This morning's thunderstorm didn't materialise as forecast. That's three times now we've dodged one. However, just after seven there was a brief spell of rain, but it soon passed. Today we reluctantly left the Ile de Re. If the forecast had been for a fine, dry day, we would have booked onto the campsite for another night. But alas it was not, so we decided to put some miles under our belt and begin the drive north. By mid afternoon the rain fell relentlessly. We'd planned to stop half way to Mayenne, but when we arrived at the Aire, we decided that another fifteen hours of being confined in Marge was pointless, so John decided to drive on. We had been advised by a mechanic in Toulouse almost three weeks ago, that Marge should just take it easy. Two hours of driving and a top speed of fifty miles per hour. She'd already exceeded two hours, and now we were expecting the same again. had we made the right call? The rain persisted and Marge became a 'little leaky', wetting us both. Angela had hoped we'd be able to spend two days alongside the river Loire and that we could go out cycling. No chance.
As we arrived at Samur we could see the fast flowing river was in flood. So there was a chance the cycle path would be flooded in places. We couldn't believe our eyes. This couldn't be the same river Loire we'd witnessed last May, when the water level was so low, you could walk across the shingle banks from one side to the other in places. At Chouze sur Loire, a few miles out of Samur, tired and relieved us and Marge had made it, we stepped out, glad to stretch our legs and took a walk through the town and alongside the river.
The traditional wooden Loire boats looking a little dismal in the rising waters.
Then a visit to the church before returning to Marge. Tired, we opted for cheese and crackers rather than cook. As the nearby church struck eight, once at five minutes to, again on the hour, which is how they do these things in France, we knew tonight would be 'hells bells', which Angela, actually doesn't mind.
