How mercurial we can be. Plans can change in an instant. Bigger plans and tiny plans. The bigger plan was to cycle the Loire from Nevers to Saumur, thus completing the whole river. But this half we have the freedom of the campervan and there are so many beautiful chateaux and country towns away from the Loire that we left the Loire a few days ago. Now we follow any river vaguely near the Loire: the Loire itself, or the Vienne, or the Indre or various canals.
Yesterday, we were going to find a hotel in Chinon to rest and explore , but hotels were booked. Instead we booked a beautiful hotel in Saumur for later and camped in Chinon. What a beautiful place this is with the castle standing majestically above the medieval streets below and the Vienne river flowing gracefully through the many arches of the limestone bridge. Neil discovered a nearby swimming pool and disappeared while I relaxed and enjoyed my book. Later we chilled, sipping drinks by the river before wandering into town for supper. As we returned, a park run started at 20.30 from our campsite with runners of all shapes, sizes and ages running in the twilight . We joined in the fun with friends and families cheering them along.
Next day we would rest, explore the castle and go for a long swim. Perfect.
However! Next morning Neil read about Richelieu, a beautiful old town just ‘11km’ away (he said). So off we cycled and the first sign we saw was Richelieu 22km! Ha ha! Classic! But it was such a pretty ride along old railway tracks and the architecture of the town was fascinating. AND…. we discovered a ceramics market! Woohoo! Potters from all over France were there and I was in heaven. We ‘had’ to buy 2 pots to balance them in my panniers 😉. What a fun day we were having.
Then half way home I had a puncture with rain clouds looming. We pushed the bikes up to a road and Neil cycled back to Chinon to collect the van while I stayed put, guarding my precious cargo. I have no idea where Neil gets his energy from as, on our return, he still went for a swim then fixed my puncture while I cooked supper. As soon as he’d finished, the heavens opened and we were safe and dry ‘dining in’. There’s something very cosy about eating a home cooked supper inside the campervan, listening to beautiful music, while the rain lashed down outside. Tomorrow we’ll explore the castle…. maybe!
Ceri's Blog with Neil 