Loire-France-1984

Holiday to The Loire and Brittany, France Aug-Sep 1984

Tuesday 16^th August 1984 389 miles

We left soon after 5 o'clock for a foggy drive down to Dover arriving just after 8 o'clock. We ate some sugar puffs while waiting to board the boat and later had a cooked breakfast on the boat. We were slightly late in arriving at Calais, owing to the fog and so after moving on an hour for French time, it was nearly midday when we got to the outskirts of Calais and headed for Paris. We took the motorway all the way, which was a great improvement on the long drag through Bethune and St Omer, although with the monotony of the driving, after an early start, we made several stops – for lunch, toilets, change drivers etc.

France 1984 - The Loire

We neared Paris about 4.15 and contrary to what we thought, had very little hold-up and were soon heading south towards Montargis, a municipal site we had stayed at 4 years ago on our way to the Dordogne. The fog had cleared by lunch time, to give a very warm and sunny day and it stayed warm long into the evening. After supper we had a long walk into the town of Montargis and as usual found plenty of things to make the walk worthwhile.

Leaving a foggy Dover

Lunch in a motorway picnic area

Us at Montargis Campsite

Friday 17^th August 46 miles

A warm night and we awoke to a pleasant morning, but being under trees, the sun didn't get to us. We left some time after 10 o'clock and stopped at the nearby Codec supermarket for wine, beer and Coke. It was a very clean supermarket and had we found it later in our holiday we would have bought a lot more. We then got lost trying to find the road out of Montargis – a town much larger than we had imagined and very French and interesting, – but eventually found a road south and got onto the road we wanted. We more or less followed the route of the Canal du Briare, as far as Briare itself, stopping several times to view the canal and locks – at one point there was a flight of seven disused locks begun in 1604 – this was at Rogny. The sun was very hot, particularly where we stopped for lunch by the canal.

Thomas was avidly trying to find things that were different in France and get more than Paul – in the end we pronounced it a draw. At Briare there was a large aqueduct of another canal over the Loire, which is already very wide. We noticed that the French canals seem to date from around 1900, so were much later than ours.

Tom, Emma, Simon, Rosie & Paul by the canal

Simon, Tom, Adrian, Paul & Rosie by the flight of locks started 1604 at Rogny

A barge on the Briare canal, near Briare

From Briare we headed west along the Loire to the next town Gien which had a campsite right by the river and although it was only about 3 o'clock, we decided to stop. There was a children's playground, which we saw as we drove in so Thomas said "yes, this will do, we’ll stop here"! We pitched overlooking the river and a wide shingle "beach", with a little "lagoon" just in front of us, all of which kept the children, particularly Thomas, amused.

By a lock on the Briare Canal at Rogny

Adrian, Emma, Paul Tom & Simon on the aqueduct across the Loire at Briare

The Briare canal aqueduct across the Loire at Briare

After supper we walked along and over the bridge and into Gien, up to the Château, and then back down to a cafe by the bridge where the children had an ice cream and we had a drink and watched the antics of the French drivers at the traffic lights. We walked back over the bridge, amongst thousands of small insects [Mayflies]. There were lots of house martins nesting on the houses all round this area – they wouldn't be short of food! We got back to the tent about 10.00 pm and we sat outside for a short while in the warm evening, after the children had gone to bed. We had seen the Gien pottery – Fiaence – in some of the shops – a very colourful type of pottery.

Simon, Paul & Emma in the campsite at Gien

Simon & Emma in the campsite at Gien

Looking across to the trailer tent

Simon & Emma by the trailer tent

Tom happy on the beach

All at the campsite at Gien

Looking across to the bridge at Gien from our tent

Rosie looking sporty by a canoe at Gien

Saturday 18^th August 67 miles

We got up to a beautiful morning, with the bridge looking misty in the morning sun – a really lovely view from our tent. The cars looked like bubbles in the queues on the bridge and again we were amused at the impatience of the drivers in the traffic jams – horns hooting galore. The children had been all been playing by the lagoon but came back to the tent for their breakfast of bacon and eggs.

We set off late, about 11 o'clock, and set off west on the south side of the river, mostly at some distance from the river, but at Lion we took a minor road which ran beside the river and came into a fine view of the Château at Sully. We parked the car and had a look at the Château from the outside but didn't go in as it cost 9 francs. Thomas was disappointed as he wanted to go over the drawbridge – there was a huge moat. We walked a little way into the town and bought some bread, ice creams for the children in delicious flavours and some postcards of the splendid Château.

The children playing in the lagoon at Gien

Rosie, Emma , Simon & Paul having breakfast in the campsite by the Loire at Gien

We then continued west, again a distance from the river to Chateauneuf, where we stopped by the river on the south side of the river, near the bridge over to the town of Chateauneuf . It was very hot and after lunch by the river, the children all played in the water and Emma and Simon swam over to the other side. The river is very wide and we estimated about 200 m, though mostly very shallow.

Tom, Rosie, Emma, Simon & Paul by the Chateau at Sully sur Loire

We reluctantly moved on – crossed the bridge to Chateauneuf, then drove along the north side, along a very boring road, highlighted by another pretty town of St Denis, absolutely full of flowers – pink and white petunias in front of all the houses and raised formal beds at every junction. We skirted Orleans following the road by the river and after Meung decided to go back and look at the campsite there, but found it very open, with no facilities, so crossed the river and follow the little roads to the campsite at Beaugency again on the opposite side of the river from the town. Our actual pitch wasn't so attractive, although under tall trees, but the area of river adjacent to the campsite provided plenty of area for amusement and again there was an attractive children's playground. The warden was a Maurice Chevalier character who was very welcoming. After pitching the tent we joined the children at the river and were virtually the only people there and it was 7 o'clock when we returned to the tent for supper, after all having a shower.

Simon, Paul, Tom & Emma in the Loire at Chateauneuf

During supper we realised that the gaz had run out and our little bottle was also almost empty – quite a problem as tomorrow is Sunday. After supper, although it was 9 o'clock, we walked over the bridge and into the town of Beaugency, looking at some of the old buildings, getting back to the tent about 10.45 and straight to bed.

Paul & Simon playing in the Loire

Our trailer tent at Beaugency

Looking back from Beaugency across the river to our campsite

Sunday 19^th August 49 miles

A lovely day again. The reserve gaz ran out after making a cup of tea – so it was cereal with powdered milk and bread for those who wanted it! I had wanted to wash the dirty socks etc. but the water from the hot taps was only lukewarm, but I nevertheless persevered and all the washing dried. We left late morning and stopped at Beaugency where luckily the shops were open and we were able to buy Camping gaz, milk, wine and with difficulty some bread too. We had lunch on a seat by the Loire, facing back to the campsite, sitting under the shade of trees from the hot sun.

We then drove west, mostly along small roads and crossed the Loire into Chambord Park to the see Chambord Château. It was extremely hot and after parking (4 francs) and walking a great distance to the Château, we decided not to wait in the queue to go in – there were 400 rooms and it took 1½ hours.

We bought ice creams and one or two postcards, then returned towards the Loire, where we found a little track which led down to it and spent a happy afternoon swimming and sunning.

We then left and drove to Blois where we parked by the Château car park and looked round part of the old town, including a pedestrian shopping area and a monument to Denis Papin who invented the steam pressure cooker in the 17th century.

Chambord Château

A nice spot on the Loire

We drove back to the campsite along the north bank, arriving back about 6 o'clock. The children went straight back to the river and after showers etc., we slowly prepared supper – temperature still in the 80’s. Supper slightly marred by wasps. After supper Paul went down to fish and later we walked round the campsite, finding it much larger than we imagined.

Statue of Denis Papin in Blois

Emma, Rosie, Paul, Simon & Tom at Blois

Rosie and the children in the centre of Blois

Paul fishing in the Loire

Monday 20^th August 55 miles

Another very hot day. Found that the milk we had bought yesterday had thickened so had to use long life again. Left soon after breakfast and drove into Beaugency – first to look at Rue du Ru – a narrow canal with a path either side, lined with geraniums.

We then tried in vain to find a bank – they were all closed on Mondays, but did buy stamps for the postcards and bread. We set off for Orleans, arriving about 11.45 and eventually found a bank near the railway station, which closed at 12 o'clock! We crossed the River Loire and Loiret to Olivet and the Floral Park. We had lunch before we went in – it was very hot. We then entered the gardens which were very pretty and colourful, if rather hot. Every now and again there was a small children's playground. After doing a tour of the gardens, we had a second tour, by miniature train – rather less strenuous!

The Rue du Ru and Emma & Rosie shopping in Beaugency

We left the gardens mid afternoon, drove along the road by some old water mills and then back along to where the Loiret met the Loire (the source of the Loiret was a spring in the Floral Park). Soon after we stopped to swim and found the water very cold at the edge – we imagined it was another spring. The water was rather shallow but we managed a quick dip, then back to the campsite, where the children made straight for the river, and we then went back into Beaugency and bought some more food, including pork chops for supper. These were quite enormous. After supper, the children had gone back to the river to play and Paul to fish and I joined them for a quick swim.

Later there was a "punch up" on the campsite – we don't really know what it was about, but in involved two men who appeared to be together in a caravan, with the television playing loudly, but the row wasn't about that. Everyone came out to watch and several people got upset, including one little boy, who cried for ages. We thought we'd have a drink at the bar, which again wasn't open, so instead we all went for a walk across a little bridge and round to what seem to be an old harbour on the river, adjacent to the campsite.

Tom, Paul, Simon, Emma & Rosie in the Floral Park, Orleans

Rosie & Emma at the source of the Loiret in the Floral Park, Orleans

Looking to the chateau across the fountains and the Loiret in the Floral Park, Orleans

Paul, Simon, Tom & Emma playing in the Floral Park, Orleans

Tom, Emma, Rosie & Simon on Le Petit Train in the Floral Park, Orleans

Rosie, Tom, Adrian, Paul, Simon & Emma, by in our trailer tent at Beaugency

Rosie swimming in the Loire at sunset at Beaugency

Tuesday 21^st August 72 miles

We were up by 8 o'clock, packed up and left before 10.00 am. We drove on little roads past Chambord Château again and then to Cheverny, where we stopped by another Château, but you had to pay to enter the grounds. Later we passed the back entrance and took a good photo of the Château.

Chevernay chateau

We arrive at Chenonceaux

Inside the main room, across the river at Chenonceaux

The formal gardens at Chenonceaux

While we were having supper it got very windy. Later we went back to the Château for the "son et lumiere" performance, which was even

more dramatic with lightning lighting up the Château as well. When we got back to the tent it started to rain and there was quite the storm

in the night.

Our campsite beside the Cher river at Chenonceaux

Wednesday 22^nd August 75 miles

It rained quite a lot in the night, but cleared up in the morning. We packed up, and drove back to the Loire at Amboise where we stopped

and looked around the little shops and got some money.

We stopped for lunch by the Loire, and it suddenly became very hot.

Shopping in Amboise

After Tours we continued west along small roads, coming to Villandry with its Château famous for its gardens. I stopped to look through the

hedge, but could only get an impression of what it was like. Continuing downstream, we came to the Château of Ussé, an unexpected delight.

It is called the Castle of Sleeping Beauty and the story is supposed to be inspired by the Castle. As we approached along minor roads, it

certainly seemed just like a fairytale before us.

We drove on to Tours where again we stopped and looked around the old town – a treasure of old brick and timber buildings in amongst the

new ones.

Houses by the Loire near Tours

Paul, Emma, Simon, Tom, Rosie & Adrian having lunch by The Loire near Tours

Tom playing in the Loire near Tours

Around Tours

The Château of Ussé

Adrian contemplating by the river at Montsorau

Thursday 23^rd August 20 miles

It rained a lot again in the night and still rained in the morning – lucky we put the front up! We stayed around the tent in the morning –

clearing up and I even did some washing which dried later. Towards lunchtime went for a walk around, seeing places to visit in the afternoon.

The afternoon came out hot and sunny with occasional grey skies. We went up to the troglodyte dwellings and first visited the caves which are

used now for growing mushrooms. The caves are vast, where limestone has been quarried in the past. We bought some mushrooms and later

had some for supper, with kebabs, courgettes and noodle "bows" bought in a local hypermarket. Next to the mushroom caves was an

"aquarium" – tanks of fish set up in an adjoining cave. Paul particularly enjoyed this. Afterwards we bought some wine from a "degustation".

We then had a quick shower of rain as we went back down to the car. We drove along the Loire towards Saumur, and stopped at a wine

cellar, where we had a long tour around the cellars, where they made a sparkling "champagne" type wine. The guide tried to explain things

in English as well and at the end we had a free glass of wine.

Troglodyte caves at Montsoreau

We drove on to the "panorama" marked on the map – a very bumpy ride, but a fine view over the Loire in both directions and down to the

Château of Montsoreau below.

We drove on into Saumur, past the Château and then on the way out of the town again stopped by a hypermarket, so had a quick shop – it

was 6.30 and the shop closed at 7 o'clock. We drove back to Montsoreau, stopping by "Moulin Herpiniere" – a windmill with a troglodyte

base – obviously made into a kind of Museum, but it was closed.

View across to the Loire at Saumur

"Moulin Herpiniere"

Back at the campsite we quickly prepared supper. We had passed a beautiful rainbow on the way back and now it was a lovely clear evening.

Sunset at the campsite at Montsoreau

Friday 24^th August 199 miles

A very mixed day! We packed up quickly with a lots of help from the children. We finished the last of our English bread for breakfast – it had

lasted remarkably well. The weather was a mixture of sun and light rain, but we got the tent packed up dry and we set off before 10.00 am

towards Saumur, where we stopped to get some money. We continued to follow the Loire, noting its changing shape and width. We bypassed

Angers and then followed a smaller road on the south bank where we stopped for lunch. The skies were often black, but it was dry while we

had lunch and just threatened to rain towards the end. The Loire here was a huge expanse of sand – we imagined how different it must be in

winter. Thomas, Simon and I walked right across the sands where we were. In some places clay was deposited on the sand and had caked

solid. We continued following the Loire until just before Nantes which we circled round on the north side and then headed northwest towards

Brittany. The skies became blacker, and we went through torrential rain. We crossed the Villaine River at La Roche Bernard – a very beautiful

high banked river, quite different from the Loire. At Muzillac we branched off to the Peninsular de Rhys along the south side of the Gulf of

Morbihan.

We started looking at campsites. The weather had improved and was now sunny and warm, but very windy. We looked at a site at St.

Jacques and just decided to try one more site a bit further on, when calamity – we ran out of petrol! On asking, we found that the nearest

petrol station was at Sarzeau, about 3 miles away. Adrian decided to go in search of petrol, while I went back to the campsite we had just left

and the beach with the children. It was now 5 o'clock. We all had a swim and I was just wondering how to keep 4 hungry children happy as

we ate the few crisps I had bought, when Adrian appeared – he had got some petrol from some men building a house. We then drove back

into Sarzeau and got more petrol, looked at one or two more sites and decided to come back to the first. We pitched tent and I cooked

supper and we went for a walk along the beach in the fading light, finding it quite attractive and pleasant.

An island in the Gulf of Morbihan

Our site at St Jacques, Brittany

We continued westwards and first visited a campsite on the north bank of the river – this time occupied by Eurocamp and not what we

wanted, but we found a spot on the south side of the river at Montsoreau – a municipal site with much more character and a superbly clean

loo block – Thomas said "Mummy there is loo paper and the toilets are clean, we can stay here"! The children weren’t too keen at first, as they

thought they couldn't swim in the river, but soon found a "beach" upstream, and Paul was soon fishing. An English couple next door had

welcomed us and we soon settled in – debating whether to put the front half and stay two nights. Then in the middle of supper it began to

pour with rain – so up with the front and any more outside activities were stopped for the night! A short game of continuo and then the

children were in bed – still not very early after yesterday's late-night.

The hot day had become very sultry and we returned to the tent about 6.00 pm – the children for ice lollies and then a swim. We bought

some chips from the campsite but ate them as a starter!

We drove past a tiny Château at Troussay and again you had to pay to get anywhere near and then past Fougères where there was a fine

Château in the middle of the town, then through Pontlevoy which had a huge Abbey in the middle of the town. We stopped for lunch in the

Foret de Montrichard – huge ants and flying things. Then on to Montrichard on the River Cher. We drove upstream a little to Bourré, where

there were lots of houses built into the cliff face – troglodyte houses. Then back through Montrichard to Chenonceaux where we eventually

pitched by the river on and rather uninspiring campsite with lots of Canvas Holidays tents, but a good swimming pool – even if it was rather

deep. After pitching the tent and cooling down in the pool, we set off for the Château at Chenonceaux – a very pretty one astride the River

Cher. We looked over the Château – joining the thousands of other people. The Château had been used as a hospital in World War I and as an

escape route in World War II when one side was in occupied France and one side not.

Looking down to the Château of Montsoreau below.