Loire River Valley

By the end of August 1983, I was making my way back to Paris via the Loire River Valley. This area, about a two hour drive from Paris, is known not only for its excellent wines but also for its magnificent Chateaus and quaint towns that date back to day one. The train schedules proved to be too complicated. So, I decided to hitch-hike between the towns of Langeais, Saumur,  Azay-Le -Rideau,  Angers, and Chinon.  This area is really the heart of France. Chinon was the residence of Charles VII and was where Joan-de-Arc persuaded Charles to take up the French crown and drive the English out of France. In 1940, in the battle of Saumur, teenaged French cadets from the Cadre Noir put up a fierce resistance against the advancing German army and throughout the war continued to resist the occupation. For their patriotism, the town was awarded the Croix de Guerre with palm. Saumur is located between the Loire and Thouet rivers and is dominated by the fortress Le Chateau et la Loire situated on a high hill. The day I arrived in Saumur it glowed a magnificent  gold in the afternoon light and reflected in the wide Loire River below its ramparts. The town built of a beautiful but fragile local stone seemed to naturally grow layer on layer  from the river banks.  I strolled through the town and settled on a venue by the river to do a watercolor. As it usually happened in small town France, I drew a gaggle of curious local children who encouraged my work and kept me company.

Saumur France, Watercolor, 2014