Glimpses

As we spend more time in Preuilly we have time to observe some of the sights a small French town has to offer. These are the sort of thing that amuse (or maybe bemuse), whilst not being "important" enough to justify a trip just to see them.

If you keep your eyes open as you walk around town you may see delights such as this timber framed house. It isnt a cruck frame (I'm afraid I don't know the French term for cruck frame - anyone?) , but I think it is one of the close relations. This is a very old building method, common in medieval domestic building in England, but appears to have been used well in to the 19th century in our area.

There are all sorts of alleyways that make short cuts if you're walking - roads shown as "ruelle" and "chemin" are quite often formerly roads that are no longer wide enough for cars. As you look down this one in September you get an unexpected flash of virginia creeper climbing up the back of a house.

There are also little laneways like this one that leads only to what once may have been a door - now a boarded up window in what looks like a deserted grange.

These things are new to us; I think the secret is to not stop looking around as we lead our daily lives - and to always carry a camera!

Simon

PS For anyone interested in what has been happening in Thailand recently, the blog Thaidings, written by FrogBlogger, gives an on the spot, and I think, very insightful view from Chang Mai. FrogBlogger used to live not so far from Preuilly, in Châtellerault, and occasionally comments on our blog. Susan.