July 31 - Tours and Amboise in the Loire Valley, France

It is very ‘crisp’ this morning. It is clear and sunny and eventually became a warm day.

Our first visit is to the Château Chenonceau. It is a beautiful 16th century estate/castle, built right on the Cher River.

The major player in the story of this visit is Catherine de’ Medici. We visit early enough for there to be no other visitors when we arrive – this is lovely. 
This place is beautiful with enormous trees and manicured gardens. 

Of course there is ‘free-time’ at the end of our tour for about an hour – we decide to do a tasting of 3 of the area’s wines in a wine cave followed by a glass of our favourite in the sunshine.

The landscape here is full of thick forests, crops - especially beautiful are the sun flowers.

Amboise is a small town where we stop for lunch. I have a ‘Chevre Chaud’ a salad with lettuce, topped with a ton of bacon, tomatoes and goat cheese melted on small bits of toast – I would eat that again and again! This was followed by a stroll around the town and an ice cream. 

Château Amboise

The afternoon ended with a walking tour of the old town of Tours. There are many half-timber houses leaning and slanty. 

A major attraction of the town is the Basilica of St. Martin.

The afternoon ended with a walking tour of the old town of Tours. There are many half-timber houses leaning and slanty. A major attraction of the town is the Basilica of St. Martin. A highlight of the day is those of us on the tour teaching our French guide the word for horse manure. When she described it as ‘shit’ it must have been obvious by some of the reactions that there might be as she put it ‘a more polite word’. It was quite hilarious.

before

after

Although we could have stayed in the room all night, we decided to go for a late night dinner. I didn't order dessert, but with coffee came those little sugar-covered jelly fruit squares that I haven't thought of for years - tres bien!!