Cosne-Cours-Sur-Loire

Lots of activity at the aire this morning, with the French moving their vans into poll position, as others left. The baker arrived, knowing he would have custom, as we were a little way out of town. Of course the English were of no use to him whatsoever, with their diet of eggs and cereal. What's wrong with eating butter filled products regularly?

Whilst we deny our blood vessels these lovely French delicacies, a couple of the boats, slip their moorings. Overhead a helicopter flies very low, the words out, the English have sneaked onto the aire!

On the way to tonight's stop, we called into a supermarket to buy twenty litres of water. The French housewives, doing the same, buying more than on their usual shop. We wanted to arrive early at tonight's aire, after such a long day yesterday. Whilst tidying up after lunch, Angela realised she had left her credit card, in the card machine at the Decathlon shop we visited yesterday, which was not close by. A hasty call, to England, quelled any anxieties, the card now cancelled, and a new one will be waiting when we return home. But what is it with these security questions they ask you, why can you never remember the answers?

Tonight we are right beside the river Loire at Cosne-Cours-Sur-Loire.

We cycled through here, a few years ago, when cycling the Loire section of Euro Velo 6. The river is in good flow, and as yesterday evening, we have the shade from the trees, and a breeze moving between them. Walking into the town, we were surprised to see both churches were inaccessible, secured by iron gates. Along one of the side streets we came across a printers, stopping to photograph something amusing in the window.

John entered the print shop, wanting to photograph the trusty old Heidelberg platen printing presses.

Just outside, a mayfly was resting in the shade, its gold body making it look like a ladies brooch. Earlier, we'd seen a sparrow, with a mayfly caught in its beak.

Returning from the town, we set up our chairs in the shade. Armed with a selection of leaflets from the tourist office, where we'd enjoyed watching the swifts flying in, and feeding their young in the nests above the doorway, we sat down with a cold lager.

Next to us, the Dutch couple were enjoying snacks with their early evening drink. When the lady appeared, with what looked like two sachets of cheese, on sticks, we wondered if it was Edam or Gouda cheese. Neither, she was holding two lemon ice lollies. "By golly, this lager's good stuff!" At seven o'clock this evening, the temperature was 38c, and even after our showers, we felt uncomfortable.

Later at nine thirty the sun was just starting to set over the river.

The forecast for the Loire, is for thunderstorms later in the week, with the temperatures remaining high.