Chateaus and Loire Valley

Trip Start May 25, 2008
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Trip End May 25, 2009


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Wednesday, August 6, 2008

After much difficulty and confusion (again!!) in validating my Eurail pass, we arrive in Tours in the Loire Valley.  Often called the "Garden of France", the Loire Valley is an enchanted land of vineyards, flowers and rolling green hills dotted with more than a thousand chateaus.  This is why we have chosen Tours as a base, we want to visit at least 1 chateau during our stay here!

Our hotel, Hotel Colbert, is a charming hotel run by the most friendly and welcoming man we came across in the whole of our travels.  He went out of his way to make us feel comfortable, giving us hints about local eateries, chateau, things to do in Tours, which trains to catch to here or there, even running up to our room with his telephone to use because he couldn't figure out how to transfer a call hehe!  He advised that Chenonceau was his favourite chateau, so we decided to go there tomorrow.  For today, we just lazed around Tours Tours Gare
Tours Gare
 .  Went for coffee and pastries at the cafe near our hotel, walked past the beautiful Hotel de Ville, ate baguettes whilst walking around the Musee Beaux Arts Jardins, ice cream in the main shopping street, and went out for Kir and dinner at a local Lebanese restaurant.

The next day was more hurried.  Woke up and went to the bakery at 7.30am and had them make us fresh baguettes to take with us to Chenonceau, I had salad with marinated chevre...sooo yummy!!!  Caught the train and made our way there...was a lovely ride through the countryside.  Chenonceau was AMAZING.  It would be one of the highlights of my trip.  It is a huge castle, its rooms still richly decorated with art and original tapestries. During WW2 it was a haven because as it stretches across a river, one side of the castle was in occupied France and the other in Allied protected France.  It also served as a makeshift hospital during the wars and there are pictures up around the gallery from when it was hastily set up.  The gardens are even more beautiful, and the forest even more so!  We went for a walk through the forest through to a river and saw lots of red squirrels, and fish that looked like redfin from back home.  It was just lovely to get away from towns and cities for a few hours.  We caught the 3pm train home and had coffee and cake before relaxing in the park near our house, then went to the old town to explore.  Had some aperitifs in the main square, then to Subway for a light dinner.
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