Loire valley cycle, day 2 - Angers to Saumur

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Sadly because of our delayed travel the day before, we missed exploring Angers and its Apocalypse tapestries. But that's ok, much beauty and culture and old things await us!

We had a pleasant cycle through countryside on small roads with little traffic with road markings for cycles even in the smallest of towns. Since it was Sunday only some bakeries seemed to be open. Pain aux raisins, or croissant aux amandes? Both silly! We got into the habit of second breakfasts. Why eat a cardboard energy bar when you can enjoy a buttery pain au chocolat?

Outside of Couture we found a privately owned troglodyte, or cave dwelling, and then vowed to find a museum in a cave so we could go inside one. We found an expensive restaurant deep inside the Cave de Moines, and musty pathways filled with gorgeous fungus in the Musee du Champignon.

In Saumur we were reacquainted with the Loire, a calm wide river with tree-lined banks. I can recognize now what Monet was painting. The campground was very close to the town center, which was a theme we observed throughout the week: campgrounds in small towns were conveniently close to town, while in big cities they were at least several km outside.

By happy coincidence, we happen upon a local wine festival in Saumur, with a fair number of English who ferry over and then bring back crates of inexpensive but lovely French wine back with them. For 3 euro you buy a tasting glass and then can have all the wine you want. We didn't find anything worth carting with us over the next week, but the chevre was delicate, and the fresh baked flat bread stuffed with nutella was the perfect dessert before dinner.

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