Both the guignes and the Napoléons cook out to a rather pinky red. Adding Géant or another dark sweet cherry at the ratio of 1 part to 3 of guignes will ensure that your jam comes out a satisfying red-black.

Three from Namadgi

Namadgi National Park is a protected area in the southwest of the Australian Capital Territory, bordering Kosciuszko National Park in New South Wales. It covers about 1,060.95 square kilometres, and an estimated 80% of that was burnt in the 2019-2020 bushfires. That's about twice the size of Andorra.

The Gudgenby Valley from Fans Horizon lookout

Late autumn afternoon sun from the Yankee Hat car park

Proof that giants played golf