A Vesper Bat

Vespertilionidae is a family of bats with members occurring on all Continents except Antarctica. With 407 known species, it is the second largest mammal family (Old World Rats and Mice is the largest family, with over a thousand species). Most of them eat insects which they locate on the wing using ultrasound, but they also make sounds audible to the human ear when they are communicating amongst themselves. Most vesper bats are small, between 3 and 13 centimetres long and weighing 40 to 80 grams.

They live on average about 5 years and are preyed on by birds and snakes. Some of the French species may migrate to take advantage of better weather, and all the European species hibernate. All are protected in France but many species are threatened by habitat destruction.

The one in this photo was flying around our garage in June. It is very dark, with broad wings, large for a vesper bat, so it may be a Barbastelle Barbastella barbastellus (Fr. Barbastelle d'Europe).

Cultivated Button Mushrooms

Button mushrooms, or champignons de Paris as they are known in French, are the species Agaricus bisporus. Globally two and a half million tonnes of this mushroom is produced, half of which is coming from China. Europe produces 30% of global production, mostly in Poland, the Netherlands and Spain. Button mushrooms represent three-quarters of total mushroom cultivation in the world.

Mushroom cultivation in a former underground limestone quarry at Bourré.

In France a hundred thousand tonnes of button mushrooms are produced, against an annual consumption in the country of one hundred and forty thousand tonnes. Three-quarters of French production is in the Touraine and Loire Valley around Saumur, where one can find numerous former underground limestone quarries now transformed into mushroom farms.

De Prunner's Ringlet

De Prunner's Ringlet Erebia triaria (Fr. le Moiré printanier) is a rather rare (localised, but abundant where it occurs) Alpine species that we saw in the Haute Pyrénées while on holiday in July 2021. Like all the Alpine Ringlet species it is very difficult to identify to species level as they all look the same. I had to get expert help with this one, especially as it was flying a bit late in the season. 

They occur in dry poor grasslands between 800 and 2500 metres above sea level. This one was at about 2000 metres.

The plant in the photo is Basil Mint Acinos alpinus (Fr. Calament des Alpes).

Pygmy moth

The Pygmy Thyris fenestrella (Fr. le Sphinx pygmée) is a day flying moth found all over calcareous areas of central and southern Europe and into Asia Minor. The species is warmth loving and the adults fly during the summer months. The caterpillars eat clematis.

The species gets its scientific name because it has a series of translucent patches or 'windows' in its wings. They look white in this photo.

I photographed this one in June at Chaumussay when I was checking for orchids. It is nectaring on Wild Privet Ligustrum vulgare  (Fr. le Troène commun), another lover of calcareous soils.

Walking Around Saint Remy sur Creuse

Some photos of a walk I took around Saint Rémy sur Creuse on Monday 15 November. The village sits on the current bank of the Creuse River, with extensive troglodyte dwellings built into the ancient high limestone cliffs that once formed the river bank. Many of these were occupied by weavers in the past and the terraces form their own mild microclimate.

Troglodyte dwelling in the river cliffs above the village of Saint Rémy sur Creuse.

Bananas growing on a river terrace above Saint Rémy sur Creuse.

Troglodyte dwelling, with vegetables planted into little pockets of soil here and there on the terrace.

Troglodyte outbuildings.

Walking along a street of troglodyte dwellings.

The cemetery is full of chrysanthemums, put there for Toussaint (All Saints). This is why you never give chrysanthemums to a French person -- they are associated with the dead.

The rare and protected woodland plant Butchers Broom Ruscus aculeatus (Fr. Fragon faux-houx) grows in abundance on the river cliffs. This photo shows the peculiar way the flowers and then berries appear to be attached directly to the leaves. In fact, they aren't leaves, but flattened shoots called cladodes.

Walking Through the Fog Around Chambon

On Thursday 18 November we walked around Chambon, so that was two days in a row. It was foggy the whole day, damp and cold. Nevertheless the walk was invigorating, with Joel making us go up and down hills several times for 10 kilometres. It really got my endorphins going, but Simon really struggled with his glasses fogging up and needing his Ventoline. Here are some photos from the walk.

This downpipe obviously needed a little extra help. I liked the creative approach.

Walking in the fog.

Charolais cows.

Fly Agaric Amanita muscari (Fr. Amanite tue-mouche).

Walking through the forest.

Bracken Pteridium aquilinum (Fr. Aigle impérial)

Forest dwelling.

Parasol Mushroom Macrolepiota procera (Fr. Coulemelle).

Trooping Funnel mushroom Clitocybe geotropa (Fr. Clitocybe géotrope). There were lots of these large and distinctive mushrooms, which grow in lines or circles on the edges of forest trails.

The Creuse Valley at 5pm.

Walking Around Chambon

Here are some photos from a 5 kilometer walk around Chambon Wednesday 17 November.

It looks like this house had a hole in the gable wall, so the owners simply fitted a window in the gap, without repairing the masonry around it.

Old people sitting on a bench in the forest (Fabrice, Monique and Pierre).

Lakeshore Bulrush Schoenoplectus lacustris (Fr. Jonc-des-chaisiers) on the edge of an étang (dam). This is the true bulrush, used for rush matting in the Middle Ages and for chair seats up until the 19th century.

Walkers make way for cyclists coming down the forest trail along the dam wall.

This part of the forest is planted with American oak.

Honey fungus Armillaria mellea (Fr. Armillaire couleur de miel).

Chateau de Chambon.

The Chateau de Rouvray through the fog.

Chanterelles

Chanterelles in the market at Loches for €11 for 500g, wild picked in the Sologne by a licenced mushroom forager.

These little brown and yellow mushrooms are known as Trumpet Chanterelles in English, but just Chanterelles in French. Confusingly, the mushrooms known as Chanterelles in English are known as Girolles in French. Their scientific name is Cantherellus tubaeformis and they are a popular wild foraged edible species, found in pine forests.

Just because I like the Photo

Taken on our way down the Col des Tentes in the Pyrenees

Walking Around Charnizay 5 November 2021

Here are a few photos from the walk I did on Thursday 5 November around Charnizay.

Roof terrace railing.

We ran into the hunt in the Forest of Preuilly. They are currently meeting every Thursday. I'd seen the announcement on FB but others hadn't, so Joel unwittingly chose a route that took us down an alley lined with hunters. We weren't in any real danger as our local hunt is well behaved. Whenever I encounter the hunt here I reflect on how obvious it is that there is no such thing as hunt saboteurs here. The hunters are almost always friendly and happy to be photographed.

Walking down a forest ride in the parcels planted with pine. The path has Saffron Milkcap Lactarius deliciosus (Fr. Lactaire delicieuse) mushrooms popping up all over.

View towards a hamlet near Charnizay.

View from the outskirts of Charnizay.

View of the Charnizay town hall roof.

More Repairs to the Church at La Celle Guenand

The steeple on the church at La Celle Guenand is being repaired. it dominates the view and is quite distracting as you come down the hill from the direction of Ferriere-Larcon, especially as there is a new stop sign to contend with at the entry to the village.

Walking Around Le Grand Pressigny 10 November 2021

 Here are some photos from our walk around le Grand Pressigny on 10 November.

The entrance of the Museum of Prehistory.

Looking through an archway in the Chateau du Grand Pressigny.

The little white dot top right is Rémi Ouvrard going to over 4000 metres standing on top of a hot air balloon piloted by his father. He was raising money for Téléthon, an annual fundraiser for rare children's diseases.

A courtyard at the Chateau du Grand Pressigny.

View of the well through an archway in the Chateau du Grand Pressigny.

Fabrice scrumping persimmons.

View of the Chateau du Grand Pressigny.

View of the church in Le Grand Pressigny.

The Chateau du Grand Pressigny appears over the roofs of village houses.

The War Memorial in Le Grand Pressigny.

View of the Chateau du Grand Pressigny and the Museum of Prehistory.

Visiting Villandry

Henri Carvallo, the owner, talking about the history and architecture of the chateau building at Villandry.

Summer Jauneaud, who runs the Loire ConneXion, organised a private visit of the Chateau and gardens of Villandry, with guided tour by owner Henri Carvallo. The Loire ConneXion is a social group that brings expats and locals together for drinks and outings. 

Dining room table setting in the Chateau de Villandry.

Henri Carvallo gave us a potted history of the Chateau, the last of the well known Loire Valley chateaux from the Renaissance. It was built in 1532 by Jean le Breton, financier to Francois I, who demolished the earlier 12th century fortress on the site. Like Azay le Rideau was intended to be, it is a U-shaped building, but unlike Azay le Rideau, the building terminates in square pavilions, rather than round towers, indicating how architectural fashion had moved on from the pure Italianate of Azay le Rideau to something more French at Villandry.

Display of miniature pumpkins on a window sill in the Chateau de Villandry.

Jean le Breton was also interested in gardens and in his time set his chateau in splendid ornamental gardens. Jump forward to the early 20th century and medical researchers Joachim Carvallo and Ann Coleman acquired the chateau in 1906. They first set about restoring the building and creating a family home, but then they turned their energies to the garden. They felt that a Renaissance chateau deserved a Renaissance garden. And it is their garden that people come to see today.

Henri Carvallo talking about a set of paintings he acquired depicting Jean le Breton as Ambassador to the Ottoman court.

The gardens opened to the public in 1920 and have been managed organically since 2009. The Carvallo family no longer live in the Chateau itself, but in an apartment in the enormous stable block, along with most of the nine full time gardeners and two apprentice gardeners who manage the grounds. This has allowed the interior of the Chateau to also be opened up to the public, and about 50% of visitors pay the extra to see inside the building.

A view of the gardens from one of the first floor windows in the Chateau de Villandry.

Because the framework of the garden as a whole is so good it is worth visiting at any time of year. But because the most famous part of the garden relies on formal parterres planted with vegetables for their decorative effect, this is not really a spring garden as so many others are. This is a garden which peaks in late summer and early autumn, when all the fruit and vegetables have matured.

Walking down one of the linden alleys in the gardens of the Chateau de Villandry.

Our visit started at 4 pm, on a dull November day when sunset is at 5.30 pm, so light conditions were not the best for taking stunning photographs. Nevertheless, I think you can still get a good idea of how impressive these gardens are.

The mirror pool in the gardens of the Chateau de Villandry.

Walking between the stable block and the potager.

Walking through the potager with the Chateau and natural hillside in the background.

Members of the Carvallo family welcome our group with drinks and nibbles.

The Herb Garden, added in the 1970s.