The boys roar through the village

 Before the storm: inhabitants of Epeigné enjoying their day of free fishing

Here comes the rain...

A few minutes later it's a torrent

A couple of doves feeding after the storm

A very dry start to the year
Up to Friday 22nd April only 54mm of rain had fallen in Epeigné in 2011. Then on Saturday afternoon there was a sharp rain storm with 11mm falling in a matter of minutes. Similarly yesterday as the photos above show with perhaps more than 11mm falling. 

Vegetable stall in the centre of the market

The Wednesday morning market in Loches is always worth a visit if you are in the area. We would have gone to the Saturday edition last week but as it was pouring with rain it didn't appeal.

L'Ecremières: the excellent cheese stall

Street in the heart of the market

In the pink – the happy pig!

Reflections of the market in the Café du Balto windows

Café du Balto: time for a calm coffee while watching the bustling market

Wine shop: Les flaveurs de la Terre

L'Hotel de Ville, Tours

Report in today's La Nouvelle République about the increasing number of truffles now being grown in Indre-et-Loire with news of the first truffle market in Tours on Wednesday 30th December at L'Hotel de Ville, Place Jean Jaurès. Marigny-Marmande (between Sainte-Maure-en-Touraine and Châtellerault) held the 16th edition of its annual truffle fair yesterday.

The Loire, in particular Indre-et-Loire, used to be famous for its truffles. Following the arrival of phylloxera in the region in the later half of the 19th century, a number of vignerons diversified and planted truffle oaks. The trade in truffles continued until the start of the First World War. Over the past decade or so there has been a renaissance.

'Hier à Marigny-Marmande, dans huit jours, à Tours. Les rendez-vous populaires autour de la truffe se multiplient. La truffe de Touraine fait parler d'elle.

La Touraine, ce n'est pas que l'andouillette et les rillons : c'est aussi la truffe. Eh oui ! La véritable truffe (Tuber melanosporum, dite truffe du Périgord) n'est pas la propriété du Sud de la France ou de l'Italie. L'Indre-et-Loire compte des truffières réputées et ici aussi, comme en Berry ou en Saumurois, on produit le champignon le plus cher du monde.'

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