Cunault

Yesterday evening, about ten o' clock, we walked back into the town, where the performers of the travelling comedy theatre were in full swing.

A few years ago, we had seen a similar production staged next to the chateau at Clisson. The French love to perform, but whenever we see them doing so, we always think they come across a little camp, and a little like the seventies English television comedy 'Allo Allo'. You are almost expecting them to come out with the lines, "where are the British airmen?'. "They are in ze wardrobe, in ze bedroom of my wife's mother!'

Walking back to the van, we stopped to photograph the chateau, which was now lit up. The night air was still stifling, so we shut all Marge's windows and doors, to keep out the mosquitoes and midges, and sat under a nearby light on our outdoor chairs, reading until midnight.

This morning there was a noticeable change in the weather. A lot cooler and fresher.

Behind us was a stunning private garden, and we commented on how lucky we were, to be able to enjoy it through the rear open doors of the van.

After breakfast, we took a walk to the nearby market, where, as at all French markets, there was an abundance of fruit and vegetables, meats, cheese, bread, olives etc.

Also bedding plants and herbs.

We smiled at the characters we saw in the crowds, an elderly gentleman, showing how to model socks and sandals really badly, and a tall man, wearing black riding? boots, with black shorts.

Along one of the side streets a young couple were busking, their young daughter bored in her pushchair, as her parents gave their all, to a rendition of Mary Hopkins, Those Were The Days. We gave them ten out of ten, for the energy they put into their performance.

When we left Langeais, the sky was a little grey, and a few spots of rain splashed onto the windscreen, but came to nothing. Our journey took us along the road past some troglodytes dwellings.

Even though we have seen them a few times before, we once again stopped, to take a look around. They are situated along the Loire cycle route, and one of the caves houses charging points for the electric bikes, toilets, picnic table, and a outdoor pizza oven/barbecue.

Just before we stopped here, we took the opportunity to photograph Angela, collecting this weeks wine allowance!

The heat built again during the afternoon. 30c, much more bearable. Tonight we are staying at a former campsite, just past Samur. Next to us is the flood plain for the river. Quite a lot of campsites have closed near to the river, and a few are now aires. This evening, we will take a walk across the plain to look at the river.

Tomorrow, we will have just nine days left until we return home, so we need to plan our route back up to the north coast. Since we left home, we have traveled just under four thousand, eventful, miles!

Langeais

To try and cool off, yesterday evening, Angela took a walk up to the bank of the river. On one of the small islands in front of the bridge, two men were stood in a small boat fishing. The vapour trails above, the white in a strawberry and cream twilight sky.

This morning we drove across the bridge to Chaumont-sur-Loire, where we had knowledge of a tap. Once again we could fill our water tank. After sorting Marge, we parked her down by the river, and took a walk along the High Street, passing under a cool mist of water being emitted from a goats cheese shop.

We thanked the owner for this momentary relief from the heat, and walked on towards the chateau, passing the traditional Loire fishing boats, one which had just been cleaned in readiness for its next guest.

Our uphill walk to the chateau was tiring and fruitless, as there was no view, the chateau obscured by trees.

On the downhill walk back to Marge, we saw a large toad at the side of the road, bloated, but sadly dead, only a few more feet, and it would have made it into the coolness of the hedge alongside the path.

Back at the van, we watched the canoeists on the river, totally exposed. We hoped they had, had, the good sense to apply lots of sunscreen, and wear sunhats. Before long, they had found the shade of the nearby bridge. We thought it was madness, that the canoe hire company had let them come out in such extreme heat. But that's business for you!

Before we set off, we photographed the chateau. If only we'd realised the viewpoint from the side of the river, rather than close to, was the better photograph.

Our next stop was to be Amboise. We'd camped on the island here, when we cycled the Loire. The chateau, is on the opposite bank. The aire was a little out of town, and not very pleasant, so after lunch, we decided to move further along, but the next air was totally exposed, with no shade at all, so we set off again. We took the ring road around Tours, the tarmac on the road melting so much, you could hear and feel the tyres sticking to it. On the outskirts of Tours, we suddenly both caught the strong aroma of the chemical we use in our toilet, so hastily pulled over. As we thought, the heat had forced the lid from the container, which was not good, beside the smell, the liquid stains blue anything it comes into contact with, including John's hand!

Tonight's stop is at Langeais, right next to the chateau. We were the first van to arrive, so took the end spot, where we would be able to wind out our sun awning, something you're not supposed to do on the aires, but the French flout this, and as we considered the heat to be an exceptional circumstances, we rebelled as well.

Late this afternoon, we walked to the chateau to take a look.

In the covered square, a rehearsal was taking place for tonight's performance of 'Le Mome Chair de Poule', a comedy musical. The title translates to, something to do with chicken meat. Tonight, is the first night for this travelling theatre, they will appear all around the area until the end of August. In the intense heat, the stage was being assembled, whilst one of the cast went through his songs, accompanied by a man on an accordion. The heat one again taking its toll, we walked back to the van.

The temperature in the shade at 6pm registering at 40c, the temperature in Marge, despite all her windows and doors open is 46c!

Tomorrow we must find an aire among the trees. We are drinking copious amounts of water each day, but are now starting to suffer a little. Thankfully this evening, a breeze has picked up. Hopefully, the air will feel more comfortable later, and we'll be able to walk back into town to listen to the musical comedy performance.