Thursday Doors: Sarlat (encore)

Previously in Thursday Doors we’ve seen what are unquestionably the largest doors in Sarlat and what is probably the smallest. So, to complete the range, here are some in between.

This is a Gift/Craft Shop and it’s completely bonkers:

Sarlat4

While these are just plain old:

Sarlat5

Sarlat6

Sarlat3

Sarlat7

Thursday Doors 28 July 2016

Thursday Doors: Montrol-Senard (encore)

My previous post of a door in Montrol-Sénard was a bit- well, edgy. However, here are some more comfortingly conventional offerings from this ‘living museum’ village a few miles from here:

MontSen1

although his one is on the upper story, which could make cleaning the step a little problematic:

MontSen1-2

 

Thursday Doors 21 July 2016

Thursday Doors: Le Mans

Spotted on the way to dinner in the centre of Le Mans earlier this week:

I was struck by the symmetry of the ornate decoration and the (very) purple colour of this door on an old office building.

Le Mans

Thursday Doors 14 July 2016

 

Thursday Doors: Abu Dhabi (last time)

This week’s door may be unspectacular, but holds a special significance. It’s the entrance to the apartment in Abu Dhabi where we lived for ten years (2002-2012). Good memories and no regrets.

AbuDhabi3

And, to be fair, the view from inside looking out on the other side wasn’t too bad:

Abu Dhabi4

Thursday Doors 7 July 2016

Thursday Doors: Rancon – Ancient & Modern

The village of Rancon, about a thirty minute drive from here at Tranquility Base, is in all honesty pretty unremarkable, although it does hold a medieval fête in June every year which is worth a quick look.

But, to be fair, it does have a few interesting doors, both ancient and modern:

Rancon ancient

including this particularly decrepit example;

Rancon ancient-2

while this neglected door is somewhere on the cusp between old and new:

Rancon ancient-3

Rancon’s modern doors are in rather better condition, such as this interesting and quite unusual (certainly for around these parts) offering:

Rancon modern

One thing that isn’t unusual around here is the closed-down shop. I was particularly struck by this composition in pastels:

Rancon modern-2

while this pair of garden gates suggests that there may be a bit of neighbourly one-upmanship going on:

Rancon modern-3

Thursday Doors 30 June 2016

The Story Behind A Door: What’s with the feathers?

Thanks to the Thursday Doors weekly challenge hosted by Norm, I’m always on the lookout for the unusual when it comes to those moving structures that allow or bar access or egress to an enclosed space (don’t you just love Wikipedia?). This one seems to be particularly suitable for the latest WordPress Discover challenge.

At first glance, this doorway in Loches is nice enough, without being anything out of the ordinary…

Feathers

…but who stuck all these pigeon feathers in the doorframe? And, more to the point, why? Who knows the story behind this particular door?

Feathers-2

Discover Challenges – Door

Thursday Doors: Chaniers

Just outside the town of Chaniers, in the Charente region, is a distillery where they make Pineau Charentes (a fortified wine: a sort of French equivalent of sherry and very delicious) housed in a 16th century chateau. I particularly liked the irony of this very old, weatherbeaten and characterful door, with multiple bolts, locks and latches, being situated next to an open gate that you could, quite literally, drive a bus through.

Chaniers-2

And here’s another redundant door a little further along the same wall:

Chaniers

Thursday Doors 23 June 2016

Thursday Doors: Port d’Enveaux

The only way to see this colourful door and shutters is to be cruising down the Charente river near Port d’Enveaux. Which, as it happens, I was last week.

Port L'Evaux-3

Hence the two slightly different angles as we sailed sedately past:

Port L'Evaux-4

It doesn’t look like it gets used much currently, but whoever painted it obviously knew their way around the colour wheel.

Thursday Doors 16 June 2016

Thursday Doors: Loches

The town of Loches, in central France (not far from Chédigny) was, in medieval times, the seat of the kings of France and there are many interesting – some long-neglected – doors in and around the old citadel that dominates the moderrn townscape.

Loches

At the base of the citadel is this door, that obviously hasn’t been used in a very long time:

Loches-2

And nor has this one, which comes from a time when disabled access was not something anyone thought about:

Loches-4

For sumptuousness of decor, though, the main door of the Collégiale church is impressive:

Loches-3

Thursday Doors 9 June 2016

 

Thursday Doors: Chedigny en fleur

More doors from Chédigny this week and, as promised, this time with added flowers (particularly roses), for which the village is justly famous.

In this first image is apparently the oldest rose bush in the village, over a hundred years old. And you’ve got to love the purple paintwork.

Ched-2

Here are another two doors featuring Chédigny’s signature roses:

And finally, not roses but some pretty impressive wisteria:

Ched

Thursday Doors 2 June 2016