The topics of this blog are Armand-Jean du Plessis, Cardinal Duke of Richelieu, and the IDEAL CITY built on his command next to his magnificent CHÂTEAU on the borders of Touraine, Anjou and Poitou, in France.

Wednesday 24 February 2016

Myriam soldiers on....


There seem to be signs of life at the Fossé Saint Ange.  Everybody was upset when stormy weather set in domestically; everyone regretting the anticipated loss of a favourite restaurant which always seemed to demonstrate the best qualities of the ville idéale to its cultural visitors.

(...although it was sometimes hard to get a booking...)

Myriam needs our support and patronage, even if these new open days are only 
'the last days of pompeii'!



Myriam tucks in...
***

the place du Marché Richelieu in February 2016

a view looking north-east
One of the nice things about gridded 17th century neo-classical towns is that they are often actually perceived in the diagonal. Then the forms suddenly are seen in diagonal perspective and orthogonally-aligned buildings fill unexpected vistas; in this case, one of  the rear pavilions of the halle fits between the standardised slate roofs of the other pavilions and an hôtel particulier
One of the characteristics of 17th century French buildings is that each rectangular block of the building's plan has its own 'pyramidal' capping roof - they were not generally linked together until a later 18th century became more exuberant and adventurous in their roof-scape design and engineering.

***

Sunday 14 February 2016

What is the collective noun for 'picnic tables'?


…maybe a picnic in the parc de Richelieu with your true-love?…
…is there a table free?…
14 February 2016

Table No.1

Table No.2

Tables Nos. 3 & 4

Table No. 5

Table No.6

Table No.7

Table No.8

Tables No. 9 & 10

Table No.11

***

Thursday 11 February 2016

The phantom cardinal-duc

…a huge spooky and shadowy figure appeared...
Le Chasteau de Richelieu
 or
L'Histoire des Dieux et des Heros de l'Antiquité,
avec des Réfléxions morales.
par Mr. Benjamin Vignier - à Saumur
chez Henri Desbordes, imprimeur
& Marchand Librairie
1681
avec privilege du Roy

Benjamin Vignier was the steward in charge of the Château de Richelieu shortly after the cardinal duc's lifetime. He left this detailed description of the palace in 1681, presumably in the lifetime of the second duke. It is the principal written text describing the magnificent building at its apogee and detailing the artistic treasures that it contained, in particular the painting, the statues and busts of Roman antiquities.
click here below



Richelieu in Love
or
The Youth of Charles 1

This 1850's play about Queen Anne of Austria and her paramour Lord Buckingham was a popular production on the London stage.
click here below

***

Monday 1 February 2016

The façade of the old opticians on the Grande Rue in grand ru-in

Gone bust - now rebuilt
pretty sign, isn't it!
***