Loire Update

15 September – 17 September.

No internet access at present so will do this and upload later.

15/9 Leaving Paris. We got our bond back. Phew. It was a short walk to the Europcar office on the other side of Gare de Monparnasse. We had sussed this out the day previous as it was not obvious. Drive on the RIGHT! Drive on the RIGHT! Drive on the RIGHT!

Navigated our way toward Versailles successfully. A short drive and parked at the entrance. After several reasonably efficient queues we were inside. Versailles is a wonderful palace, but there were a lot of other people appreciating it too. We braved the crowd through the interior and walked to the ponds and had our picnic. Re-energised we headed for the Hamlet. The kids did really well. We visited Le Petit Trianon and the Queens Hamlet. They enjoyed the Carp (swarming/ teaming) in the ponds, the goats, pigs, cattle, rabbits and chooks…

Exhausted we caught a bus/train to the Chateau and left. We drove to Seilliac on the Loire and were a little late. We have a nice place, plenty of rooms and beds, no linen however. Oh well. No food either so visited a local pizzeria.

16/9 A rest day. We are all quite tired with all of the travelling. Do some washing and head into town- Chaumont sur Loire is our local Chateau town. We drove through as there was not too much there and stopped in Amboise- a lovely town. Very nice pedestrianized streets and old town. Had breakfast in a patisserie- croissants, coffee, tea and apple juice and pain aux chocolate.

Lyn did a massive shop at our local Supermarche in Onzain and we whiled away the afternoon with an outdoor lunch and an evening BBQ. It was warm, sunny and the evening very comfortable.

17/9 Le Chateau. We drove to Chenanceau this morning and it was coincidentally a European national monument day (weekend) so kids were free- bonus. Toured through the interior without the obligatory self-guided headsets. These seem to really annoy Lyn. It is a lovely Chateau, my favourite. Looked through the gardens and had an ice cream to keep the kids going. The maze was a favourite though quite easy.  Had a picnic at the Chateau before heading into Tours. Found the central old town and had a look around. Stopped for a break as Ash was whinging about having a Crepe.  Bought some bread and explored the Halles an undercover market. Rabbit, Tiremes, rolled roasts, boneless duck, pate, tripe and tongue. Very interesting stuff.

We drove home had dinner and all went to bed early.

Warren