Le Grand-Pressigny: the Vironne tower , built in the 1560s.I got this text from the 37-Online web site, which uses the tagline: "Loire valley tourism - Bed and breakfast accommodation". The site has an English-language version, but the people who put it together obviously used translation software to convert the French into English. The English, in other words, is basically indeciperable. What follows is my translation, and the pictures are mine of course.
The balcony and dome at the top of the tour Vironne."At the foot of the keep, the Vironne tower, an old octagonal belfry and watchtower in the purest Italian style, capped by a done, encloses a spiral staircase that once led to the various floors of buildings that no longer exist.
These are the sculpted corbels, or brackets, that support the balcony."At the top of the tower, there's an elegant balcony supported by sculpted corbels, from which the visitor comes to understand the strategic position occupied by this oft-disputed rocky outcropping.
A dry moat protected the west side of the château,which was most vulnerable to attack.
"From this vantage point, the visitor enjoys a beautiful view out over the gardens of the château's grand courtyard, the peaceful tile and slate rooftops of the little town of Le Grand-Pressigny below and, beyond, the valley of the Claise river."
Another part of the château complex, seen from the town belowHere's the French from the 37-Online web site:
Au pied du donjon, la tour "Vironne", ancien beffroi de guet du plus pur style italien de forme octogonale et couverte d'un dôme, renferme l'escalier à vis qui desservait les étages des bâtiments disparus.
A view of the old fortifications, as seen from the narrow streets below.A son sommet, un élégant balcon, soutenu par des corbeaux sculptés, permet aux visiteurs de bien comprendre la position stratégique de cet éperon rocheux chèrement disputé.
A corner guard tower at the château de Pressigny-le-GrandLe visiteur, placé à cet endroit aura, en contrebas des jardins de la grande cour du château, une belle vue sur les rassurants toits de tuiles et d’ardoises du bourg du Grand Pressigny qui se déploient joliment et, au-delà, sur la vallée de la Claise.
Why is the web site called 37-Online? It's because 37 is the number assigned to the French administrative département called l'Indre-et-Loire. Départements are the equivalent of our American counties. The one I live in is number 41, le Loir-et-Cher. Most, like these two, are named for the rivers that pass through them.
Ken,
ReplyDeleteHere in the U.S. in the middle of Winter, your posts are a real tonic. Both of your recent posts show that village street with its red surface. Is that common in other villages? Am I right to assume that there is a lovely cobblestone street under there do you think
Dennis
Come to think of it, Dennis, I can't think of other towns that have streets surfaced in red. It looks like a tennis court surface, doesn't it? Whether or not the old cobblestones are still under there, I have no idea.
ReplyDeleteSaint-Aignan has cobblestone streets, though.