Tag Archives: Tours

The Touraine: host to the world’s first solar powered home…..in1864!

Posted on August 20, 2015 by Jim McNeill

The next time you are in the city of Tours take a trip along the rue Bernard Palissy and stop outside of number 4. There you will see an old stone plaque on the facade of a house: “A. Mouchot … Continue reading →

Posted in 19th Century Touraine, Augustin Mouchot, Electricity generation, Solar Power, Tours | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Pigeon Post from Tours? The siege of Paris and the use of microdots!

Posted on August 3, 2015 by Jim McNeill

France declared war on Prussia in July of 1870 and so began the Franco-Prussian War, 1870-71 (1).  The south German states, allied with Prussia and the superior organisation and Krupp manufactured artillery pieces of the Prussian and German armies made … Continue reading →

Posted in 19th Century Touraine, Franco-Prussian War (1870-71), Pigeons, Postal Service, Tours | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The trams are coming! The trams are coming!

Posted on February 4, 2014 by Jim McNeill

So, the first stage of the tram system has opened in Tours (August, 2014) and how gorgeous it looks; stylish, futuristic, silent and dreamy car-free sweeps of open roadways…..yes, I love them trams! Here are some pics Sandra and I … Continue reading →

Posted in 21st Century, Tours, Transport ~ roal. rail, water | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

The taking of Tours by Philippe Dieu-donné (1189).

Posted on September 4, 2012 by Jim McNeill

This image below shows Philippe Dieu-donné, “the God-given”, Philip II of France (1165-1223), taking Tours in 1189. He was the French king who finally managed to break the power of the Angevin (Kings of England, Dukes of Normandy, Aquitaine, and … Continue reading →

Posted in 12th Century, Philippe Dieu-donné, Tours | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

1590 map of France & the Loire Valley

Posted on July 15, 2012 by Jim McNeill

1590 map of France along with an extract showing the Touraine/Loire Valley Region. To see enlarged versions just right-click on either image and chose to ‘open link in new window’ or ‘open link in a new tab’. From the French … Continue reading →

Posted in 16th Century, Loire River and Loire Basin, Maps | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Beautiful images of the Touraine ~ from Dawn Lincoln

Posted on April 2, 2012 by Jim McNeill

Hi all There are some marvelous images of the Touraine Region on the blog of photographer, Dawn Lincoln. Do visit; Jardins de Villandry, Rocamadour/Tours/Toulouse and Touraine en Automne I know that Dawn’s a visitor to my blog, so, a big … Continue reading →

Posted in 21st Century, Agricultural labour, architecture, Loire River and Loire Basin, Tours, Villandry, Vineyards | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Maillé and Luynes in the Touraine ~ C17th images by Louis Boudan

Posted on February 6, 2012 by Jim McNeill

The commune of Maillé in the Touraine is burned into the minds of many as the place of the Second World War massacre. But, of course, the small town and its surrounding district has more history than that single tragic … Continue reading →

Posted in 13th Century, 14th Century, 15th Century, 16th Century, 17th Century, 18th Century, 19th Century Touraine, 20th Century, architecture, Artists, Bronze Age, French Revolution, Louis Boudan, Louis XIII, Luynes, Maillé, Maps, Medieval history, Pre-History, Protestantism + Huguenots, Silk Industry, Tours, Transport ~ roal. rail, water, Vineyards | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Jim McNeill’s Touraine honeymoon – 1888

Posted on February 4, 2012 by Jim McNeill

Now, here’s a thing you may not have known. James McNeill Whistler (the American artist of “Whistler’s Grandmother” fame) came to the Touraine when on honeymoon with his English wife, the recently widowed Beatrix (née Birnie Philip) in the summer … Continue reading →

Posted in 19th Century Touraine, Amboise, Artists, Loches, Tours | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

C17th Marmoustier Abbey at Tours and C17th maps of the Loire at Marmoustier and Montlouis

Posted on January 26, 2012 by Jim McNeill

For further images and the history of Marmoustier Abbey visit my earlier post. For further C17th images of maps of the Loire at Tours just click here to visit an older posting.

Posted in 17th Century, architecture, Loire River and Loire Basin, Marmoustier Abbey, Montlouis, Tours | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

More Touraine photographs from the library of the Neurdein brothers c.1880

Posted on January 24, 2012 by Jim McNeill

Further to my recent post of photographs of Chateaux of the Loire Valley below are further images by the Neurdein Brothers of Paris. The images can be found on the website of the Bibliothèque nationale de France – where you … Continue reading →

Posted in 19th Century Touraine, Amboise, architecture, Azay-le-Rideau, Chambord, Chaumont-sur-loire, Chenonceau, Langeais, Loches, Loire River and Loire Basin, Louis-Antonin Neurdein, Luynes, Tours | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment