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Published: April 4th 2018
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It was a long day, but our trip from Bruges to Tours went according to plan, without any surprises along the way. Our pick-up at 7:00 AM in Bruges, the drive to the Brussels airport, and the flight from Brussels to Nantes were uneventful and on-schedule. We were met by our taxi driver at Nantes, who delivered us to our apartment in Tours following a 2-hour drive through the countryside of the Loire Valley.
Unfortunately, the wet weather that dogged us in Belgium followed us into France, as it rained throughout the drive to Tours. However, the rain did not dampen the warm welcome we received from our charming hostess, Sophie, who greeted us with fresh flowers and a bottle of champagne!
After entering the gate into the grounds of her property, named by a previous owner as the 'Villa Medicis', we knew how Dorothy must have felt when she suddenly found herself in the Land of Oz. It was as if we'd arrived at our very own mini-
château (plural
châteaux; defined as "a manor house or residence of the lord of the manor or a country house of nobility or gentry"!
(Wikipedia) As you can see from
today's photos, the buildings and grounds of this villa have an authentic French provincial ambience, complete with a small garden with tulips already in bloom. Our ground floor apartment, with access to the courtyard and garden, is furnished with many pieces of antique furniture and fixtures.
Sophie occupies the floor above, and she gave us a brief tour of her former living quarters, a 12th-century church (connected to the villa) that had been converted for that purpose by she and her former husband. I hope to learn more about the history of this church, and the villa, while we're here.
Sophie even offered to drive us to the nearest supermarket, saving us from a walk in the rain, for which we were immensely grateful. When we returned from the store, sunshine and blue skies made an appearance.
We're hoping for some more of the same during our 2-weeks in the city of Tours (pop. 140,000), which is situated on the lower reaches of the Loire river, between Orléans and the Atlantic coast. The Loire is the longest river in France, with a length of about 629 miles.
The surrounding Loire Valley is often called the "Garden
of France" because it is dotted with over a thousand
châteaux, each with distinct architectural elements from the early medieval to the late Renaissance periods. They were originally created as feudal strongholds, over the course of centuries, and served as a strategic divide between southern and northern France.
Our plan is to visit a small sample of these magnificent
châteaux, many of which are now privately owned, during our stay in Tours.
Dee's comments: Bye-bye Bruges, goodbye! I would have loved to stay longer, but we weren't prepared for the cold. Perhaps we'll see you again with the flowers in bloom, and some warmer temps!
Up at 4:30 AM this morning; the taxi was thankfully on-time, and the driver very nice; then a short flight to Nantes, and a long drive in the rain to reach Tours. Oh, my - we are staying in a little French villa! The kind and friendly owner (Sophie) welcomed us with flowers and a bottle of champagne, then drove us to the grocery store for essentials. Oh, the biggest news of today? Mitch finally has a robe to wear! Very tired tonight....
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Jeni
non-member comment
Now you know you are heaven when you have a robe and a French baguette. Another charming apartment. Rest up, new adventures await! ?????