bienvenue à la Touraine

On a bike ride a few days ago, I discovered a little welcoming place along the bike route for cycle tourists to our region.  That region is the Touraine which is the area around the city of Tours (including Amboise).  It's famous for its wine, goat cheese, and now its cycling network.  This particular welcome was created voluntarily by one of the local residents just for the pleasure of those tourists passing by this tiny, yet charming village.  It offers them a place to take a breather, relax in the shade, and appreciate the display of the simple life of times gone by.  Of course what caught my eye was the old photographic portrait.

let the games begin

I'm throwing out the first poppy (coqueclicot) of the season.

good morning

they're back

White asparagus is a local specialty here and they were everywhere in last Sunday's market.

not your typical food truck

No, here is a wine truck, a vintage (shall we say) Citroën.  This one specializes in wines of the region around the city of Tours known as Touraine (which includes Amboise).  On this day it was cleverly parked at the main entrance to the huge Sunday market in Amboise.

on the road again

Well, make that, on the path again.  As spring is unfolding here, cycle tourists have begun to arrive in their usual large numbers.  This section of the area's cycling super highway (Loire à Velo) runs right through central Amboise.  Normally, the path is asphalt but along this short section it is a stone extension of the levee seen in the lower left.  The Loire river is off to the right.  So come join the crowds "that are goin' places they've never been, seein' things they may never see again".  (Tip of the hat to Willie.)

celebrating traditions on the banks of the Loire

50th anniversary of the Méhari

This past long weekend, Amboise hosted the Méhari car clubs of France to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the introduction of this "unusual" vehicle.  They were manufactured by Citröen in the same genre as the Mini-Moke (BMC) and "The Thing" (VW).  The Méhari chassis is based on the classic 2CV but with a plastic, open-sided body.  It weighs around 1200 pounds (540 KG).  Between 1968 and 1988, fewer than 150,000 units were produced.  It was a major precursor to the world-wide off-road SUV phenomenon.

At least 300 of these impeccably maintained machines descended from all over France.  The owner's had a wonderful time showing them off and taking driving tours around the area.

Victory in Europe Day 2018

On this day in 1945, World War II officially ended in Europe.  Today in Amboise, a ceremony was conducted which included the laying of flowers on a memorial by the kids.

sunset on the tulips

Their show is over for this year, but they had quite the run.

(No tulip was injured in the making of this shot.  I was lucky to find it this way, flaps down, staring into the sunset.)

shadow box

To me this window shutter has a certain Joseph Cornell look to it.

CDP Theme Day for May - "laugh"

The first of every month is Theme Day for the worldwide bloggers of City Daily Photo and today's theme is "laugh".  Here, it's "Miller Time" for these participants in a historical reenactment spectacle on the grounds of Clos Lucé.

To see how the others interpreted this theme click here.

end of the sunset drought

This is the first post of a sunset that I have taken in the last seven months.  (Now I did sneak in a couple of older ones 'cause I was so desperate, but they don't count.)  I'm hoping it is indeed the end of the drought.

tulip town

The tulips have been magnificent this year.  Maybe they're trying to compensate for the long winter.  In any case, the town's public flower beds are awash in many different colors and varieties.  Much to the delight of the many tourists... and photographers.

vigilance

the wisteria goes to school

the entrance to Saint Denis

Here are previously posted shots of this twelfth century church.

going for the gold

Yesterday was the warmest day of the year so far, 20C/70F.  "And the flowers bloomed like madness in the spring".  (Name that tune.)

the first tastes of spring

Spring is very slowly starting to make its presence in Amboise.  Finally.

CDP Theme Day - One color

The first of every month is Theme Day for the worldwide bloggers of City Daily Photo and today's theme is "one color".  To see how the others interpreted this theme click here.

These trees behind the Amboise annual outdoor ice skating rink were lit in many colors... but one color at a time.

soon to awake

foggy morn

the long path to spring

Although technically, it arrives today, the freezing temperatures this morning belie that fact.

the aliens

These aliens (aka the floodgates of the river Amasse) were as cold as us locals last week when the temperatures were hovering around freezing.

the path of snow

It'll be awhile before this bike path is again filled with cycle tourists that will arrive in spring.  This snowy day I had it all to myself.

le glacier

The French word glacier is shop where ice cream is made (or at least sold, by my own observations).  The French word glace means ice cream or just ice.  I thought this view of a café on Place Debré brought both of these words together last week after the snow.

snow removal

This is how snow gets removed in Amboise.  Not to worry about the cold too much though (note the green sign) since temperatures here are on the Centigrade scale.

stairway to pigeon heaven

These stairs lead up from the left bank of the Loire to the level of the open market place.  On that level is found this pigeon shelter.  Of course, the shelter has the dual purpose of also trying to control the pigeon population.  So they may not actually find it so heavenly (they are not killed but some of their eggs are injected to render them neutered).

lightning strikes twice

Figuratively anyway.  In fact, after a five year "drought" from snow, Amboise had its second snow of this winter yesterday.  So guess what you're gonna be seeing for awhile here !

This the top of the levee, with the Loire on the left, and the château in the distance.

CDP Theme Day - "play"

The first of every month is Theme Day for the worldwide bloggers of City Daily Photo and today's theme is "play".  To see how the others interpreted this theme click here.

During Carnival festivities a few years ago, these guys were having a great time playing characters from times gone by.  I too am playing as though I have six pack abs.