Jul 23, 2009 - La valle della Loira

Ultima tappa, lasciamo la Bretagna e ci fermiamo due giorni nella Valle della Loira, a Chenonceaux, vicino ad Amboise. ... Siamo miracolosamente usciti dalla perturbazione bretone, e godiamo di uno spicchio di sole, così via! Gran tour dei castelli a velocità inconsulta prima che il brutto tempo ci raggiunga e quindi: - ore 12:00: parcheggiata la macchina all'albergo, corsa a piedi al castello di Chenonceaux - ore 12:15: fine visita castello di Chenonceau - ore 12:35: castello di Amboise - ore 13:00: fine visita castello di Amboise - ore 13:30: castello di Blois - ore 13:50: fine visita al castello di Blois - ore 14:20: castello di Chambord - ore 14:40: fine visita al castello di chambord - ore 15:10: castello di Villandry - ore 15:25: fine visita al castello di Villandry - ore 15:50: castello di Cheverny - ore 16:05: fine visita al castello di Cheverny - ore 16:08: emetto un singulto e svengo - ore 16:09: la perturbazione bretone ci ha raggiunto, piove a catinelle, abbiamo percorso in macchina la distanza fra Cheverny e Chenonceaux al 50% in autostrada e al 50% seguendo la corrente della Loira (intanto in autostrada c'era tanta acqua uguale) - ore 18:30: raggiungo l'hotel e chiedo di non essere svegliato fino all'indomani. ... Visto che ieri dalle 12 alle 16 li ho già visitati tutti, mi rinchiudo nel Mac Donald's di Amboise, che ha il free WiFi e mi sparo un CBO maxi con patatine grandi e coca media, e non esco di lì neanche a cannonate, fino a quando spiove. ... Poi raggiungo Amboise centro dove mi aspetta la fantasmagorica cucina del "Lion d'Or" (andateci se passate di qui). ...

Jun 29, 2009 - More Loire Valley

Our first destination was the Royal City of Loches, located about 45 km south of Amboise. ... We stopped for dinner in the town of Blois and drove along the river back to our apartment in Amboise. ... We drove back to Amboise and went swimming at the local pool. ...

Jun 27, 2009 - Amboise, France

Bienvenue a France! We arrived in Amboise on Thursday. ... Amboise is in the Loire Valley of France about 90 miles south of Paris. ... Amboise has an amazing 13th century Gothic chateau which is right outside our window, as well as the home of Leonardo daVinci, Clos du Luce. ... Saturday, we went canoeing down the Loire from the small village of Chouzy back down to Amboise. ... Francois was good friends with Leonardo daVinci who lived in Amboise and is entombed in the private chapel at the chateau. ...

May 31, 2009 - Bourges

Sun 31st May---Weather:- Sunny/24 degrees Lurcy-le-Bourgh to Bourges (83km) (1:21h) We have our neighbor, Peter to thank for our stop in Bourges as he showed us his photos in which we saw what a charming little place it is and to top it off, it has a “Les Nuits Lumiere” or Night Light Spectacular (the same as Adelaide’s ‘Northern Lights’ display), where the city has projections of different medieval scenes against the walls of prominent buildings around the town. ... An emotional time was had this morning saying goodbye to the family followed by a nice slow drive to Bourges—slow because a lot of it was on country roads. ... The Ibis hotel in Bourges is all that we need with the added bonus that when checking in the receptionist handed us a map of the town and all the information needed to take us to the points of interest that this town offers. ... The main ‘not to be missed site’ in Bourges is the Cathedral St. ...

May 24, 2009 - Vendome to Chartres

Today we drove to Chartres. ... Chartres is most famous for its Cathedral of Notre Dame, and it certainly stands out in the city. ... Chartres is well known for its stained glass and has an international stained glass centre which offers a complete, diverse and lively vision of the art and techniques of stained-glass window making. ...

May 23, 2009 - Vendome and Montoire

After a promising start to the day the clouds began to roll in. Montoire-sur-le-Loir is known as the location where, on 24 October 1940, the famous handshake between Adolf Hitler and Maréchal Pétain took place signifying the start of organised French collaboration with the Nazi regime. ... But Montoire's history goes back a lot further and is at the centre of a region inhabited since prehistoric times.After a promising start to the day the clouds began to roll in. Montoire-sur-le-Loir is known as the location where, on 24 October 1940, the famous handshake between Adolf Hitler and Maréchal Pétain took place signifying the start of organised French collaboration with the Nazi regime. ... But Montoire's history goes back a lot further and is at the centre of a region inhabited since prehistoric times....

May 22, 2009 - Montlucon to Vendome

Headed north again today.Headed north again today....

Feb 25, 2009 - j'ai bu beaucoup du vin...

SOOO one night train later, I found myself in Tours, France. ... I awoke to a very lovely couple greeting me at the platform in Tours. ... They met me at the platform, insisted on taking my bags for me (angels!), and took me on a little tour of Tours in their car. ... Tours is a very very cute town, lots of history and pretty things to take pictures of. ... Bisoux (kisses) de Tours! ...

Dec 18, 2008 - France

Thursday, we picked up our car, we have a silver citroen C3. Brett finds it difficult to drive on the other side of the road, but he tells me it is only his first day! Once we had our stress of using the GPS (or should I say my stress of using it for the first time and trying to deal with Brett's driving frustrations) to get out of the city and find a petrol station we were on our way to Blois. ... On our way into the town we decided to visit a Chateau.Thursday, we picked up our car, we have a silver citroen C3. Brett finds it difficult to drive on the other side of the road, but he tells me it is only his first day! Once we had our stress of using the GPS (or should I say my stress of using it for the first time and trying to deal with Brett's driving frustrations) to get out of the city and find a petrol station we were on our way to Blois. ... On our way into the town we decided to visit a Chateau....

Jul 27, 2008 - France (Camping Municipal Des Bords De L’Eure - Chartres)

he handout from the camp reception told us that the walk into town was about 3 kilometres. The structure is impressive but amazingly it is not the centre piece of Chartres. ... Turning into an intersecting street and we are confronted with the magnificence of the Chartres Cathedral. ... It is huge.he handout from the camp reception told us that the walk into town was about 3 kilometres. The structure is impressive but amazingly it is not the centre piece of Chartres. ... Turning into an intersecting street and we are confronted with the magnificence of the Chartres Cathedral. ... It is huge....

Jul 26, 2008 - France (Camping Municipal Bayeux – Bayeux to Camping Municipal Des Bords De L’Eure - Chartres)

Even travelling to Chartres was relatively easy, only having to 360 a couple of traffic islands. ... The drive to Chartres was via both good, duel carriageways (as the Pommes call them) and narrow back country roads through the odd (million) village. ... We travelled on passing the huge wheat fields that dominate the country side for miles in every direction until in the far distance (almost 15 kilometres away) we spotted the massive twin spires of Chartres’ world famous Cathedral. ... Where it all went pear shape was at Chartres itself. ... Following the instructions in the guide book we needed to find and follow the ring road around Chartres that heads towards Orleans. ...

Jul 16, 2008 - From the Heart of the Loire Valley

After our last post on Sunday, we visited the Louvre that afternoon, dodging all of the kids who got in free that day. We then drove to Amboise, around Amboise, past Amboise looking for our chateau accomodation for the next two days. ... We are now spending the evening in the very touristy city of Amboise on the Loire and we will be returning to our petit chateau after a bite to eat. ...