Blogs from Centre, France, Europe - page 13

We left Tours at 8.30am with nice cool temperatures - cool enough to wear a top with sleeves. We were happy. And, there was a tail wind. It was a nice easy bike ride along the river Cher, mostly along the stop bank. We went through the usual grain fields and lovely small and very old hamlets. Our objective was Villandry where we were keen to visit the gardens. Since the others wanted to visit the chateau at the same time, we figured it best for us to continue on for the day on our own. Linds wanted me to complete the 60kms and not take the shorter distance by cutting out some of the route. I wasn't keen to do the distance if the high temps continued. However, it was a lot cooler and the ... read more

We got away a little earlier than usual and after buying our baguettes and fillings we began the next leg of cycling by the Amboise Chateau, through the town and uphill past some very old houses before taking several turns to head out into the country - all in the name of staying off the main roads. It was a bit cooler in the morning with a nice wind blowing and shadows in our direction. We went through some forest and then into countryside mostly of grain growing but also dairying much like at home - the milking shed, large tractors, round bales of hay and a workers house (much better than is supplied to many farm workers in NZ). We eventually arrived at the Chateau de Chenonceau which is a must see, as chateaus go. ... read more

Today was to be a big day but I didn't bargain on how big since we were to bike just over 70kms which is more than I've ever done. It was going to be hot too, but I didn't bargain on how hot! It was 35 degrees out at the furthest part of our biking so we were at the point of no return. We left Beaugency at around 9am and biked along the river and flat grain farms mostly as well as small quaint villages that appeared unaltered for years. I expected this trip to be along busy roads with many people but it has been the opposite. The biking path is part of the Loire a Velo so much of it is on a superb surface (except for later). It is truly very picturesque ... read more

Today was a driving day. 650kms from Grindelwald to Orleans in France. The route was essentially to Bern, Newchatel, over the border into France through the Jura's then towards Paris and finally south to Orleans. We left at 9am and arrived at 5.15pm with four stops along the way to give Lindsay a rest, a drink and a shake up for the next 100 or so. The first part of the journey to the French border was interesting enough through cropping country mainly. Into the Jura mountains it became very rocky - mainly weathered limestone and clay. Once out of the hills we went into dairying country, followed by miles of cropping in the rolling country and down to the vast flats. It was surprisingly quite sparsely populated. The further west we went closer to Paris ... read more

Geo: 47.4104, 0.981122 The Chateau d'Ussé was the chateau we visited in the morning. This stronghold at the edge of the Chinon forest was first fortified in the eleventh century by the Norman, Seigneur of Ussé. The site later passed to the Comte de Blois, who rebuilt the chateau in stone. This chateau was one of several that inspired Walt Disney in the creation of many of the Disney Castles.In the afternoon we visited Château d'Azay-le-Rideau. The chateau was built between 1518 and 1527, and is one of the most popular of the Loire Vallet chateau. For dinner we went to Auberge de Launay, which is a restaurant we visited on our last trip to the Loire Valley. ... read more