Mars 2006 (5)

March 5 is my birthday. This is my 74th. It's hard to believe. When Walt and I moved to Saint-Aignan in 2003, I never imagined that I'd still be here in 2023. At this point, I've lived in Saint-Aignan longer than anywhere else in my life, and in France for at least 25 of my 74 years. Today, to celebrate, I'll be cooking a chicken braised in hard cider and Calvados apple brandy with cooked apples as a side dish. Time to get started. Meanwhile...

Here are a couple of views of the Loire river at Blois. I took them on March 12, 2006, from the terrace behind the cathedral, looking south and west. The sector of the city that is on the left bank of the Loire, at the south end of the bridge, is called Blois-Vienne.

There's a rose garden on a terrace overlooking the old town. The église Saint-Nicolas is visible in the distance. The building behind the cathedral is the hôtel de ville de Blois — city hall.

Here's a view of downtown Blois. Behind the buildings on the left is a pedestrian zone
where there are cafés, shops, restaurants, and other businesses.

The terrace above the rose garden is a good place to spend some time admiring the views of the city and the river. There are swing sets and slides for children to play on. One summer day when I was there a wedding ceremony was being performed up there. I have photos somewhere, but I haven't found them this morning.

On the terrace there's also a statue of Jeanne d'Arc on horseback that was made by the American artist Anna Hyatt Huntington and donated to the city of Blois. Joan spent a few nights at Blois in 1429 before moving on upriver to liberate the city of Orléans from the English.