Adventures in the Loire Valley

We spent a lovely week in the Loire Valley at the beginning of July.  It was sunny and warm, the countryside was beautiful, and the food was scrumptious!  We stayed in a lovely gite which meant we could cook our own food (or rather, eat bread and cheese and pate and red wine for dinner).

Here it is:  Annie’s House near Saumur, run by a lovely English lady and her equally lovely French husband.

 

 

 

 

All the gardens seemed to be just soaking up the sun and bursting with the most gorgeous colours.

We visited a few chateaux, including Chenonceau which I saw in a book of chateaux of the Loire Valley once and have always been transfixed by.  It was magical to see it in person.

 

 

There was a glimpse inside of how the floor must have looked before it was worn away over the years…

 

 

and some really incredible copper pots!

 

 

We also visited Amboise, where Leonardo da Vinci lived and was buried.  It was covered in scaffolding so not the most picturesque in places, but this gargoyle was quite charming.

 

 

 

And of course, we stopped for refreshments a fair few times.

 

Our final day we spent in Honfleur, which is a lovely seaside town on the coast.  I cannot imagine the kind of weather they must get sometimes, as the houses are commonly tiled with slate all down the sides.  Not a good sign!

 

It is a very beautiful place though, and these days is quite bijoux and expensive.  We had some very expensive drinks on the waterfront and watched the world go by, but they were worth it.  Vive la France!