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European Adventure 2017
Heading off at 9am we headed for the Loire Valley. As the day progressed it was yet another day of clear skies and 27 degrees. At one point along the way we turned the corner into a small town and found we were in the middle of a market which was in full swing! The streets were full of people not just on the side of the road but on the road. It did seem strange to be moving through the crowds but as the market happens once a week no doubt they are used to it. It was quite a long day of driving (300kms) as we now only have three and a half days left in this beautiful country and we needed to get further up towards Callais. Another France passion site was our choice for the night and top of the page for the area was the property of Jean-luc and Jean-Albert Mary who are third generation growers of vineyards and makers of their own wine and they only sell from their own property. The GPS had been set and it took us out into the country surrounded by vineyards and then asked us to turn into this unmarked shingle track in between two fields of vines. We meandered through for about 2kms wondering if we were in the right place when a farmer appeared from nowhere and told us we had come in the back way but we were in the right place. They were so welcoming and the property is so lovely. We parked up under trees beside their house. We were lucky enough to have an apricot tree beside us laden with fruit. Every time I hear a thud on the ground I run out to replenish the fruit bowl - at the owners suggestion. We suggested we may like a tasting and were invited inside for a sample. Very nice it was too and we now have some on board. He was telling us that the local stone in this area is chalk and just as it was with the stone in St Emelion, the 'galleries' left behind after the extraction of the Chalk for building are now used to cellar the wines. He said that in the 200km area of this part of the Loire there are about 1000km of galleries under the ground. The Loire River is 1000km long and they have just developed a biking track beside it. The track is 800km long so there you go bikers, there is a nice bike ride for you.
- comments
mum I think life will seem very dull when you come home after all the wonderful places you have been. Pictures are lovely and so interesting. Thanks for giving so much time to put it all on record Jo so we can all enjoy it too.