09/05/2019 A drive into Angoulême on Tuesday.

Maximum temperature today 16C, minimum 10C.  Odd showers on and off; rain measured this morning 14mm.  38km/h North-westerly winds with gusts up to 87 km/h. 

N141 - Just love the number of trees around and all now so green.

At the bottom off the off-ramp still lots of trees.

A ghost sign in the older part of Angouleme that I cannot decipher....

and another ghost sign where there was originally a Pépinière (Plant nursery).

Lions International sign.

In St Cybard, Angoulême central is at the top of the hill behind this building.

Église Saint-Cybard, a Catholic church.

We went to our favourite restaurant of Chez Doud for lunch, only to discover it had been sold, and is now  O'Resto' d'Sam. Bit of a shock.  The food was OK but it had lost the ambience created by the previous owner!  😒 Not sure I want to return!!

Painted on a Tabac window, a little elf stealing some food while the guest is happily reading a book.

Angoulême covered market

At the back of the market.

Looking down the hill at the Railway station...

Over the roof tops...

as above...

and a closer look at the mural.

Leaving Angoulême this is next to the city wall, I have yet to discover what it actually is! Too elaborate for a lookout tower!

A drive-by shot across the fields of La Rochefoucauld Chateau.  More green trees.

See also my Bird blog 

and My life In the Charente

20/02/2018 Join us on a drive to Angouleme on another grey and dreary day.

Maximum temperature today 10C, minimum 6C.  3 mm of rain measured last night but drizzling all day again. North Easterly chilly winds; 22 km/h with up to 43 km/h gusts. 

All photos have been made a little brighter as it was really very grey with light drizzle on and off.

I have put this wall painting on the blog many times before, but it is the first thing we see entering into the tunnel before Angouleme.  I just love it.

In the tunnel and then...

sharp right just after; up this very narrow road...

tight squeeze past the parked van, the side mirror was very close!

Underground parking.  We collected some new duvets that we had ordered.  The old ones we gave to the homeless charity.

Then on to the Thai market which I love.  We were short of time though so no chance to browse and fill the trolley, only bought what was on the list! 

This old house which I thought had lots of character was opposite the Thai market.

On the road again. Good to see full size trees on a roundabout in the middle of a built up area...

We passed this little outside market...

Note the well pruned trees, they are a bit harsh here in France, but the trees seem to thrive...

Past the old Massey Ferguson depot...

Angouleme centre up on the hill.  The dark coloured building behind the tree is the very large enclosed market...

Crossing over the Charente river. Apologies for the windscreen mark....

and stopping at our favourite restaurant for lunch and a glass of wine 👍

Looking up at the building next door...

Heading back home past Eglise Saint Cybard Saint Yrieix, a roman catholic church...

Trucks hogging both lanes of traffic!!!!

Nearly back home, this is the new pallet factory that has been recently finished just out of town...

The last photos I put on while building was in progress was in October last year

Note all the wood piled up on the left.

If you should be interested after an 18 month break from my blog 'My Life Before the Charente'  I have at last added a new post 😊

30/01/2018 Had to go to Angouleme today; take a look at what we saw along the way.

Maximum temperature 12C, minimum 5C. 1 mm of rain measured this morning.  Total this month now 199 mm!! North Easterly winds; 6 km/h with up to 12 km/h gusts.

Today was the first time I have really been out and about.  Feeling pretty good at last but still coughing!

Hazard warning as soon as we were on the highway!

Yes, the team were working on something at the side of the road.

Getting close to Angouleme.

One of the suburbs, Gond-Pontouvre.

Wall mural, sorry about the mark on the windscreen!

Just liked this building....

and this house.

Angouleme's narrow roads can be quite scary!

Up high on the hill is the covered market, Place Les Halles, which is open every day except Mondays.

Colourful flowers on the roundabout, a pleasure to see in winter.

Another mural, this may need a bit more imagination than the one above!

We stopped at our favourite restaurant Chez Doud for a quick lunch, and as we were leaving I spotted this crocus in a pot by the door.   A first for me in 2018.

Back home the great tits were hanging around (Parus major).

As above.

For those interested I have started a series of photos taken on Nevis in the Caribbean here.  Both Part 1 and Part 2.  More to follow