It had been raining all night and for an hour or so in the morning when we packed up and set off, firstly to the supermarket that we had discovered was open on a Sunday morning. Then along the North side of the Loire for a while before crossing back south to visit the Petrified Grottos at Savonnieres. These were the most remarkable caves we have ever been in...the dripping limestone forms stalactites and stalagmites within decades rather than millions of years, so they have worked out how to make pictures and ornaments by putting objects (even dead animals) under the drips for about 6 months to a year. These become covered with beautiful glistening limestone, preserved for all time. The pictures are made with brass moulds left in the same way and then turned out to form relief pictures. We found it all really interesting.
From there, after a bite of lunch, we made our way further along the river to the famous Chateau and Gardens at Villandry.
By now the rain had stopped and the sun come out so all was right with the world again! There were quite a lot of visitors from all over the world, American and Japanese coachloads as well as the individuals like us. We wandered for about 2 hours, clicking away with the camera as we went, oohing and aahing at every corner we turned.
By now the rain had stopped and the sun come out so all was right with the world again! There were quite a lot of visitors from all over the world, American and Japanese coachloads as well as the individuals like us. We wandered for about 2 hours, clicking away with the camera as we went, oohing and aahing at every corner we turned.
Around 4.00pm we left and started the last leg of the day. We had discovered a small campsite run by an English couple and found out that they had spaces, so were headed to Le Chant d'Oisseau at Mouliherne. We took the scenic route on the road that runs on the top of the levee alongside the Loire. There was not much traffic so we poodled along admiring the scenery as far as Saumur, then turned northwards for about 20km to Mouliherne. Unfortunately sat nav could not work out which way to send us and we could not find it on the map so we drove an extra 20km in every direction before we finally arrived about 6.00pm. It is a lovely little quiet site, in the middle of nowhere, with just 12 pitches, mixture of tents, caravans and motorhomes, at the moment all English! They have a covered eating area and Monday + Friday evenings provide a full French meal with wine for 15 euros, so guess where we are eating tomorrow. Wednesday is pizza night, all cooked outside in the bread oven. The owners, Stu & Sybil, along with the dog, cats and chickens are very helpful and friendly, so we think we might stay a while.
Monday 10th June
A bit of a lie-in today, then some chores, all the time stopping for a chat with either other campers or Stu & Sybil. This is a very peaceful place, with mainly birdsong for company, hence the name. After lunch we took a stroll down a country lane for about an hour during which time only one car passed us. At 7.00pm we all (20 of us ) collected under the "barn" which basically was a roof with drop down tarps around the sides. We sat down to a 5 course meal, on benchs along a long table, with copious amounts of wine, typical French al fresco dining until about 11.00pm when drink & mozzies got the better of us so we retired to bed. We were probably the oldest people there, but it was a very entertaining evening talking to newbies in a tent, a young couple with baby in another tent, one posh couple in a very large caravan, Goldwing bikers in tents and a couple of campervans like ours.
Tuesday 11th June
No-one arose very early, but we were ready to go out about 10.00am. The ground is very wet as they have had so much rain so we all have to drive around the outside of the field to get out, playing follow-my-leader. Our 2 neighbours were leaving, but we drove about 30 miles to a place called Rochemenier where there is a Troglodyte (underground) Village.
We spent nearly 3 hours looking around the buildings seeing how they lived centuries ago along with their cattle all underground. It was one of the most fascinating places we have ever seen.
Up above ground are a few more modern dwellings, but even these mostly incorporate some of the old underground places. We got back just in time for a cuppa having stopped off for fuel and to visit a large garden centre that we came across, as well as doing our usual trick of going the wrong way and driving 2 sides of a 3 sided triangle instead of only one! The roads around here are really small, only one car's width most of the time and they do not have names, only signposts to the houses that are in that particular road. All the houses go by names, no numbers anywhere...we are glad we are not postmen!
We spent nearly 3 hours looking around the buildings seeing how they lived centuries ago along with their cattle all underground. It was one of the most fascinating places we have ever seen.
Up above ground are a few more modern dwellings, but even these mostly incorporate some of the old underground places. We got back just in time for a cuppa having stopped off for fuel and to visit a large garden centre that we came across, as well as doing our usual trick of going the wrong way and driving 2 sides of a 3 sided triangle instead of only one! The roads around here are really small, only one car's width most of the time and they do not have names, only signposts to the houses that are in that particular road. All the houses go by names, no numbers anywhere...we are glad we are not postmen!
Wednesday 12th June
It was a damp drizzly day, but I had to do some washing, so we used the machine and then strung it up outside under our pull-out awning making us resemble a Chinese laundry. We went for a short wander down the lane but gave up and came back to catch up on photos and blog. In the evening it was pizza night in the barn. We had all pre-ordered what we wanted, just had to take our plates and drinks over and sit watching Stu making and cooking each one in the outside bread oven that he has built. It was all quite entertaining and we chatted to people from all over England, Wales and Scotland.
Thursday 13th June
Most commonly know as a 'bugger-all day'! It had started raining again in the night and did not stop all day, so we all stayed inside in the dry doing whatever takes campers and caravanners fancy on a wet day.
Friday 14th June
At least it had stopped raining, but the field was like a lake again. We thought we would stay local so drove
the 6 kilometres up the road to Mouliherne.
It is a pretty little village with the usual ‘Mairie’ (Town Hall) and a butchers, bakers and hairdressers, together with a bar that wasn’t open. We huffed and puffed our way up the hill to the church, which we had been told contained sarcophaguses (or i whichever is the plural) both inside and out…and it did, quite amazing especially the one outside as it was on top of an old ossuary. When we shone a torch in the opening, we could see remains of skeletons at the bottom. Opposite the church was a car park with Christ on the cross right next to the public loos, which tickled our sense of humour.
It is a pretty little village with the usual ‘Mairie’ (Town Hall) and a butchers, bakers and hairdressers, together with a bar that wasn’t open. We huffed and puffed our way up the hill to the church, which we had been told contained sarcophaguses (or i whichever is the plural) both inside and out…and it did, quite amazing especially the one outside as it was on top of an old ossuary. When we shone a torch in the opening, we could see remains of skeletons at the bottom. Opposite the church was a car park with Christ on the cross right next to the public loos, which tickled our sense of humour.
From there we took another short drive to
find the supermarket at Vernantes so as to stock up the larder before we leave
on Sunday, not knowing where we will end up next, although Plan A is to head
for Le Mans and drive round the road circuit! Luckily in a way the 24 hour race
is the following weekend, so hopefully it won't be heaving.
When we got back Stu wanted us to move on to the pitch we should have gone on originally as he has a group of tents coming in over the weekend. We drove 2 feet backwards on to the pitch as requested and got stuck! We are not going forwards or backwards at the moment. Just hoping things dry out a bit before Sunday, otherwise leaving could be fun.
It was another meal night in the barn, but we passed on that one. Brian did not really fancy the menu, so it would have been a waste of 15euros. So we wandered over about 9.00pm with a 2 litre bottle of French cider and socialised then. Needless to say it was another late night!
Saturday 15th
Woke up to a sunny morning, so decided to try
the walk that we did not do on Thursday.
We did the last few bits of hand washing first and pegged on the line,
then said a prayer to the god of no rain , and set off. Sybil had given us a little map of a
circular route, all we needed to was
follow the house names in the right order! It was very pretty down the lanes,
through the forest, past a stinky duck farm as well as some very fearsome
barking dogs. We found poppies by the
million, mistletoe on most of the trees, buzzards flying overhead, some horses
and donkeys, but for the first hour no cars at all. We took about 3 hours to do 5 miles or so, so on our return just
sat with our feet up until shower + dinner time. Now have to tidy up ready to move in the morning.
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