theonlyD800inthehameau
Photography by theonlydeadheadinthehameau
Thursday Doors: Confolens (2)
Posted on March 9, 2017
As promised last week, another instalment of doors from Confolens, this time featuring ones that have had at least some care and attention within living memory.
Starting with these white ones:
Bonus points for a door within a door?
This one, with the attractive ironwork, is the former residence of a local physician:
A closer look at the plaque above the door (no need for a translation) suggests that he was a good man:
This house is unoccupied, although doesn’t seem to have been for too long:
Next week, how about some gates for a change?
Thursday Doors 9 March 2017
Thursday Doors: Confolens
Posted on March 2, 2017
After four weeks of the doors of St Junien, I suspect we’re all ready for a bit of a change of scenery so today the caravan has packed up and moved on to the town of Confolens, in the neighbouring Charente département. Like St Junien, Confolens has a modern shell around a medieval core, and it’s also on a river, in this case the Vienne, but overall – at least in my opinion – it’s a lot more scenic.
There’s plenty to look at, especially in the older part, so I might as well crack on with this first instalment, beginning with some characteristic sixteenth-century exteriors (in the UK, we’d call this ‘Tudor’).
Maintaining the careworn theme:
Although so as not to give the impression that the whole place is just falling to bits, here are a couple of more dignified – and blue – examples:
More from Confolens next week: perhaps some doors that have found themselves a good home.
Thursday Doors 2 March 2017
Tuesdays of Texture: Bizarre Cat
Posted on February 28, 2017
Apparently, a bizarre cat lives behind this ancient door (albeit one with a modern lock) on a house in the medieval quarter of Confolens:
Tuesdays of Texture
Thursday Doors: St Junien – decrepit
Posted on February 23, 2017
For the fourth and (I promise) final instalment of doors from St Junien I’ve saved – depending on your point of view – either the best or the worst ’til last. They’re certainly among the tattiest, and that’s fine by me.
Actually, this first one isn’t too bad:
but these next three; oh dear:
Lastly, a double helping of double doors. The second one looks like it’s tipping me the wink:
Thursday Doors 23 February 2017
Thursday Doors: St Junien – Open to the public
Posted on February 16, 2017
For this third instalment of the doors of St Junien, as a change from the doors of private residences I’ve confined myself to some of the public buildings of the town.
To begin with, the old municipal offices which still stand opposite the new Mairie and admin block:
The main church of St Junien is a Collègiale. To be honest, the interior isn’t particularly impressive in my opinion, although the main doors are worth a look. As it’s now surrounded by newer buildings, it’s difficult to get a complete view in one shot (well, it is with the lenses I’ve got), but this close-up gives you the general idea:
To the left of the main entrance of the Collègiale is this unloved gate:
This is the Salle des Fêtes; in the UK it would probably be called the Assembly Rooms or something similar. The large ‘cartouche’ above the windows tells us that it was built between 1898 and 1900, following a vote of the local council in 1897. There then follows a long list of the members of the municipal council who approved the construction. Fascinating.
And finally, on a much smaller scale, is this unpretentious construct that sits in the middle of a roundabout on the main road through the town. Open to all passing birds, presumably.
Thursday Doors 16 February 2017
Thursday Doors: St Junien (2) – Colour
Posted on February 9, 2017
Last week’s initial instalment of the doors of St Junien were, with one exception, a pretty drab bunch (unless you happen to be a big fan of brown, of course), so this week I thought I’d feature some more colourful examples:
Even if the colour isn’t necessarily to your taste, someone is clearly making an effort…
…no matter how narrow the door you have to work with:
Next, a couple of more faded examples:
And just for a change, to finish this week a set of gates:
Thursday Doors 9 February 2017
Thursday Doors: St. Junien (1)
Posted on February 2, 2017
St Junien is one of the major towns of the Haute Vienne département and claims to be (or have been) the glove-making capital of France. Leather gloves, that is; they’re quite particular about that.
As with many other similar conurbations, there is a medieval centre that has become increasingly surrounded by more modern, and largely featureless, developments. Be that as it may, a recent ‘doorscursion’ provided plenty of photographic opportunities that will keep my ‘ Thursday Doors’ contributions well-supplied for the next few weeks, so here is the first instalment.
This ancient wooden door is set into what’s left of the old city walls:
By contrast, this house is obviously occupied and well cared-for:
as is this:
This one is more colourful than the norm:
Although these last two are a little more careworn:
(The white street sign in the last image is in the Occitan language, which was what was spoken round these parts until French became the official language of the whole country after 1789.)
Thursday Doors 2 February 2017
Thursday Doors: Thiers (4th Time Around)
Posted on January 26, 2017
I know we’ve already had three helpings of doors from Thiers but that particular seam hasn’t been fully worked out just yet, so here are a few second round draft picks.
And I didn’t even follow this road down the hill…
Thursday Doors 26 January 2017
Thursday Doors: Burano
Posted on January 19, 2017
Things have stayed pretty local as regards Thursday Doors over the past few weeks, so just for a change, somewhere a little more exotic – and colourful – this time.
There are two principal islands in the Venetian Lagoon: Murano, which is famous for its glass-making and Burano, something of an artists’ hangout and probably best known for its brightly-painted houses.
which of course means colourful door surrounds, even on the more decrepit examples:
Albeit that there’s a reassuring drabness about this example:
Although this must be the hands-down winner – Charlie Chaplin and all:
Thursday Doors 19 January 2017
Thursday Doors: More from Mezieres
Posted on January 12, 2017
Back in November I posted images of some of the doors and gates to be found in our local village of Mézières-sur-Issoire. Those two posts by no means exhausted the local possibilities, however, so here are some more from Mézières.
The local economy is still predominantly agriculture-based and the largest open space within the village is not the statutory place de la Republique, but the Marché des Ovins – the sheep market. These first three doors are to be found there:
This barn is just down the road from the church; you can’t beat a door within a door:
Although this one is obviously no longer still in use:
And finally – just to prove that the village does still have such things – an occupied private house:
Thursday Doors 12 January 2017
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