Bikes on the TGV.France just had another long weekend because of a Catholic holiday (so much for laïcité). Emily and I went to Tours to get a break from city life and see some of the Loire.
Bikes on the TGV.
The pole and fence posts pictured here are in reality perfectly vertical. The TGV is so fast that the pixel scan rate of my camera is apparent.
Boats on the Loire.
We took a tour, tasted, and bought wine at the largest cooperative of producers in Vouvray.
Biking around.
Vines stretch to the horizon.
Entering Ambroise on Pont du Maréchal Leclerc.
Enjoying a Chinon at a cafe in Ambroise.
The Loire and town from the Château d’Amboise.
Everywhere the vines were flowering.
The absurd castle.
Contemplating the Loire.
More vines on the way home.
Besides grape vines, there was also a lot of wheat.
Buildings of Tours visible in the distance.
The next day we biked to Montlouis sur Loire.
At a cafe in Montlouis sur Loire, which was having a community games festival in the city center.
We befriended this gregarious cat.
Inside the Cave des Producteurs of Montlouis.
Gyropalettes for automated riddling.
On top the cliff above the doors,, you can see the silhouette of a goat.
Ready to head back.
We had dinner at a place recommended by the person who gave us the tour and tasting in Vouvray, the Guinguette de Rochecorbon, right on the Loire.
Sangria. Later, a kind man gave us the rest of his pitcher as he left.
A boat passes on the Loire.
The Loire and l’Île Simon at dusk from Pont Wilson.
An old street in Tours.
Emily by a city wall dating to roman times.
An old guard tower brimming with flowers.
The beautiful train station that does not serve the TGV.
Flamingos in the botanical garden.
We watched a man pet some of these geese.
A giant snail.
Water lilies in bloom.
After a beautiful morning, it rained a lot. We took cover at a cafe for lunch.
The sun came back for a while in the afternoon, and we explored l’Île Simon.
A lizard.
Emily walking the island.
The Loire.
Me walking the island.
Medieval stuff.
Beers at a pub.
Eventually it started raining quite hard, for the rest of the evening. Here is the rain from a trendy bar.
A hailstorm interrupts dinner. We had the only table completely shielded from the rain.
Catching a very early TGV back to Paris.
Breakfast at the cafe below our apartment.