Beaugency

Last night, we took a short walk along the main street of the village,

the night sky was clear, and we took the opportunity to take some late evening photographs.

This morning we were glad to see the other English van leaving, the man from it, came over to us late yesterday afternoon, and was pontificating how wonderful his really long unit was (van, plus trailer for his scooter). He was derogatory about our blog, which I was trying to write while he talk incessantly. I know Margery herself would have said something to him, and the less tolerant one of us, was about to question does size matter? Moving on, all owners of small VW campers, know, that we can stop easily wherever and whenever, we want to.

Before we left the aire, we walked across tomorrow the trees opposite, where sixty three pictures, done in mosaic, culminating in the shape of a bunch of grapes, had been produced by the local children, their names appearing around the edge of it.

After leaving Turquant, we passed by the caves that have been used for many years to grow mushrooms. Above the caves was a large mushroom made from the tufa rock.

Further along the road, at one of the riverside ports, we stopped to photograph the traditional flat bottomed river boats.

Today, much of our journey has been alongside the river Loire, the meandering roads hugging the river banks. We have seen many black cormorants grouped together on the sandbanks, one broke away from the flock and raced alongside us.

After dismissing the aire we stopped at for lunch, we moved to another right on the river bank. We felt this one was too isolated, so decided to move on, but before doing so, John spotted the walnut trees, and he managed to obtain a few fresh walnuts off a nearby tree. There were two women there, determined to have all the nuts, armed with a clothes line prop, they beat the branches, harvesting on an industrial scale. John, note for trip to France in the autumn, don’t forget clothes line prop!

After passing by many chateau, we eventually found an aire, which was both suitable and had room. Tonight we are staying at Beaugency.

We are parked right beside the river Loire, with the Euro Velo 6 cycle path running along beside us, taking us back to another time when we passed this way.

Late afternoon, we took a walk into the town, part of which is medieval. We took a look inside the Abbaye Notre Dame, and the ruins of the chateau. The flowers all around the town were beautiful.

The temperature has been much cooler today, only 18c, so we had to wear our outdoor jackets for the first time this holiday. But this evening, it is still warm enough for us to be sat with our side door open, with some quiet instrumental background music playing, whilst looking across the river at the soft orange glow of the street lights and listening to the water of the river, washing over the rocks as it passes under the Bridge.