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Published: August 31st 2008
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I decide to head out on the D46 towards Amboise, instead of the straighter looking D31. I’m soon up onto open cornfields again, battling a strong headwind. Occasionally there is some respite when the road passes through forests and hedges.
The 1960s Michelin maps I am using have proved very successful. The only inaccuracies are ones that don’t matter - the occasional autoroute or TGV line, and many of the railway lines on the map proving to have fallen into disuse. But even the latter point is not a real problem, as you can always spot a railway even if disused, from the embankments and the characteristic railway buildings that you pass where there was once a level crossing. “Spot the old railway” has become an interesting diversion.
I am soon approaching my planned crossing point of the Loire at Amboise, which is an imposing town - although somewhat full of tourists. My map suggests continuing directly south through the old town, but traffic nowadays is directed left or right along the bank of the river. Fortunately I spot a cycle route sign to Chenonceaux, which takes me in exactly the right direction, along small streets that go straight
up from the river past the Chateau d’Amboise. Following this route I emerge from the town at the top of the hill and follow cycle route signs through the Foret d’Amboise. This seems a comparatively busy route, probably due to tourists visiting Chenonceaux.
Approaching Chenonceaux, which is on the Cher, I decide to cross the river at Civray-de-Touraine rather than turn left and join what will undoubtedly be a throng of tourists visiting the famous Chateau de Chenonceaux. I note that I have now entered a major wine region, the Touraine. Across the river and up the hill I find myself in a more varied environment, with vineyards mixed with maize and corn-fields. I stop for a rest by an elegant wine-growers(?) hut and then on over more windswept plains. Finally I see forests approaching and stop at the small village of St Quentin for a picnic lunch on a bench overlooking the valley of the Indrois, a small tributary of the Indre which I will reach later. From this vantage point I can see the I am nearly in the Foret de Loches. There is a fig tree growing close by so it must be getting warmer.
The next section through the forest and into Loches is more interesting and sheltered from the wind. Approaching Loches I decide to stay on the eastern side of the Indre which misses the town and takes me instead through Beaulieu-les-Loches which has a grand ruined church. Then I follow a very picturesque route through meadows and woods with views down to the river. This continues all the way to Chatillon-sur-Indre, an interesting town on a hill with a huge mediaeval tower at the centre.
Great! A municipal campsite is signposted. I also notice for the first time there are signs to Limoges, as an alternate route to the autoroute. This seems like progress, as my final destination is only about a day’s cycling past Limoges.
Having pitched my tent on the well-tended camp site which lies between the river and a defunct railway line, I bike up to the town to look for sustenance. After 91km I am a little saddle-sore and find standing on the pedals proves more comfortable than sitting down. A promising dining option appears to be the Auberge de la Tour, a Logis de France, which has a sign outside conferring the grand award
of the Marmite d’Or, 2005. On closer inspection, it seems from the lack of activity and the officious letters in the window that the hotel has been closed down by the Mairie. This is due to “failure to implement required changes in order to meet regulations, especially fire regulations, despite repeated reminders”. Back to the drawing board.
I do the rounds of the establishments in the small town centre. The best I can find is a café where I am served a beer by a disinterested three-fingered barman. It looks as if the best they can offer is a croque monsieur. Unwilling to accept this is the best that Chatillon can offer, I resume my search and finally find a Routiers restaurant right by the D13/D943 intersection. This does an excellent 4-course fixed menu meal including wine and coffee for 15 euros. Despite this apparently being the only eating place in town open, there are only six other diners, which seems to say something about the state of the French economy (or at least this regions).
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