Walking With Giants Around Oyre

The last day of February saw us walking with our local club around Oyré, across the border in Vienne, and clearly Poitevin, not Tourangeau. Here some photos of the afternoon.

A view over the countryside near Oyré.

We passed an equine pension and said hello to this big mare. 

I reckon she was at least 17 hands high, maybe more.

The entrance to the equine pension, with horseshoe knocker plate.

A group of wind turbines, ideally placed in agricultural land. 

They were working steadily as it was a windy day, with gusts of up to 45 kilometres per hour.

Another view of the wind turbines. I like them, and do not feel they are despoiling the countryside. They were also silent (if they make as much noise as some claim I would have expected to hear them, as I could clearly hear the hunt going on at about the same distance).

Giant Silver Grass Miscanthus x giganteus (Fr. Herbe à éléphant), 

This robust grass is grown in France as a biofuel, mulch and animal bedding. It is a sterile hybrid perennial, non-invasive, doesn't need as much water as traditional crops and is not fussy about poor, contaminated or saline soil or cold weather. It is particularly productive in France and much encouraged by agronomists. There is a very thorough discussion of its many benefits (and a few problems) on Wikipedia. The French Wikipedia page, in contrast, whilst positive about the plant, is much more forthcoming about possible negative consequences of its widespread cultivation. In the Brenne particularly there is concern about the crop's potential to drain parcels of land and modify them from the traditional unimproved prairie grassland (the most rapidly disappearing habitat in the area, which the local authorities and conservation organisations are working hard to maintain).

Polly the Airedale emerges after a brief dip.

Babette and Aline walk under a very unsafe looking tree.

A view across Oyré.

Oyré is on the border of Poitou and Touraine. 

The roofs on these houses reflect that mixture, with both Poitevin canal and Tourangelle flat tiles.

A last wind turbine to see us out.

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