ANCENIS

SATURDAY, 25th MAY, 2019

Between our accommodation and the Chateau d'Ancenis (not open to the public) is a carpark where a small fresh food market was held this morning.  We watched the setting up of the stalls from our window and then had a wander around....there were breads and pastries, fresh fruits and vegetables, cheeses, seafood, nuts, olives etc....we bought bread and fruit for our breakfast fruit salad.

Our apartment has a laundry attached which was welcome after several days on the road. After successfully washing and drying our clothes we retrieved the bikes from the basement and rode to the Lidl supermarket for supplies, then later went for a walk around the town,

visited the church, a bar, a patisserie for desserts and were impressed by a house number fashioned from old keys.

It's been a pleasant, lazy day.

ANCENIS and ANGERS

FRIDAY, 24th MAY, 2019

Having changed our minds about visiting Angers which is now about 50kms behind us, and as riding back there is not an option, this morning we rode the 4kms from Lire across the Loire to Ancenis,

where there is a railway station.  We booked accommodation for two nights and after leaving our bags in our room and locking the bikes in the basement behind the hotel, we were about to walk to the station when the hotel manager very kindly offered to drive us there.
It was a 22 minute train ride into Angers, the capital of Anjou which sits beside the River Maine, 8kms above its confluence with the Loire, and the main reason for our visit was to see the Apocalypse Tapestry.  This stretches for over 80 metres, depicts the story of the Revelation of St John, and is on display in a purpose built gallery in the well preserved medieval castle which has 600 metres of surrounding walls with 17 bastions and saw action during the Hundred Years' War (1347-1453) when Anjou was fought over by the English and French.

After our tour of the chateau, we enjoyed strolling through the town,

had a sit-down late snack lunch while resting our weary old legs before heading back to the station for the return journey to Ancenis and a refreshing cold beer at our 'local'.

BOUCHEMAINE to LIRE

THURSDAY, 23rd MAY, 2019

It was shorts weather again today and thinking it was a gentle climb away from last night's accommodation, we were surprised to find a very steep hill almost immediately after we left.

Mike made it to the top of the hill, I could only manage about half way before having to dismount and push my bike.  I was passed by a couple of youngish male cyclists who seemed to find some humour in my plight....Mike came to my rescue and took over the bike pushing.

The view of the vineyards and town below was awesome and after a breather we continued on.
Of course, what goes up must come down and the ride down the hill, along the tree lined path to the river was a fitting reward for that nasty climb!

It was most pleasant riding  alongside the river, meeting up at one point with a French couple who live in the U.K. and chatting with them for ten or so minutes.

On reaching Chalonnes-sur-Loire, we stopped at a creperie for crepes and coffee, then visited a nearby supermarket for a few supplies for tonight's dinner before heading off again towards Lire.

Stopping at Montjean 

to see the disused lime kilns

we got talking to two French couples cycling in the opposite direction.  The ladies both spoke a little English so together with our fractured French, we were able to have an interesting conversation and

were very impressed when one of the men recognised our Australian Flag.

Passing a couple of towns on the other side of the river, we reached Lire just as raindrops began falling on our heads.  Fortunately, the heavy stuff didn't start until we were safely under cover of our B&B.  We've been travelling through farming country for much of the day and are in a rural area here, it's very peaceful so we're expecting to have a quiet night.  

les ROSIERS sur LOIRE to BOUCHEMAINE

WEDNESDAY, 22nd MAY, 2019

This is last night's accommodation, a small well equipped flat above a family home where we spent a very comfortable night.  There is a larger apartment in the grounds that accommodates up to 10 people and as we were loading the bikes, one of the occupants came over for a chat.  He had stayed there with his wife and other family members, having come from Amiens for his wife's brother's funeral on Tuesday.  We had an interesting chat with him before saying 'adieu'.

It was shorts and t-shirts today, though needing a jacket to begin with.  We crossed the bridge to Gennes-Val-de-Loire, turned right on to the cycle path and soon came to Le Thoureil, another pretty village comprising a single row of houses and offering boat trips on the river.

Listed on the UNESCO world heritage list, St Remy-la-Varenne was our next stop, for coffee at a bar/tabac opposite the church.

The church was closed but the next door priory was open and for 4 Euros each, we spent an hour or so exploring  the buildings, originally built in the 10th century and restored and updated over the ensuing centuries, including this century.

Returning to the bikes, we met a group of 6 cyclists from U.K. who'd stopped on seeing the Australian flags.  One of them was a West Australian who has a small property in Cottesloe so was excited to see a WA patch, with a black swan, on one of my bags.

We crossed the river again from St Remy to St-Mathurin-sur-Loire

where major roadworks were being undertaken, although being midday, there was no action and no-one to be seen. Going away from the river for a while, the path took us through a couple of  villages and past a flower farm,

returning to the river at La Dagueniere where we stopped to eat the ham and egg sandwiches we'd made this morning.

On reaching Les Ponts-de-Ce, we lost the cycle path signs and so rode along the dedicated bike lane on the road.  With few exceptions, the motorists here are very courteous but it is much more pleasant to ride on the paths.

Crossing the Maine River near the confluence of the Maine and Loire Rivers, we reached Bouchemaine, our stopover for tonight.  Beers at the 'Monkey Bar'

overlooking the Loire

before dinner, an evening stroll back 'home'

and a comfortable bed.

SAUMUR to les ROSIERS sur LOIRE

TUESDAY, 21st MAY, 2019

It was a leisurely ride today although 'the rolling green hills' just out of Saumur put a bit of a strain on the legs.  Fortunately, the hills weren't too steep and we were soon back to the flat path alongside the river Loire.

The sun was out this morning but the breeze was a little cool so scarves and jackets were required early on, discarded later.

The ride was a short one today, just 25kms and took us through some lovely little villages.   A single row of houses in le Mimmorelle, some of which were built into the cliffs behind, had their private gardens and car parking space across the road and leading down to the river.

A little further along at Chenehutte, we stopped at a boulanger/patissier for coffee and cakes, a citron tart and an almond/honey biscuit which we consumed in the little garden opposite the shop.

Spotting a cherry tree next door to the garden,  Mike couldn't resist sampling a few cherries and pronounced them to be 'tres excellent'.

We stopped at  the very pretty village of Treves, site of St Aubin's Church which was constructed between the 11th and 13th centuries,

and of the tower which is the only part remaining of the castle built in the 15th century. 

The church was not open so we took outside photos and rode on to the next village, Cunault where the Priory Church "Notre Dame De Cunault" was open so we were able to go inside.  It's a very large building with few of the adornments most churches have and the wall paintings have faded to be barely visible, but it does boast an unusual organ.

From Cunault we headed uphill again, briefly, then onto the path which led to the lake, Etang de Jorreau,

then it was downhill all the way to Gennes where we stopped for cold drinks before crossing the river to nearby les Rosiers sur Loire. 

Our accommodation is a small apartment above a family residence and has a kitchenette so we are able to eat in tonight, having purchased a few supplies from a nearby supermarket.

SAUMUR

MONDAY, 20th MAY, 2019

It was a bike free day today (apart from Mike's short ride to a '$2 shop' to purchase a couple of little things, including two small coffee mugs for 70 cents each).
We had a lazy morning, bought a few breakfast items for 8 Euros from the Carrefour supermarket across the road, (the hotel charges 18 Euros per person and we're too cheap for that!) and ate breakfast in our room.
After breakfast we walked through the town

and up the steep hill

to the impressive chateau, but on the advice of our receptionist, Marie, we didn't tour inside as she told us it wasn't worthwhile, "it is empty", she said so we strolled around, admired the view over Saumur and the Loire, took many photos and

had our photo taken by a couple from Seattle

and strolled back into town again.

Today being Monday, most shops, businesses and some cafes were closed....our cycle shop friend in Brehemont told us about Monday rest day so it wasn't a surprise and it was quite pleasant wandering around the town without crowds and traffic.  There is a road closure on one of the main streets at present and a lot of excellent work being done to improve the thoroughfare, it should be lovely when finished but unfortunately, we won't be here to see it.

We didn't do much else today, read a little, walked a little, visited a couple of the few bars which were open and enjoyed a rather lazy day.

BREHEMONT to SAUMUR

SUNDAY, 19th MAY, 2019.

There were two other couples staying at the accommodation last night, one French and the other Dutch and we all breakfasted with our hosts Catherine and Alain this morning before setting off.
Catherine presented us with a couple of leftover yummy breakfast muffins and she and Alain suggested an alternative route to the one in our map book to the town of Rigny-Usse, the location of the Chateau d'Usse, one of the best preserved and prettiest on the Loire.  It was the inspiration for Charles Perrault's children's tale Sleeping Beauty.  The chateau is open to the public and is still a private residence and home of the Duc de Blacas and his family.

There was no rain today but the wind was quite cold when we started off so we donned the rain coats for our lovely ride with no traffic, along the path beside the Indre River to the Chateau, paid 14 Euros
each and spent an hour and a half wandering through the magnificent castle, church, gardens and wine cellars,

 stopped for coffee at the little cafe opposite the castle and continued our journey to Saumur.

Following the cycle path between the Indre and Loire Rivers, we stopped to investigate a strange looking 'thing' on the path and were surprised to see it moving.  It was some sort of slug or worm I think and the weirdest thing we've seen.

The path was flat and easy riding, the French cycle signs are plentiful and easy to follow but sometimes confusing as we seem to be going in circles at times.  When we reached River Vienne and turned right we both thought it was the wrong way but 2 kms along we crossed the bridge over the river into pretty Candes-St Martin, the ancient village which was the site of the death of St Martin, bishop of Tours (AD317-AD397) and is on the confluence of the Loire and Vienne.  We stopped for a cold drink and a rest from bike saddles, then again for a quick look at the church,

then on through the villages of Montsoreau, Turquant and Parnay.  A little way past Parnay, the path took us up into wine growing country, a steep climb which was hard on the old legs but worth the effort when we found ourselves riding through the underground village in Souzay-Champigny and past houses built into the cliff face,

Once we were back to the cycle path beside the main road it was easy riding into Saumur and our hotel accommodation for tonight and Monday night.

We ate out tonight, at a bar/brasserie where we had the evening "Formul" which is a plat du jour, and a dessert each and both ordered the profiteroles for dessert.  When they arrived we almost fell off our chairs, expecting one or two profiteroles each, we had one.....the biggest we'd ever seen and with fresh cream and filled with ice cream! 

They were delicious but we needed a long walk after dinner!