and yet there's more!!

 as the adverts go...

I couldn't leave these out..It appears that the Ibis hotels (possibly just the budget ones?) have a fitness theme. it is fun anyway

French Trip May 2026. Day. 8 pictures

Ah well...best laid plans etc...these zre backwards!!. 

I've seen a lot of this pattern of ironwork

Now this looks like the man who discovered the finger/ ligament problem was from here....

I must investigate this photographer.  There were a lot of old photos of potteries and their workers..which obviously I can't reproduce here..but are very interesting

"O'chien chic"....canine beauty parlour....

I couldn't miss this one.....

 

French trip May 2026 day. 8.. Porcelain!

 An earlier start today, the usual bus, then walk from Gâre des Benedictins. I called in to the tourist office..free wifi...plus an exhibition of bird photography.

down through more interesting streets to the Royal Limoges porcelain works at Casseaux by the river. It started as a small family firm in 1798 in the old town centre, then in 1816 this factory was built and eventually had nine of the big kilns going.

The reception had a table with old ceramics and glass bimonthly magazines for reading..so I took advantage of that!!

A walk up to the old town centre from by the river..and my usual restaurant was closed..well he does deserve a day off! I found one not far away..Le café Feuillete.

Feuille is a leaf....so think of flaky pastry as a pile of leaves...my sweet was an apple pavé..flaky pastry..and the filling was inch deep thick cooked apple....abd not oversweet . Beautiful. Of course as I came from the cafe it started raining...and when it does that here, it does it thoroughly!!

More walking then to Quartier des Émailleurs.   This can mean enamellers...or glazers (for ceramics). I certainly looks a more affluent area...and the gardens are lovely with fountains at one end and playground and games at the other where three lads were practising basketball shots

Back to base then as I'd had enough and a carry out from Eat Salad...there was rain forecast...and I got back in the dry...just!!

French trip May 2026 Day 7.. weather!!

 A day to relax after all that walking...tidy my room, then this afternoon watch the thunder and rain !!! 

This morning, early, the birdsong started...and so did the frogs!! That has been the background sound all day!!

 In between showers I got out for a short walk and even at 5.30 pm it was quickly hot enough for the cicadas to start up their cri cri. A cat found me on my walk and was certain that I would be her spare hooman!! It was interesting seeing the houses and bungalows....fairly modern, 20 to 30 years old? But looking so much like Aotearoa NZ...

Drawing is not going so well...not enough practice.