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

24/06/2017 The remainder of yesterday's shopping spree..........

Maximum temperature 25C  minimum 11C.  13 km/h NW winds with 19 km/h gusts, Dry.

Following on from yesterday our next stop was here....

An excellent butcher plus a choice of pre-packed meats...

Dried fruit, nuts, olives etc and sadly I did not take a photo of the fabulous supply of fresh vegetables!

Leaving Soyaux we headed towards Angouleme in the distance...

I was fascinated by this old building as we drove past (apologies for the reflection from the windscreen at the bottom....

I was even more interested when we got home and I realised it was once the premises of Massey Ferguson, which I had not noticed as we drove past.

Arriving at St Cybard, Angouleme we parked the car and walked past this huge crane, wonder what it is doing!

Our next planned stop was our favourite restaurant of Chez Doud for lunch.

It was quite empty when we arrived a few minutes after 12 o clock, but within 15 minutes both inside and outside was packed.

The owner who is the life and soul of the restaurant.  He is bubbly with a great sense of humour and without him the restaurant would be very lost. 

One of the small tables outside if you are only stopping for a drink.  Someone left their tray behind!

Walking back to the car we passed an avenue of Albizia julibrissin, 

better known as Silk Tree, Mimosa Tree, Pink Siris or Persian Silk Tree.

Driving past La Rochefoucauld on the way back home.

07/06/2017 Car was serviced this morning and then we took a trip into Angouleme.

Maximum temperature 20C, minimum 7C.  7 km/h SW wind.  Dry.

Just down the road from home.

Lots of traffic on the N141...

that time of the year, lots of camper vans on the roads. 

Angouleme in the distance.

Ghost sign, which I cannot make out what it was advertising....

Another one for a nursery...

and this one is for Tissus Metallaques Weiller (what ever that may be!)

loved this little roundabout in St Cybard...

where we had lunch at Chez Doud.

After we walked down to the Charente river...

The chimney belongs to the old Angouleme paper mill.

I am hoping my French speaking followers can read this small writing about the Imaging Centre.

The back of the Imaging Centre - Angouleme is the comic strip capital...

The front of the building...

and the side.  I think it is a beautiful place.

16/09/2016 I have been working in the house all day today - some photos taken yesterday!!

Maximum temperature 20C, minimum 12C. 36 km/h NW wind. Light rain on and off all day - not measured as yet.

Jean Lazure Weiller bought this magnificent chateau in St. Cybard, Angouleme in the early 20th century.  Chateau de Dampierre.....

It was used as a clinic from 1950 until 1985 and now is the HQ for the school of cinema animation...

Close up of the balcony.

He also built this house in the early 20th century....

for his driver and gardener!!

Bridge over the Charente river...

As above...

The Charente.

The Old Paper Mill.

Our favourite restaurant :-)  Chez Doud.