Castles, Wine and Closed Roads

Loches, a medieval castle and entire walled village
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Monday, September 17.

I'm still having trouble getting up early, and the fact that the sun isn't out today doesn't help. There is a light rain and a big temperature drop! I throw on my gortex rain jacket and decide to ride along the Loire on D754. I stop to exchange money, but the banks are closed on Mondays here. Little did I know, you don't exchange money at the bank, you go to the POST OFFICE! More French logic. I find an ATM so I do have cash for the next few days. Credit cards are not widely taken in shops or small bistros, so if you aren't frequenting the expensive spots, you need real money.

I think of julia Roberts in "Pretty Woman" when she shoots an escargot through the air...

the street is hardly wide enough for one car!
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Besides lots of castles, this area is big on wine and winetasting. (This would be an entirely "other" kind of trip. I came to see France and write, and I AM drinking wine, but I can't fit the winetasting thing into my schedule. I am perfectly happy with 4 euro sauvignon blancs from the super marche', or a "pichet" of wine from the bistro for 6 euro ). There is even a wine route to follow called "route de vignoble touraine val de loire" which is mostly backroads, and it can be done on bike or by car. Although the road signs don't always match my maps, there are  multiple signs at most intersections which guide you in the general direction of the route, cities, castles and historic monuments. I think of Mr Toad's Wild Ride when some intersections have up to 15 signs, all pointing in different directions.  All along the Loire I see "Caves Degustation", which is winetasting by small vineyards who store and/or make their wine in the caves carved into the soft "tartuffe" limestone. When the quarriers cut all that block to build all those castles, they left alot of tunnels and caves behind!

Obviously a hunting lodge. Nice doggie!
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When I return to Amboise it's late afternoon, but I think I can fit in a couple castles if I drive my car. The all hours lot that I have parked in has a huge detour sign in front of it. They are tearing up the road! I stay calm and walk around the block. What if my I can't get my car out of the lot? They have temporary stoplights set up and have everyone coming and going down a one way street at the other end.. At least I'm able to get my car. Deciding what castle to see first is much more difficult. I have a guide book that explains that the fabulous weather here, the proximity to Paris, and the development of artillery and relative peace in the late 1400's, made the Loire an area of choice for the Royal and the wealthy, not for fortresses any longer, but for ostentacious, fancy, dazzling castles. I kid you not, there are hundreds of castles here! They are almost a dime a dozen!  I am much more fond of the old fortresses, off the beaten track and the fairy tale turreted castles (think sleeping beauty), so I set my GPS and head south to Loches.

The base of the ramparts, Loches
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Hell, the first road it directs me to is closed!  (is Monday road work day?!) What I do discover though, is if you just keep driving, the GPS will reset and give you new directions to the destination. I like this. Now I can take off down some skinny little road that appeals to me, and I will still get to where I am going. Right on!

Loches as a fortress has been around since the tenth century. It was a self supporting city, completely walled, and so it still exists as a medieval city unto itself, towering over the valley. I park in the town below and walk up to the base of the ramparts and in through a gate. The ancient walls rise up on either side of me, draped with ivy and clinging vines. The road is so narrow, barely one car can slide by. There are still homes here, but some of the windows are shuttered, and all I see is a lone dog wandering. Kind of eerie. The compound consists of a keep (for defense, and boasts a tall square building of 44 meters high, the highest in France.) There use to be a roof, and little sloped balconies attached at the top, with openings in the floor to drop boiling oil and rocks on intruders. Of course there were dungeons, and I also descended a circular staircase to the dry moat. I was there at the end of the day, and didn't really want to spend the night down there, so I practically ran up the stairs to get out. Sure enough, there was a guy there with a key ready to lock up...and he hadn't yelled hello or anything. I could have been locked in!

entry to the church/loches
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In the middle of the headland is a beautiful church, where the sarcophagus of Agnes Sorel is kept. She was the first mistress of a King, Charles VII, and he was totally in love with her, but there was all sorts of intrigue. She had 3 daughters by him, but died at 28 of "stomach distress". Modern France has done extensive studies and one additional daughter wasn't his. She died of mercury poisoning, but that was also a treatment for parasites...the rumor is she had denied the dauphin, which I gather is another prince, and he had her poisoned. Or maybe she died of her unwanted pregnancy. Who knows?

architectural detail
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At the safest/steepest end of the property was the royal hunting lodge. This was Joan of Arc country, so she appeared here, as well as all the other royals. Of course there are antlers, chapels and lots of religious paintings. Oh, and great views.

On my way home I pass through Chevigny, a most picture perfect village with flowers and climbing rose vines. I drive really slow, but can't find a place to pull off and take pictures.

I barely make my dinner reservations at 8pm at L'Epicerie. This is a much nicer place than the bistos I've been eating at. The interior is wood beamed ceilings and huge wood columns, soft candle light and mirrors.  I wanted to eat outside, but it's chilly tonight, and outside is just for people who are really hungry and don't have reservations! I sit next to an Australian couple who have brought their grandson on a 5 week trip to France, three weeks of it biking the Loire. He is very polite and well spoken, but so tired , he lays down on the bench seat at the table. It is almost 9pm at this point. This reminds me of summer in the Hamptons, when we would eat so late, and the kids were having major meltdowns because they were so hungry and sleepy. The grandmom is kinda pooped too, and seems very interested in my accomodations, especially the part about the washer/dryer. They are basically in 2 star (comfortable/moderate) hotels, climbing over each other in the small space and on a schedule in the sense that their bikes are delivered every morning and they must ride 45km to their next hotel. She is very jealous that I sleep in and plan my day as I go. I give her the website for my apartment (www.vrbo.com, available private apartments and homes all over the world, some very historic) and I think SHE is planning their next trip!

from the inside of the church
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My dinner is fantastic, escargot, but in the shell. They give you this little gripper tool, but it is not easy to use. I think of Julia Roberts in "Pretty Woman" when she shoots an escargot into the air (using that same tool, I bet) and the waiter grabs it and slips it in his pocket. Nobody was standing by to catch my mistakes, so this course takes a long time. My entree was little shrimp sauteed with a brown sauce, tiny asparagus tied with a vegetable string (carrot?), a parchment pouch with veggies inside. I have a cheese plate and coffee. I have not had dessert yet! I'm always too full.

The royal Lodge
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I only have to waddle down the street to my apartment. It's so quiet outside. A few couples are also walking home through the shadows, their heels clicking in the dark. Another great day, bonne nuit.