Le Quai Fleuri Chartres

... a ltr bottloe of Vin rouge and a bottle of water. Not only excellent value but terrific quality and service. The atmosphere was friendly and relaxed and it was difficult to tell we were foreigners abroad.<br><br>Well fed and watered we got tucked for the night ready for an early morning START!!....

... relaxed and laid back. The Cathedral is definitely worth the visit, and gives a wonderful insight into the life of the people there in the Middle Ages. Whether you are religious or not, to stand in the centre of the church and to look around at all the sculpture and stained glass windows around you, you can&#8217;t help but marvel at the skill of the craftsmen who built it, and at the way that the building captures you attention.<br><br>After Chartres we drove slowly down to ...

... waiting nearly a week to hear from the garage exactly what is wrong with the car - the AA Euro breakdown cover have been liaising with them &amp; put us up in a hotel for a couple of nights before we had to move on. The garage are saying that there's 6,000 euros (£5,116) worth of damage which means my insurance won't pay for the repairs - I only paid £2,350 for it in the first ...

... cafe to book accommodation for the next few days. Made a big decision today to make some pretty major changes to my bike set-up to alleviate discomfort in my shoulders and lower back. Time will tell if I've got it right. Enjoyed strolling around the city before finding a super little restaurant for another dinner of pasta and glass of local red wine. The perfect night-cap before I head further south tomorrow. DISTANCE FOR THE DAY: 115 km TOTAL SO FAR: 491 km

... seemed to find it amusing to see on the adjacent minor road a strange apparition dressed like a huge wasp loom out of the mist. At least I assumed that was why they honked their horns!) Once again the sun broke through to present another clear blue sky and by 10:00 I rode into the historic cathedral city of Chartre. I love the architecture of cathedrals and this one certainly did not disappoint. But why did they have to build it on top of such a steep hill? Local people ...

... to see a special traveling exhibit on the forgettable Jerome Napoleon (a baby brother), who turned out to be the made up king of a made up country. But fascinating nonetheless. After visiting the chateau we stopped at the other landmark of interest in Fontainebleau -- INSEAD, the renowned international business school, formerly attended by our dear friend, Kent. As Kent will tell you, we have an annoying habit of arriving ...

... where to find Jude IF he got lost). We did see some more Japanese tourists taking pictures of all of the high end designer stores, which we got a kick out of. Our pictures: "Ooh, flying buttresses on Notre Dame", there's: "Ooh, Louis Vitton!" Now, I shouldn't make fun though, as I did consider blessing myself and saying a small novena in front of the Chanel store (And Dior, Bvulgari, and Cartier.... Haven't found Hermes yet). Window ...

... has been in this location for several hundred years and the current chateau dates from the 17th century. The property is about 600 acres an there are a few tenants including his sister. The family portraits are gorgeous and date back 350 years. While not as impressive a lineage it makes me want to get our portraits on the wall when we get home. A winding and frequently scenic route ...

Järgmiseks läbisõidu kohaks oli 112 600 elanikuga Jeanne d'Arci poolt vabaks võideldud linn. Orleans oli arhitektuurilt ja üldmulje poolest modernseim seninähtud linnadest. Vähem esines vanu saksa stiilis maju - pigem meenutas see skandinaavia stiili. Linna keskust läbib loogeldes Loire'i jõgi. Kuna oli pühapäev, siis oli enamik poode suletud ning jalutasime vaid läbi peatänava, tegime mõned pildid Jeanne d'Arci kuju juures ning suundusime tagasi auto juurde, mis oli ...

We took a day trip out of Paris to Versailles by train. The gardens were beautiful but huge chunks looked like they were undergoing restoration. The whole place was so massive that perhaps it is constantly having this kind of work done.