Wednesday 30 July
Another solid breakfast at Hotel Mirabeau - truly a great little Hotel and consistently rated number 3 in Tours on TripAdvisor.
Walked down to the Market - what was it we needed to go for? Enjoyable anyway, as are all french markets - it is usually the producers who are selling, the produce seems of good quality, and the displays are outstanding. Bought the baguette, the jambon, the cheese and some apricots for lunch then had coffee at Place Plumerau. Pat headed for the shops while I took the new tram to the end of the line and back. It is the only tram line in Tours and runs about 10km, very new and sleek. In reality it Is a light rail engineered into the the existing road system. Stops are around 700m apart and the trams have a clear run through traffic lights. (Ticket machine at every stop.)
Lunch in the park, and then the train to Chenonceau. Another grand chateau, made spectacular by having been built across the Cher river. 16th Century build on a demolished fortified castle and distinguished by the important roles women have played in its history. In 1547 King Henry II donated it to his favourite lady, Diane de Poitiers. The property has played important roles in both World Wars - during WWI, the then owner turned part over to, and paid for it to be a surgical hospital for wounded troops, and in WWII, its location between occupied and free France, saw it as a point of border crossing for partisans and fleeing Jews.
Spectacular gardens and a beautiful property - and certainly very different crowd wise to the relaxed and crowd free Loches of yesterday. Retired to the Chenonceau village (delightful) for a couple of beers as the day has been very warm, before catching the train back.
We are both crashing from all the walking and climbing - and today, from all the eating. So tonight just a relaxing pizza and pasta.
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