At 2 am this morning, we finished the kitchen after exactly 3 months. Jean Michel has done a splendid job but we are both exhausted! The tiles on the left of the window are the 18th century tiles we bought in Portugal last September.
The rest of this week will be spent getting the house ready for the paying guests who are coming while we are on holiday. In fact, our favourite guests, Sandy and Bill, who are coming to stay for the 4th year in a row, will get to try out the new kitchen before we do. I want to apply a special protective coating to the grouting between the tiles and I need the grouting to dry for 3 days and then for the protective coating to dry 36 hours which takes us to our departure on Sunday.
Our first stop is Lake Garda for at least 3 days, cycling along the eastern side, then we’ll work our way across Italy – we’ve never been to Padua – through Slovenia and then Croatia (Zaghreb) and maybe onto Bucharest or Budapest to continue cycling along the Danube. We will be guided by the weather and possible cycling areas. I will be drawing inspiration from all Anda’s posts on Romania in her wonderful travel blog Travel Notes and Beyond.
Until we leave, you may not hear from me again but once we get going, I’ll probably be posting every second day. While Jean Michel writes up the travel journal, I write my posts.
I have just received emails from two Sydney readers asking about visiting Paris in December so I decided to answer them in a blog post so that other travellers could benefit from my responses and experienced readers give their opinion.
Marie asks:
Can you tell me how cold it is in Paris in early December compared to our Sydney winter? I want to be sure I am prepared and I want to know if wearing thermal undergarments and jeans and Australian winter coat would be enough to keep us warm.
I have seen snow in Paris in December so it can be cold, i.e. close to zero. Indoors, there will always be heating, sometimes quite high, especially in cafés and museums where people’s body heat adds to the temperature.
The secret is wearing several layers because warm air builds up in-between the layers of clothing which means that two thin pullovers are warmer than one thick one. It also means that you can take off layers if you are too hot.
Thermal underwear or even tights or leggings under jeans should keep you warm. I did not wear thermal underwear in Paris – I would have been too hot – but I find it useful now I am living in a house in the country which is not overheated.
Make sure you have decent hats and gloves. Silk gloves under woollen or leather gloves will add an extra layer. You can buy silk gloves cheaply in sports stores (Go Sport, Decathlon) in Paris as they are used for skiing.
Are the cafes, attractions, museums all opened in December?
Paris is popular venue all year round and nothing closes in the winter as far as I know.
Some sites say (and I may be understanding it wrong) that there is fewer daylight hours during the day. Is this true?? if so can you tell me how many hours I can walk around while the sun is still out.
In the summer, with daylight saving, it doesn’t get dark until 11 pm while in December, which has the shortest hours of the year, it doesn’t get light until 9 am and then gets dark again around 4.30 pm. However, everything is well lit at night so you wouldn’t have to worry about safety issues. It may not necessarily be sunny though. You could find yourself with only pale light all day if it’s rainy or overcast.
Are the supermarkets and groceries similar to Australian products? Are the labels in French or English?
Some products are similar, some are different. It all depends on what sort of food you are looking for. Very often, the ingredients are also in English, but not always. You’d have to go to a special store for Vegemite, for example.
My daughter is prone to getting sick and has asthma. If I had to buy medication would I find brands that I know eg. panadol, codral, vicks.
Medication around the world is more or less the same these days, but the brand names are different. You need to know the name of the “molecule”. For example, Panadol is paracetamol and comes under the brand name of Doliprane here. Codral, on the other hand, is a mixture of ingredients and is mainly sold in Australia and New Zealand. You should bring a box with you. Vicks is readily available. I always travel with small amounts of the medication I use most frequently. That way, you can take something immediately and then take a sample to the pharmacy. You will find someone to speak English in most pharmacies in Paris, particularly in the tourist areas.
Elaine asks:
My 19-year old daughter and I arrive on Sunday 6 December in Paris. We are having difficulty finding a clean, warm, budget hotel with twin beds and an ensuite. This is my first trip overseas without my husband and I am a bit nervous about booking, paying and regretting. I have been considering the Latin district as I think my daughter would fit in as she is a university student. Was hoping around the $1200 mark (750 euro) for the 7 nights, don’t mind paying more or less if location is going to save time and transport hassles. I’m assuming they would have heating, particularly for this time of the year.
Yes, there will be heating. Your budget seems a little low to me though I may be wrong. I don’t have any personal recommendations, but I suggest that you consider renting an apartment through AirBnB as it would probably be cheaper for a week. I assume you have read my post on The Best Area to Stay in Paris. Fodor’s forum is also an excellent source when looking for hotels.
Wondering if I should book a shuttle from airport to hotel as we would have been flying for 19 hours and may be very tired. Or perhaps the metro?
There is a high-speed train (RER) from Charles de Gaulle to the middle of the city. It costs 10 euro per person. It depends on where you’ll be staying. Booking a shuttle could take some of the stress out of the trip.
When we came 10 years ago, the queue at the Louvre Museum was enormous last time and with children was not worth it.
It’s very easy to buy your tickets in various places ahead of time. Click here for more information.
The Eiffel Tower from Bir Hakeim bridge in winter
Eiffel Tower – I believe it is not very visible in the winter, so from the ground would be ok Everything depends on the weather.
A clear sunny day in winter is just as good as summer! If you don’t go up, the best view is from Bir Harkeim bridge. Click here for a fun local bus ride from the Louvre.
Segway Paris Tour (not sure if this would be appropriate for December, what do you think?
I don’t have an anwser for this one. Any readers have any experience with segways?
Moulin Rouge Show (Booked Thursday 10 December 9pm) Not sure how to get there? Although we have all day to find our way!
Very easy – you just take the metro to Blanche on line 2.
Paris Latin quarter walking tour – I think we would love this, although most websites are in excess of $300 AUD before we start shopping, can you recommend anyone? I’ve also read something about the Marais Neighbourhood, do you think we could find these areas on our own?
There are FREE walking tours of Paris. Just give the tip at the end that you think it deserves: http://www.discoverwalks.com/paris-walking-tours/. I haven’t tried one in Paris but have appreciated them in other European cities. The Left Bank tour, for example, is at 11 am and 2.30 pm every day. No need to book – you just turn up at the meeting point. There is a tour of the Marais at 2.30 pm and 5 pm every day but you could find your way there easily yourself. You could check out my post on the Marais. If you’d like to explore the area around the Louvre, you can also read my Powerwalking posts! Just enter powerwalking in the search box.
Christmas Markets – Saint-Sulpice etc. Be good to do some Christmas shopping while in Paris.
The Christmas markets have gone very much downhill in recent years. I don’t know the one at Saint Sulpice but my friend Sylvia Sabès, whose judgment I would trust recommends it in a post for Girls Guide to Paris on how to shop the Christmas markets.
There are two flea markets in Paris – Saint Ouen, which is a permanent market, and Porte de Montreuil which is only on Sundays. Follow the crowd when you get out at the Porte de Clignancourt metro and watch your purses!
There is a saying in France that 15th August which is a public holiday heralds the end of summer and with 15°C at 11 am on Sunday 16th, it seems as though it might be true. At least it’s sunny.
The town hall in Tavers with its garden
We arrive in Tavers, 40 minutes by car from Blois, around midday. We’ve chosen Tavers as our starting point rather than Beaugency in order to add on a few kilometers to reach our usual 40 K return. We’re not disappointed. It’s a pretty little town with a well-decorated town hall and the short cycle path to Beaugency is very pleasant, especially the view of the oldest bridge over the Loire as we approach the town.
Beaugency bridge from the bike path coming from Tavers
We’ve already cycled to Beaugency before but from Mer. We’ll visit the town again on the way back particularly as I recently came here with an Australian friend and discovered a few things I hadn’t seen before and would like to show them to Jean Michel. We’re intending to have lunch in Meung-sur-Loire and don’t want to get there too late.
Vineyards along the cycle path between Beaugency and Meung-sur-Loire
It’s a good cycle path mainly running along the river past vineyards and other crops. On the way, we suddenly come across a local fête in what seems like the middle of nowhere. There aren’t many people so we hope things will liven up during the afternoon.
A local fête on the bike path in the middle of nowhere
As we enter Meung, we see the main road is closed off. It’s the end of the Sunday morning market which mainly revolves around the old Halles or covered market. I later learn it was built in 1940 and renovated in 1985.
Arriving in Meung at the end of the market
We cycle up the little hill to Place du Martroi in front of Saint Liphard collegiate church and castle that we intend to visit after lunch. The last stragglers are still buying produce at the market stalls. We find a table at Le Café du Commerce, a traditional brasserie, and order fish and chips, a dish which has become very popular in France in recent times and varies considerably in quality. It’s not wonderful but still OK.
Lunch at the Café du Commerce
Next stop, the château, where we learn there are jousting matches today. There are a few people in mediaeval dress and a circle of spectators around the jousters. It all looks very amateurish and good fun. The kids and jousters are certainly getting a kick out of it. We hope there will be more people as the afternoon wears on.
Meung-sur-Loire is a privately owned castle which claims to be one of the largest and oldest châteaux in the Loire. It is badly in need of major renovation, especially some of the roofs. It isn’t a princely castle but the owners have gone out of their way to attract visitors. Many kings, including François I and Louis XI stayed here, it seems.
The bishop’s bathroom in Meung castle – very modern at the time
There are several unusual exhibitions, including a bishop’s bathroom, very luxurious for the times.
The church tower in Meung seen from the grounds of the castle
After climbing up to the rafters, we go down into the dungeons which explain why it once served as a prison.
Under the roof at Meung castle
More people are arriving as we leave in the hope of seeing jousting on horseback but it’s already 3.30 pm and it was supposed to start at 3. There are no sign of the horses.
Mediaeval tents in front of the castle in Meung next to the jousting ring
We cross the river to the other side and I am surprised and delighted to see a special traffic light for bikes.
The special traffic light for bikes just outside Meung
After a few kilometers along the river, we branch off to Cléry-Saint-André to visit the Notre Dame Basilica which is also a collegiate church and royal chapel. After many trials and tribulations it was reconstructed in the 17th century. We’ve been here before but it was cold and wet and the church was closed. The town is rather deserted but more attractive than last time.
The church of Cléry Saint André
Rather than go back the way we came, we decide to follow the loop indicated by the tourist office, which turns out to be a mistake. There is nothing very attractive about the return trip and we are pleased to get back to Beaugency, especially as the last 3 kilometers are on a busy road.
The square in Beaugency that we missed last time
At Beaugency, I take Jean Michel past the castle and on to the square we missed last time. There is a brasserie there and I’m hoping for an ice-cream. Unfortunately it’s closed and we don’t find anywhere else open that’s selling decent ice-creams so we have a cold drink instead.
The abbey church seen from the café where we didn’t have an ice-cream
It doesn’t take long to get back to Tavers. We’re very happy to have visited the castle in Meung and seen Beaugency again – but we won’t do the loop again!
Beaugency is a small town of 7,500 inhabitants on the banks of the Loire, about 30 km north of Blois and 40 km south of Orléans. The 400-metre long bridge, which dates back to the 12th century, has 23 arches and is said to be the oldest over the Loire. Beaugency is a pretty little town with cobblestones, a Renaissance town hall built in the 16th century, a castle, an abbey church and an 11th century church. It’s certainly worth a detour!
Beaugency bridgeCaesar’s Tower seen from the bridgeThe Loire seen from the BridgeThe abbey church seen from the backThe abbey church from the frontCaesar’s TowerThe courtyard of the castleThe central market (no longer used)The Renaissance town hall built in the 16th centuryThe main squareA well on one side of the squareLooking through the archway of the local collegeJoan of Arc who helped to win the Battle of Beaugency in 1429.
Sunday is cool and rainy so we have reserved our weekly cycling excursion for Monday which dawns bright and sunny. We are off by 10.30 am to Montrichard on the Cher River, about a half an hour’s drive from Blois, via Chaumont. We are going to get cycle maps at the tourist office.
Montrichard castle from the main street leading to the tourist office
They don’t have any. That’s a disappointment but we have seen on the Internet that there is a cycle path to Thésée about halfway along the 20 K route. We find a parking lot near the river and set out.
The Cher along the bike path leaving Montrichard
Initially the path is promising and we’re happy to be on our bikes again. The lack of maintenance, however, soon becomes obvious (read : the path is often rutted and you have to keep your eyes on the ground all the time). When you glance at the scenery, it’s quite bucolic, marred only by the smell of pollution caused by ever-increasing green algae.
One of the many locks along the bike path
We go past several locks, all of which seem to be functioning and automatic. Most of the lock houses seem to be converted into holiday rentals. From time to time, I get off my bike and walk over a rough patch, rather than find myself face down on the gravel in front of me. “Don’t worry”, Jean Michel consoles me, “after we get to Thésée, there’s a real bike path.”
Troglodyte houses in the limestone cliffs
Well, yes, there is a sort of a bike path between the river and the railway line but the maintenance isn’t any better. On the other side, we can see many troglodyte houses built into the limestone cliffs, but it’s not really scenic.
An enormous grain silo with a vineyard in front
Nor is the modern version of a cathedral, aka a grain silo. It even has a pseudo bell tower.
The approach to Saint Aignan with its château and collegiate church
The approach to Saint-Aignan-sur-Cher, however, which we’ve never visited, more than makes up for the mediocre ride. The château stands on the hill just opposite the bridge with the collegiate church to the left.
The sign on the bridge at Saint-Aignan showing the demarkation line
Jean Michel points out a sign on the bridge that says “1940-1944 Here was the line of demarcation. We will remember them.”
One of the many luxuriant flower pots in Saint Aignan
Now comes the important bit. Lunch. It’s 1.15 pm and it’s Monday (read : most restaurants in France, particularly in the provinces, are closed). Now my idea of a restaurant when we’re cycling is a pleasant, inexpensive, non-touristy-looking place, with shady trees over the outside tables and a direct view of the river. The sort they have in Germany all along the Danube.
Gasthof Berzl in Kelheim – the sort of place where I like to have lunch when cycling
The only problem is that it seems to be a rare commodity in France. We cycle through the village and only discover a kebab place near the church and an indoor crêperie. We ride along the river in both directions and finally have to resign ourselves to coming back to L’Embarcadère which fronts onto the main road and doesn’t have a terrace. However, with a four-course menu for 13 euro, it’s definitely inexpensive.
L’Embarcadère where we finally eat
I have stuffed tomatoes, steak (small piece) and chips, cheese and ice-cream. It’s all palatable though nothing special. Jean Michel has the same thing except he has beef flank (hampe) instead of steak. Just in case you’ve never discovered this, the piece of meat that’s called steak (often written steack) in France is not what Australians call steak. It’s a specific cheap cut of grilling beef. It is NOT fillet or entrecôte.
The château up on the hill seen from a house near the tourist office
We’ve finished our coffee so we set off to visit the town, starting with the tourist office because we’d like to find a better route to cycle back to Montrichard. Disappointment once again. They don’t have any cycle maps either. They give us a map of the town indicating 20 places to visit, but with explanations for only two of them : the castle and the collegiate church.
The entrance to the château
We’re just next to the road leading up to the château and we debate whether it’s worth it. We decide to make the effort. Halfway up, we talk to a man with a truck sweeping up dead leaves. I can’t believe there are already autumn leaves in August but the man tells us the trees have a disease. That’s a relief (not for the trees of course). Needless to say, the chestnut trees are already shedding their leaves everywhere. Sigh.
The Renaissance wing of the château
The château is privately owned, but visitors have free access to the courtyard. What a discovery! We’re so glad we made the decision to go to the top of the hill.
The 9th century tower
The château with its 9th century tower, Renaissance château with its scallop shells and François I salamanders, was once the home of several generations of Duc de Beauvilliers.
The blue flowers inside the courtyard
It has a wonderful view and lovely proportions. I particularly like the large stone urns with their blue flowers and immediately decide to plant them at home next year. I just have to find out what they are …
The collegiate church with its Republican inscription
We ride back down into the town and visit the 11th century Collegiate Church which has two interesting features. On the front there is an inscription that says « République française Liberté Egalité Fraternité ». Now, you must admit it’s original! The church was auctioned off during the French Revolution and given back to the Catholic Church in 1800.
The recumbent statue of Jeanne de Perellos can be seen on the right
The other attraction is the tomb of Jeanne de Perellos, with its recumbent statue. She was banished from the church for seducing Louis II of Chalon, Count of Saint-Aignan from his legitimate spouse in 1420. What a claim to fame!
The monumental staircase opposite the collegiate church leading up to the château
Opposite is a monumental staircase leading up to the château.
We cycle back through the little town with cobbled streets and several very old houses and down to the river. I have checked the map and found a little white road that runs roughly parallel to the main road and will take us back to Montrichard. Jean Michel has approved it.
The church with its unusual archway in Pouillé
Well, it might run parallel to a main road, but it’s still a 90 kph road and we have to ride one behind the other which isn’t much fun. At Pouillé, which is roughly opposite Thésée, we see an interesting church with an archway on the right. Initially built in the 11th and 12th centuries, it was bombarded in 1940 but has since been restored. There are no cafés.
A shady terrace in Angé, very welcome after riding for 15 K under a 30°C sun
We continue on our way until Angé which has a few historical houses but more importantly, a café with a shady terrace out the back. By now it’s 30°C and we’ve been riding in the full sun since leaving Saint-Aignan. A cold drink is most welcome.
Montrichard taken from the beach side
Jean Michel studies the map again and tells me we’ll be able to leave the main road soon and take a smaller road. It does not happen. The smaller road is now part of an industrial estate. However, we are nearly at Montrichard which has a beach on the Cher and, best of all, ice-cream.
La Plage restaurant & bar at the beach in Montrichard
It’s like being at the seaside ! We go to a restaurant bar appropriately called La Plage which even has a live band playing old time songs – not particularly melodious but it all adds to the ambiance. We have an excellent ice-cream from a smiling waitress before mounting our bikes and riding back to the car: a round trip of 46 K and 3 ½ hours in the saddle.
In recent times, I have sadly neglected my once-weekly blogger round-up due to my very busy life since moving to Blois last October but three posts caught my eye recently that I would like to share. The first is Simply Sara Travel‘s method for selecting the perfect airbnb accommodation which I’m sure you’ll find helpful not only for Airbnb but also for home exchanges. The next is Experience France by Bike‘s excellent report on luggage transfer when cycling, particularly in the Loire Valley. The third is a very interesting history of New World vegetables in France – potatoes, tomatoes, aubergines, chillies and peppers – by Days on the Claise that I’m sure you’ll find fascinating. Enjoy!
My Method on How to Select the Perfect Airbnb Accommodations
by Simply Sara Travel, a girl from New Jersey who traded in her bagels for baguettes and moved to Paris. The aim of her blog is to inspire readers to travel, embrace a new culture, and open their minds to new perspectives.
How people travel is shifting. With sites like Airbnb, more and more people are moving away from staying in traditional hotels and towards a more local experience of renting apartments/houses or shared spaces with residents. There are lots of pros to using Airbnb for lodging – it’s often less expensive than a hotel (especially when split among a larger party, and if there is a kitchen that allows self-servicing some meals) and allows for a more local-feeling experience. There’s a lot of great material already written on this – like Adventurous Kate’s How to Use Airbnb and Have a Great Experience for a detailed explanation of the site, or Expat Edna’s post on 6 Airbnb’s I Loved Around the World to give some inspiration on the cool places you could stay worldwide. Read more
Luggage Transfer – A Great Bicycling Indulgence
by Maggie LaCoste from Experience France by Bike, an American who loves biking anywhere in Europe, but especially France, which has the perfect combination of safe bike routes, great food, great weather and history
No matter how much you love bicycling in Europe, you’re probably not a big fan of carrying all your clothes in panniers. But for cyclotourists, panniers are a necessary evil, a small price to pay for complete independence on the road. Despite how carefully I choose every piece of clothing and technology that I pack, my panniers still end up weighing between 32-35 pounds, something I curse every time I go up a hill!
This summer, for the first time in 20+ years of bicycle touring, I used a luggage transfer service for 4 nights along the Mosel River. It was a fantastic indulgence, enabling us to easily bicycle the 200 km in 4 days with lots of stops during the day. Read more
Monsieur Parmentier versus Deadly Nightshade
by Susan from Days on the Claise, an Australian living in the south of the Loire Valley, writing about restoring an old house and the area and its history and running Loire Valley Time Travel.
When potatoes and other New World members of the Solanaceae family (tomatoes, aubergines, chillies, peppers) were introduced to Europe they were treated with great suspicion. The intrepid explorers who brought them reported that the South American natives they encountered ate freely of these exotic plants.
But French peasants weren’t convinced. These plants were clearly related to Henbane, Deadly Nightshade and worst of all, Mandrake. No one in their right mind would eat these dangerous plants, associated with witchcraft and capable of killing or sending you mad. Due to a curious twist of evolution, many Old World Solanums are amongst the most poisonous of all plants, but many New World Solanums are safe, nutritious and delicious. It’s true the New World species also contain some dubious compounds, but they are easily dealt with by simple everyday culinary techniques and pose no serious risk to consumers. Read more
It’s Sunday again and unlike last week, we wake up to a bright blue sky. We have breakfast and are out of the house at the unusually early hour of 11 am – but we have a boat to catch.
The bike path just before the ferry
We drive to the other side of Blois and park next to the bike path that takes us to Cour-sur-Loire and is part of the Loire à Vélo route which in turn is part of the Eurovelo 6 itinerary from the Atlantic Coast to the Black Sea. It is also on itinerary n° 12 on the Châteaux à Vélo map available from the local tourist office. This is a route we often take but today, there’s a difference. When we get to Cour, we’ll catch the new bike ferry across the river to join the bike path at Montlivault leading to Saint-Dyé-sur-Loire and from there to Château de Chambord. It is also part of itinerary n° 12 but you usually have to go as far as Muides to cross the Loire.
The Châteaux à vélo map, showing itinerary n°12 (lime green), starting in Blois on the bottom left, just after the dotted line heading north-east. The ferry leaves about a centimetre north of the long arrow after Menars and arrives on the other side not far from Montlivault.
The last ferry before lunch leaves at 12 noon. It takes us ¾ hour to cycle the 8 km to the ferry stop. As we approach Cour we can see the ferry halfway across the river. By the time we get to the ferry stop at n° 122 quai de la Loire, the passengers are disembarking.
Passengers disembarking from the ferry at Cour-sur-Loire
The flat-bottomed gabarre boat typical of the Loire region was designed in partnership with the Kaïros Association as part of a return-to-work project for long-term unemployed. It took six months to build. The service started on 21st July and will continue until September. Next year, it will run on weekends in June, then every day in July and August.
The gabarre with its little boat used by the boatman to go ashore after anchoring the ferry in the middle of the river for the night.
The ferries leave Cour-sur-Loire at 11 am, 12 noon, 2.30 pm, 3.30 pm, 4.30 pm and 5.30 pm and depart Montlivault at 11.30 am, 12.30 pm, 3 pm, 4 pm, 5 pm and 6 pm, every day except Monday which is reserved for groups.
The S-bend in the Wachau in Austria where we crossed the Danube several times by ferry along our bike route
We have many wonderful memories of crossing the Danube, Moselle and Rhine Rivers in Germany and Austria during our cycling trips in 2013 and 2014, particularly the S-bend, so it feels as though we are on holidays.
The very friendly ferryman
As the boat only holds 12 passengers and 10 bikes, I’m a little anxious about there being no room left, but we needn’t have worried. Apart from ourselves, there is a cycling couple from Mer, a family of four from Florence, also with bikes, two women with a small child and another couple on foot. Twelve adults and one child who is most put out when he discovers he has to wear a life jacket!
Our boatman welcomes us on-board and we pay our 2 euros each. The Italian father is already in voluble conversation with the other passengers and the atmosphere is very jovial. It’s better than Germany and Austria in that respect because we can actually talk to the other people!
Going through the very shallow area to deeper water
Jean Michel sits just next to the boatman so he can ask lots of technical questions. The boat has a draught of 25 cm, which is very fortunate as we can clearly see the bottom of the river at one point. The boat was made using traditional methods.
The village of Cour-sur-Loire from the ferry
The views as we take the short 15-minute trip across the river are stunning particularly as it’s such as beautiful day.
After disembarking on the Montlivault side
On the other side, we continue to Saint-Dye-sur-Loire and on to Chambord, 12 km away, noticing how different the vegetation is from the last time we were here a couple of months ago. The lack of rain has turned the green countryside an Australian brown.
Chambord the magnificent on a hot summer day
Chambord is its usual majestic self. We have a copious salad and cold drink of wine for lunch at Les Caves du Roy under the shade of the linden trees in full view of the château before cycling back to the ferry stop at Montlivault to catch the 3 pm ferry.
Watching the ferry cross the Loire at Montlivault (you can see it on the right)
This time, there is only one other cycling couple and a man from Belgium doing the Camino walk. His destination today is Blois. We’re in the boat waiting to leave when we see two young cyclists stop to read the information about the ferry. We call out to them to join us but they continue on their way. They don’t know what they’re missing!
Cour-sur-Loire church reflected in the Loire
When we reach the other side, we stop to admire Saint Radegonde’s fountain. Her visit here in the 6th century is said to have given the fountain curative properties.
Radegonde’s fountain with its curative properties
The only thing missing is an ice-cream stand. Now what can we do about that?
We’re dining al fresco on a very hot evening. A blue tit swoops down from the rose of Sharon onto the bird bath and starts squawking loudly. It flies off.
“It wants some water”, says Jean Michel. “That’s funny”, I say, “I’m sure I put some in when I watered the garden earlier.”
I take a water jug and empty the contents into the bird bath which is about half full.
A couple of minutes later, the blue tit swoops down again, immerses itself completely in the bird bath with a great flutter of wings and flies off again. A robin red-breast who’s been waiting on the sidelines hestates then takes the plunge.
The blue tit really was protesting about the lack of water!
And a very funny thing – the term “bird bath” doesn’t exist in French. You can call it a vasque (pour les oiseaux) but that just means a basin for birds. When we bought the bird bath three years ago, Jean Michel was a bit dubious about its real use. He thought I just wanted it for decorative purposes.
By the way, we like to think the blue tits are the ones we watched one day peeking their beaks out of the birds’ nest up under the eaves to the right of the wisteria.
It’s Sunday and we’ve been looking forward to having a break after a week of kitchen renovation (Jean Michel) and seismic concrete translation (me). During breakfast we look at the weather report. The temperature is below 20°C and rain is predicted so cycling is out. We decide to go for a walk along the Loire. By the time we dig up some potatoes for dinner and get ready, it’s our usual 12 noon.
Purple wild flowers (lythrum salicaria) along the banks of the Loire
We turn right after leaving the house, then left at the end of the street so that we can cross the main highway along the Loire and join the path on the other side. Jean Michel immediately wants to push through the vegetation to the edge of the Loire but I insist that we walk along the path to the right until we see a suitable opening. We soon do. It takes us to a sandbank that is usually underwater but with the recent lack of rain, the level of the Loire has diminished considerably.
The sandy bank with its vegetation
We walk onto the uncovered sandbank. It’s almost like being at the seaside, a very strange impression. The sand is soft and vegetation has already sprung up.
The banks of the Loire with Blois in the distance
Far down to the left we can see Mitterand Bridge and the spires of Blois.
Yellow wild flowers
I’m intrigued by the wild flowers. I don’t know these yellow ones. We later discover they are Ludwigia peploides or floating primrose-willow, which is an aquatic plant and, sadly, Susan from Days on the Claise, expert in such things, tells us it’s an invasive alien.
The second bluish-purple flowers
Nor these purple ones on the path beneath our feet. They look vaguely like cornflowers. Susan tells us they are long-leaved lungwort, which normally flower in late spring.
Spiky Field Eryngo which Jean Michel thinks is thistle but in fact, it’s not. It’s in full bloom and is related to carrots and parsely
As predicted there is rain, but every time we think it’s more than just a few spits and put our jackets on, it stops ! And we get hot if we keep them on when it isn’t raining …
Jean Michel resting at Fosse aux Poissons
We continue along the path which provides glimpses of the Loire from time to time until we get to Fosse aux Poissons (the fish pool) where there is even a log to sit on – which we do because my feet are starting to burn.
The fisherman in the kayak
While we are resting, a kayak comes past. Jean Michel scrutinises it. “That looks like a great idea for a fisherman”, he says, “not that I have any time for fishing this year.” I can hear regret in his voice.
The highway – you can see how dry the grass is at the moment
We start thinking about going back as we’ve already been walking an hour and a half. There is a parking lot at Fosse aux Poissons so we walk up the embankment to the highway and cross over. On the other side, there is a steep grassy bank that leads down to another path. We scramble down (well, I scramble – Jean Michel is a very practised walker and takes it in his stride).
Flowers that Jean Michel calls combs – you can see the embankment I scrambled down
I notice a strange flower waving in the wind. “We call them combs”, says Jean Michel, but they look more like brushes to me. It appears to be a Dipsacus fullonum or teasel.
Blackthorn berries – the young shoots are used to make a local liqueur
We’re hoping the path goes as far as the Chouzy-sur-Cisse turnoff which we seem to have overshot. Jean Michel tastes some unripe mirabelle plums and then points out the black thorn bush to me. It’s tender shoots are used to make the liqueur that we tasted when we bought our three tonnes of free stone. “The berries are very bitter”, he tells me. He doesn’t taste them.
Little mirabelle plums not yet ripe
Our path ends with a very closed looking gate so I have to scramble up the bank again. Fortunately we only have to walk about 200 metres alongside the 90 kph highway before going left towards Chouzy to take the walking path to the right that will take us home.
The very closed gate at the end of the path
By now my feet are killing me so we find a useful little stone bridge to sit on while we eat some biscuits. It starts raining in earnest so we finish our excursion with our jackets and hoods on.
A very wet end to our walk with the last of the Tour de France going under the rail bridge
I’m glad to get back after walking 9 K in 2 ½ hours which is not very fast, I know, but quite an exploit for me !
Every so often, I receive a “postcard” from my friend Alan Stretton whom I have known for more than 40 years. This one took me back to Townsville, where we both grew up, and to my holidays on the Island, which is still my very favourite place today. I would like to share his postcard with you.
When Alan is not living in Canberra he is perfecting the art of slow travel; do less but experience more.
“The island referred to in the postcard is Magnetic Island off the coast from Townsville, Alan tells us. “Ever since I was a child we referred to it as ‘the Island’, to differentiate it from all the other islands in the sea.”
Magnetic Island by Alan Stretton
“Hello, Alan. How is the pizza?”
“The pizzas are delicious as always, Lucia. I was wondering if I could order the pasta with prawns, anchovies and chilli to take away?”
Silence and a look of puzzlement was not quite the response I was expecting.
“The rest of my family are leaving tomorrow but I am staying an extra day. I don’t want to cook on my last night.”
I can see Lucia’s look of puzzlement changing to one of incredulity.
“You want to take the pasta home and place it in the fridge overnight and then reheat it in the microwave tomorrow night?”
Her look makes me wish that I could just fade into the background of coconut palms and granite boulders. But I stumble on.
“I don’t want to cook on my last night on the Island. You are closed so I will have to go to Picnic Bay and the food there is not very good.”
“We do not normally do take away except for pizzas. But I will do it for you. But it will not taste very good. Are you sure you want it?”
I feel as if I am 14 again, at school, being grilled by the Deputy Head Mistress and all my seemingly innocent answers are clearly not cutting the mustard. And this from the normally charming Lucia who makes customers feel that she and Alberto opened their Caffè dell’Isola just so that they could serve you.
After another uncomfortable silence, a hint of possibility lightens Lucia’s face.
“Can you come here tomorrow just before we close at 3 o’clock?”
“Sure.”
“Good. If you come then I will cook dinner for you. It will be closer to the time you eat the pasta and I will use meat rather than seafood so it will reheat better.”
Lucia’s generosity means that honour is restored and we smile broadly again. Relieved, I return to my pasta and a large glass of wine.
The next afternoon I return to Caffè dell’Isola and Lucia cooks macaroni with Italian sausage, zucchini and feta for me to take away. She refuses to accept any payment. Luckily I had thought to take a decent bottle of wine to give Lucia and Alfredo as a farewell gift. They are trying to sell the cafe so may not be here when we next return to the Island. “Follow us on Facebook. We will be somewhere.”
With my dinner in the bag I walk across the road and the 50 or so metres of wet sand left by the low tide until I am standing in calf deep water watching many rays gliding at surprising speed and five or six small black tipped reef shark looking for small fish. When I stand still, they come within two metres.
I am glad to report that life in paradise is as good as they say.
