Paris1972-Versailles2003

Here is another perfect example of the multitude of choices we have in my belle France. I have come to Angers several times, and even had lunch there with my boss who is and lives there. I have chosen several monuments including the fine arts museum, but this part which is just an annex next to it I overlooked telling you about yikes! Time to remedy this forgetfulness of mine.

Let me tell you a bit more on the Gallery of David of Angers or La galerie David d’Angers annex to the Fine Arts Museum or musée des Beaux-Arts of Angers. It is part of the Toussaint complex which includes the garden and  fine arts museum, the David d’Angers gallery and the municipal library.

The galerie David d’Angers or  David d’Angers gallery is a museum located in Angers in Maine-et-Loire dept 49 ,in the region of Pays de la Loire. It is on the site of the former Toussaint abbey.

It is dedicated to the works of the sculptor David d’Angers, from whom it takes his name. The collection is mainly composed of original plasters which are the preparatory stages for bronze or marble sculpture. An Angevin artist Pierre-Jean David d’Angers, sculptor, medalist and designer of the 19C, produced a large quantity of works. In 1811, he offered the city of Angers three of these rewarded works and from 1839 the city of Angers dedicates an exhibition space to him, located for almost one hundred and fifty years in the refectory of the Museum of Fine Arts. At the beginning of the 20C, the museum’s most important sculpture collection is that of David d’Angers, comprising more than 400 pieces given by the artist, completed in 1903 by the donation of Mrs. Leferme, wife of David-d’Angers.

In the early 1980s the decision was made to transfer the exhibition to the old Toussaint abbey, dating from the 12C and completely restructured in 1984. The roof and its frame, for example, were made of metal beams completely covered with glass panels allowing natural overhead light to pass, the whole being decorated with local materials such as tufa and slate The David d’Angers gallery is created in 1983 and inaugurated on May 22, 1984 to the public.

The works of David d’Angers are today scattered in several parts of the world, mainly in Europe and the United States. The David d’Angers gallery provides access to the works in a unique place, the collection of which mainly consists of plaster workshop models. There are statues, busts and medallions. The sculpture collections, imposing by their size, are placed at a low level so as to create a perspective from the mezzanine. You can see a major work there, consisting of preparatory work for the realization of the pediment of the Pantheon in Paris including a sculpture made in the third and visible at eye level..The mezzanine accommodates the smallest works, drawings, busts of literary personalities, politicians or friends of David, as well as a hundred medallions.

The David d’Angers gallery offers a renewed display of its collections. This is how the establishment presented in 2014 the artist’s drawings for the decor of the Odéon theatre in Paris for example. A nice addition to see while in Angers!

Some webpages to help you plan your trip here and is a must are

The museums of Angers on the gallery David d’Angers in English: Museums of Angers on the gallery of David d’Angers

Tourist office of Angers on the Gallery of David d’Angers in English: Tourist office of Angers on the Gallery David d’Angers

And voilà a wonderful spot in city center Angers not to miss… well I did came back and on my blog too. Hope you enjoy the Galerie David d’Angers as we did

And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all!!!

Ok so if the others were small, this one is smallist a village really but oh so wonderful of my Tarn dept 81 of the Occitanie region of my belle France. This is Saint Lieux lés Lavaur!!

This is what happened when you step into a car and let your wheels do the numbers in the French countryside. Awesome!! we love the freedom of travel by car. And this area is prime for it. OF course , briefly mentioned in previous posts, but let me tell you a bit more on this nice little village of Saint Lieux lés lavaur!!

This one is a bit easier to get to as it is close to the A68 autoroute du pastel east of Toulouse and west of Graulhet and a bit south of Giroussens; all previously written in my blog. You get on the Toulouse beltway A61 and get off at exit/sortie 15 La Rosseraie to connect to the A68 follow this until exit/sortie 6 St Sulpice la Pointe or D630 road.  On the village of La Pivraine take left on communal road and follow signs for Saint Lieux. The town is south of Lisle sur Tarn and north of Lavaur (see posts on the above towns).

Saint-Lieux-lès-Lavaur  is watered by the Agout river, which is a tributary of the Tarn river. Saint-Lieux lés Lavaur is located at 2 km east of Saint-Sulpice-la-Pointe.  A bit of history I like says that in 1240, Raymond VII was Count of Toulouse, son of Raymond VI, count of  Toulouse, Saint-Gilles, Marquis of Gothie and Provence, Duke of Narbonne and  Jeanne of England. He is then Lord of Saint-Lieux-lès-Lavar.  By 1655, the town is given to the bishop of Lavaur. At the end of the 17C, Saint-Lieux was part of the township of Lavaur circa 1802-1803.

Saint-Lieux lés Lavaur, also experienced all the rigors of civil wars, being occupied several times by the Protestant troops who destroyed the Saint-Léonce Church raised at the end of the 16C. Saint-Lieux was the seat of a large parish which formerly included several annexes: ND de Pierrecise, Saint-Jean-de-Rives, Saint-Martin. It will finally be given at the very beginning of the reign of Louis XIV to the bishop of Lavaur and its future will oscillate between the canton of Saint-Sulpice in 1790, and that of Lavaur to which it returns under the Empire. The Saint-Léonce Church, reconstructed in bricks, in the style of southern Gothic, dates from the years 1844-1845; it is arranged in a Latin cross with a chevet of five sides and a wall bell tower with a height of 21 meters.

A bit on the village of Saint Lieux lés Lavaur from the tourist office of the Tarn dept 81 in English: Tourist office of Tarn on Saint Lieux lés lavaur

However, what took us here at the village of Saint Lieux lés Lavaur was an interesting real train ride from the old days, and still kept alive by enthusiasts, the ride is wonderful for the entire family.

It starts at the former Tarn Steam Tramway station in the center of Saint-Lieux lés Lavaur. It crosses the departmental road, passes through the center of a street lined with houses and enters after crossing the switches giving access to the depot, along a local road to a place called the Port. It then crosses the Agout river on a reinforced concrete railway bridge covered with bricks and which includes six arches overhanging the river at 20 meters. The route offers in short everything that makes the charm of the Tarn landscape: a river, the Agout, a wood forest , the Garrigole, and a high hill village Giroussens (see post), and finally a garden les Martels.

Its call  the chemin de fer touristique du Tarn . It is listed as an association of Acova ,and has five locomotives of vapor, 3 locomotives electric, and 25  locotracteurs or road switchers!! The official webpage in English is here: Chemin de fer Touristique du Tarn

The CFTT of Saint Lieux lés Lavaur from the city page in French: Village of St Lieux les lavaur on the CFTT train

The local tourist office of Agout Tarn on the Saint Lieux lés Lavaur train in French but nice pictures: Tourist office of Tarn Agout on St Lieux lés Lavaur train

The train ride is awesome with great views and fun family outing. The area is glorious deep Tarn French countryside, an off the beaten path yes but now hopefully you all can come and ride it when you can. Hope you enjoy the Train ride at Saint Lieux lés Lavaur.

And remember, happy travels , good health, and many cheers to all!!!