July 4th at Chateau du Petit Thouars, Waterlogue

Independence Day at the Chateau du Petit Thouars is a 2-day affair in the Loire valley.

I get down on the ground to capture all the turrets.

The castle in Waterlogue app. Have you tried  painting photos with it?

We make an early morning run for the fabulous Mara des Bois berries.

You will have to search far and wide in Paris to find these upper crust strawbs. Maybe at a super fine Primeur at super prices if you're lucky.

They never seem to go off like supermarket berries. No sugar required btw.

My berries are a long way from looking like Waterlogue's.

Strawberries are so hard to capture unlike cherries, July's Paris Sketch Letter subject.

Raspberries are easier - all nice bumps. These were hand-picked by the goat cheese lady in her garden.

You can taste her 3 kinds of chevre - frais, semi-sec, sec.

Finding the  chevre frais in the city is hard. The Summer is when its best.

Cupcake hunting during the day from British Teresa's Tearoom.

Grasshopper hunting in the evening instead of fireworks.

Dimitri keeps watch in the cool tasting room, guarding berries, goat cheese and watercolors. And chateau wines of course. Temperatures reach 35-36!

Marche runs to the village of Montsoreau.

I get blueberries and raspberries. Gather ye berries whilst ye can.

Breakfast is outside under the lime trees. I stay on an extra day. Hard to leave the country. Life is one big picnic in the Loire Vallee. You Must Go!

Taking the Intercity train from Gare l'Austerlitz to Tours takes an hour longer but you get a taste of the Loire while waiting.

I’m Carol Gillott, an artist living in Paris. Every month I send out beautifully illustrated letters that capture the true Parisian experience. 

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Thanks for reading PB 🍓

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Back to my own river Seine. Back to reality...not so easy to make the switch.