While in Paris, we were delighted to bump into an old acquaintance, Jean-Paul Othoniel. Well, not literally, although we did meet him in the Church of Our Lady of Bout-des-Ponts, Amboise when his installation Tour d’Or Blanc was inaugurated on 16 October 2021.

After more than five hundred years, thousands of books and millions of words written about Leonardo da Vinci, there are not many mysteries left surrounding him.

Hidden from the road is a (sadly rusting) Meccano type contraption known as The Éolienne Bollée.

The Witan (Wise Men) of London chose the King of England. Bastards were not eligible that is until one, a Frenchman declared himself king.

Many beautiful Town Halls in France are re-jiggled châteaux which were built for royalty and the upper crust. Not so Tours. This grandiose palace - no exaggeration - fit for a king, was built by the people (the Council) for the people.

Its rather ugly plinth detracts from this wonderful work of art. It looks rather forlorn. Plonked down in a rather unlovely street. No wonder the half-man, half-bird looks as if it is preparing to take off.

On 30 September 1174, Montlouis-sur-Loire witnessed an important rapprochement between members of the most dysfunctional of all dysfunctional royal families.

Cunning, duplicitous John, favourite son of Henry II. He plotted to relieve his brother Richard, his mother’s favourite, of the throne and asked his father to keep Richard away from England for as long as possible.