Thursday 15 April 2010

Pots of Tea and Deco...

Crikey what happened to March, all of a sudden it's mid-April? We have been so busy with our Loire Wine Tours and B&B at La Grande Maison that we have had little time to update the blog. So just in case you have missed us we promised Virginie that we would tell you about her beautiful shop Pots & Deco in Candes St Martin, east of Saumur, in the Loire Valley.


It's a great spot to stop for a pot of tea or coffee on your route along the Loire River, all beautifully served in 'iiiii's' pottery. Virginie Boitiau in case you wondered where all the i's came from! Her signature on her works is iiiii.


Virginie takes her inspiration from the vineyards. Take this little pot for example, the blue colour is produced from the copper sulphate which is sprayed onto vines to protect them from mildew. Virginie collects the ash from burnt vine posts and makes a glaze for the pots. The reddish markings on the pots are created from the iron in the nails from the vine posts.


Take time to have a look at Stephanie Lherbette's painted furniture too....

....soft natural tones and muted hues.

Or disappear down into the wine cave "Enfin du Vin' to discover a fine selection of Loire Valley and Navarre wines.