An Old Sign in France ...

When I was on my trip 1 year ago

with Diane and Nigel

we did a lot of sightseeing ..

and as you know in France you

can see so many different things.

 

And one is the old signs .

 

We came across this sign . (wonder if Diane remembers)

 

Diane has a few blogs , here is a link to her PhotoDiary.

 

 

BYRRH  is an aromatised wine-based apéritif made of red wine, mistelle, and quinine. Created in 1866, it was popular as a French apéritif.

 

With its marketing and reputation as a "hygienic drink", Byrrh sold well in the early 20th century. It was even exported, despite the similarity of its name to "beer", complicating sales in English- and German-language speaking regions

 

Brothers Pallade and Simon Violet, drapers from Thuir (France), decided to take advantage of the wine fever in the region to develop an apéritif wine flavored with cinchona. They mixed dry wines and mistelles and initially marketed the resulting product as a health drink or tonic. This was because the local apéritif producers were displeased about competition with their established brands.

 

Rebranding the brothers' aperitif as a health drink got around this problem, and Byrrh was sold in pharmacies

 

Interesting as I was doing my google search

I came across a sign just like the above  

 being  sold on Etsy..!! (click on link)

and an interesting

post HERE using Byrrh in a cocktail.

 

Enjoy if you do make a Cocktail !!

 

♥♥♥♥♥

 

 

 

Saint Germain De Confolens - France ...

 Another great place we saw on my visit to the Charente 

in May 2014 with Diane and Nigel. 

I just did a google on this castle and found Diane's blog post 
of a visit she did in 2012. I am sure she won't mind the link to her blog!!

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Saint-Germain-de-Confolens is a small village  in the north-east of the Charente department (Poitou-Charentes region) to the north of Confolens.
The village stands below a hill that is dominated by  two  important monuments - the castle and the 12th century Church of Saint-Vincent.

We went to see this .....

 And were amazed to also see these ...

Here you can alos see the church of 

St Vincent ...

(more about these in a new post) 

The fortified castle of Saint-Germain, although in ruins, still has a substantial amount to see - especially the two large circular towers, with the remains of the main castle building in between them. The castle dates from the 14th-15th centuries and is built on the site of a 12th century fortress.

 And nestled away behind the wall and with a river running near by 

is this lovely little Cemetery .. lovingly looked after too!

The Church of Saint Vincent was originally the chapel of the chateau. 

Say a little pray for me ..

 Love the Stained Glass window!

   The Gallic rooster ,   as a symbol for France dates back to the collapse of the Roman Empire and the formation of Gaul. Despite its frequent use as a symbol for France, the rooster has never been an official emblem. “Cocorico !” (French for “cock-a-doodle-doo”) is often used as an affirmation of French patriotism.

 I know a lot of you

enjoy history, architecture and  the views too.

Hope you enjoy this. 

Thank you to everyone for their lovely comments on my previous post 

and on Facebook too!!  I think Facebook is taking over from blogging , but 

I am going to keep going on here for as long as I can.

♥ ♥ ♥ 

Dreaming of France - Tusson in Charente.



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Tusson is a commune in the Charente department in southwestern France.

 It was previously a centre for the trading of donkeys.

 Marguerite of Angoulême also built an abbey in the village.

 

We (Diane, Nigel and myself)  didn't have rain , so we took a walk round.

There is so much more to this small town  than you think.!!

 

 

 

 

La Maison de Charante

 

I never realized what was behind this façade until doing

my google searches ....

 

You will be amazed!!

 

Click on this link to find out more!!!

Pineau des Charentes

 

Love Cognac Love Pineau ♥

 

 

Pineau des Charentes, (Pineau Charentais, or simply Pineau) is a regional French aperitif, made in the departements of Charente, Charente-Maritime.

It is a fortified wine (mistelle or vin de liqueur), made from a blend of lightly fermented grape must and Cognac eau-de-vie.

 



 

Wonder what or who is behind this door!!

 

Behind this door is the sculpture workshop of a very talented man

 

Marc Deligny

 

if you would like to see more , click on link above.



 



Can you see the little owl , I nearly missed it!!!

You never know who is watching you !

 



 

Watching over you ♥

 ARCHIPELLE, Tusson -

 

(see sign below)

 

This unique building gives the visitor an insight into how the production of stained glass and the unique craft of restoration has been carried out for hundreds of years using secret traditional methods. The production of stained glass dates as far back as early Christian churches of the 4th and 5th centuries

 

I ♥ the signs you find in France ,, look at the cat!!

 

The Monastic Garden of Tusson

 

The Medieval or Monastic garden was created by a local group of enthusiasts who  set out to

recreate as accurately as possible what a medieval garden would have been like.

Officially listed as one of France's 'remarkable gardens', the garden features four separate garden areas dedicated to vegetables, medicinal plants, fruits and ornamental plants. Stone features and some ancient tombs also add to the appeal of the garden.

The garden is closed in January, and an admission charge of three euros is payable.

 

 

 

I have never seen an Insect House before . It is amazing.

 

If you would like to know how to build one, follow this link.

 



Fennel Fronds

Chantier Ecole Marpen

 

The sign below belongs to  Club Marpen

Click on link to read more..

 

The clubs aim is to conduct rehabilitation and to showcase the archaeological heritage, architectural, ethnological and natural.

 

 Students learning the stone-and discover the Charente heritage in its various aspects: architecture, botany, ethnology, culinary expertise ... stays can be from 1 to 10 days..

 

Judging by what we saw, they are doing a brilliant job!



Follow these signs and find the flowers.

Below is the Sign for

 

Atelier De Vitrail

 

which I discovered today is

 

A STAINED GLASS workshop .

 

  la cathédrale de Chârtres. The stained glass studio, known for its restoration, has seen the most prestigious glass, including several stained glass windows of the Cathedral of Chârtres.  Anne Pinot and Andre Morteau perpetuate an art that is known to be contemporary,  their creations , figurative or abstract, traditional or innovative, illuminate forty churches in Poitou-Charentes.

(the above info was taken from the internet)

 

I don't think you can just visit freely , but you can in groups with an appointment.

 

And The Town Hall..

 

 

I do hope that you enjoy the tour of Tusson and

click on a few or all of the links,very interesting.

Thank You Diane and Nigel, another very interesting place.

 

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Memorial de la Resistance - France

The memorial to the Resistance Chasseneuil-sur-Bonnieure in Charente , was built at the end of the Second World War in memory of the 1465 martyrs of the Resistance fighters and the Charente and Charente-Maritime  Cemetery.

 

 

 

 

 

 It is both a memorial to the Resistance and National Cemetery.

 

The Maquis Bir Hacheim had Chasseneuil-sur-Bonnieure as cradle.. The surviving members including Colonel André Chabanne and Guy Pascaud had the idea, since the release of the Charente, a monument to the glory of resistance, intended to perpetuate the memory of the fallen volunteers "for freedom and greatness the fatherland "and in particular the 170 shot, deported and died in combat known or anonymous scrub Bir Hacheim.

 

Edward and Guy Pascaud donated a hill overlooking Chasseneuil and wood that housed the beginnings of the Maquis Bir Hacheim .

 

 

 

 

The monument, which is reached by 60 steps, is 21 meters high and symbolizes the strength of its form "V" for Victory and the Cross of Lorraine.

 

 

 

 

As you stand here looking at the road

you have just driven up it looks like

a straight road , very cleverly done..

 

 

No there is actually a bend , and you drive past

and up to the car park ..

As we were here the rain poured but

Diane and I still managed to get out

and get some photos .. it was quite eerie

but not in a scary way.

 

 

All the photos below are taken from around the monument ..

 

I need no more words.

 

 

And around the cemetery

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥