While in Tours it became apparent that the kids were tired. So after a quick lunch in the square by the cathedral we headed to the train station to see if there was a train that the women and kids could take to Azay le Rideau. Luck was with us since there was a train leaving in 30 minutes, especially since this train did not even run every day.

We put the Julie, Amy, and Val on the train with Maggie, Kat, Jane, Lawton, Jordan, and Dylan and 7 bikes and their associated panniers. The three men then continued on to Azay le Rideau by bike. Eric with the trail-a-bike (or Picalo in France), Robin with the luggage trailer (aka le Bob), and me (Brent) with the Tandem -- each of us with two panniers apiece -- headed south across the river Cher and turned west.

After riding about 15 km along the Cher, we encountered some French teenagers who had adapted a BMX type bike with floatation that they were riding off the embankment and then launching over the handlebars into the river ahead of the bike.

Another 4 km brought us into the town of Savonnieres where we stopped to briefly check out the church of Saint Gervais and Saint Protais, dating from 1138.

Then on another 4 km to the Château de Villandry. This château is supposed to have the best gardens in France but we opted to only peek over the hedge rather than take the time and admission cost to check them out.

From Villandry we rode another 5 km along the Loire before turning south at la Durandiere. A slight wrong turn after crossing under the A85 tollway took us an extra 1-2 km to a farm where we watched an amazing machine being pulled by a tractor that picked up a round bale of hay and encased it in a plastic wrap and then dumped it back onto the ground like a marshmallow.

We then continued south the remaining 10 km toward Azay le Rideau. This included a bit of an uphill grade at Valleres, and at 7 km, a ride by the Château le Gerfaut. This privately owned "modest" château of 8500 square meters (about 85000 sf) was undergoing renovation.

We arrived in Azay le Rideau at about 6 pm at the Biencourt hotel in the village center and reunited with our families.

Total distance for the day was 50 km (31 mi).

Our room at the Biencourt was small but quite nice, spotlessly clean, with the best shower of the trip, and (for a change) excellent lighting with no shortage of outlets to charge our devices.

The hotel arranged dinner for the 12 of us at Les Grottes. This fantastic restaurant had an indoor part with cave-like walls and ceilings as well as outdoor dining. We ate outside. I had a farmer's wife salad that came with greens, tomatoes, cheese in a pastry, and bacon on a skewer, all in a rocking bowl that you tip onto a plate. This was followed by a pepper steak that melted in my mouth. Val had the scallops with equally creative presentation and delectability. Amy did some excellent wine pairings, including my favorite white of the trip, called Sancerre from the les Chaumes region of the Loire valley.