Loire Valley, May 2 - 11.

Leaving Paris behind, we decided to slow down a little. After an eventful train ride with delays and cancellations, we met our new landlords at Chatellerault in the Loire Valley.
From there, it was a 20 minute drive... to this:



An idyllic 17th century cottage just outside of the (very) small town of La Petite Guerche, we found ourselves delighted with everything that caught our eye. Everywhere was green, bursting with spring life. And it truly was idyllic, from fields of wheat in the distance down to the daisies and molehills in the grass at our feet.

This (below) is the view from our cottage, looking across the country garden to the stables and then the township on the horizon.

In the evening, we would place our order for the baker in a sack on the doorpost, and every morning we had fresh croissants and delicious breads delivered. Eggs were an option too, but we preferred to walk down the road to a neighbouring farm to collect our eggs right from the source.

We spent time reading and relaxing, finding many places suitable to these activities. Here is Naomi on a bench amongst the saplings, just above the croquet lawn.


There was wildlife about as well - and bumblebees and insects galore. This doormouse was one of the few furry creatures we saw there, but unfortunately its time with us was limited thanks to some tasty rat poison in the cellar.


We went on several walks to stretch both our legs and our minds. The nearest town was La Petite Guerche, but on arriving there...

it was as if everyone had vanished. A true ghost town.
Across the river, at Le Grande Guerche the story was much the same. So, we took a ride to Descartes (the birthplace of Rene) about 10km down the road. It was market day, and although the markets were not quite what we had become used to in Paris, we managed to do quite well.
Yum.

The town was pretty enough to warrant a return visit some days later, and we discovered beautiful parks and gardens that entertained us for the afternoon.


We liked the idea of riding through the countryside, so we went to La Grand Pressigny for a bit of French cooking and to hire some bicycles.
Naomi was quite happy to zip along down the hills, but climbing back up the other side was another story all together. After a few long rides and some tenderness later, the bikes were returned. It was enjoyable, but we had both had enough.


I had a little fiddle with the computer in our host's office, and we managed to have wireless access in the garden outside.
Here is Naomi with our mini computer, setting up a video call back home to Australia.














hi mum.

























My dreams of fuzzy critters to make friends with does not extend to stinging insects, unfortunately.
While in the garden, it was nice to watch the bumblebees bobbing along, comically intent in their pursuits.
We don't have anything quite like it at home.


So, eventually our time in the cottage came to an end. We really enjoyed the sunshine and the grass (once the hayfever remedies kicked in) and our hosts were hospitable to the end. A real highlight was Richard... an opera singer by profession, he would burst out a booming refrain while in the midst of some gardening off in the distance. I loved it.

The final image is of Naomi, sitting at our breakfast table. Fresh croissants and morning coffee in the dappled sunshine.
We had a wonderful time in the Loire Valley.