Sunday September 30, 2007
We were lucky to wake up to clear skies this morning and made out for the market in Descartes, a short 7 km north of Barrou. The market was still setting up as we arrived, but we cruised its length and found some nice additions for lunch as well as roasted chicken and potatoes for dinner. Following Descartes, named after the famous philospher and mathematician who was born here, we headed to our first Loire Chateau – Loche. The medieval chateau and the keep here rise above the ancient town. We walked around the site but chose not to tour the interior, opting rather for some of the more prominent chateaux that we planned to tour later in our journeys. We drove from here along the Indre river and found a nice spot for a pique nique at Reignac, before we made our way to Chenonceau, easily one of the Loire gems.
The day had warmed nicely and the blue skies prevailed as we started our tour amid the Sunday throngs. This castle built for Diane Poitiers, the mistress of Henry ll, sits across the Cher River and has numerous picturesque angles. The gardens and extensive grounds provide a good opportunity for an afternoon’s stroll. The interior is also wonderfully preserved with much of the original furnishings and decoration still on display.
We took a circuitous route home via Montrichard and Dawn remembered on the way that a town called Montresor near our route was voted one of the most beautiful villages in France. So, we made a further detour and were glad that we did since Montresor totally lived up to its reputation. We had a delightful walk through town snapping way too many pictures, but it was hard to know where to stop. The rest of the drive back to Barrou took us past many historical sites and across verdant wooded hills where, after 3 deer crossed the road in front of us, we kept a sharp eye out for other creatures that are obviously in presence by virtue of the large group of hunters that we passed. Back at our well-equipped house, we enjoyed our market purchases for dinner and then it took me forever to catalogue the day’s pictures and finally complete this entry. We definitely had a very full and rewarding first day in the Loire!
The first two pics here are the Loche, the next two at Chenonceau and the final one in the beautiful village of Montresor.
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