It is sad to say goodbye to Paris, but there is much more to France. Today we meet our bus driver, Phillipe, who just may be the world’s best driver, with an ability to maneuver and turn a gigantic bus onto any itty-bitty cute cobblestone street the directions may call for.
He takes us south today to the Loire Valley, the land of a thousand châteaux, of which we will explore at least three over the next few days.
Our first stop is Amboise, a charming little town with big history. The royal Château of Charles VIII (and later Louis XII and Francois I); Leonardo da Vinci’s house; and what I consider to be the world’s best pear sorbet, are just a few options to consider during your time here. The view from the Château gardens and towers are incredible: look at these views over the houses and Loire River. I feel like I have finally arrived in France!
He takes us south today to the Loire Valley, the land of a thousand châteaux, of which we will explore at least three over the next few days.
Our first stop is Amboise, a charming little town with big history. The royal Château of Charles VIII (and later Louis XII and Francois I); Leonardo da Vinci’s house; and what I consider to be the world’s best pear sorbet, are just a few options to consider during your time here. The view from the Château gardens and towers are incredible: look at these views over the houses and Loire River. I feel like I have finally arrived in France!
But even more breathtaking is the Château de Chenonceau, our next stop, where we have plenty of time to tour this ‘castle on the river.’
We learn about royal life in France – including how a castle kitchen functions – and even have free time to tour the two gardens and the forest-like surroundings.
Our final stop is where we sleep: Chinon, one of my favorite cities of the tour. Chinon is trapped in time, its cobble-stoned streets and 12th-15th century architecture perfectly intact. It is also a major wine producer in the region.
We have now arrived at Hotel Diderot, the best bed – and breakfast! -- of the tour, housed in an 18th-century manor and run by a family who also makes their own jam. At a given breakfast you may find such varieties as peche jaune (young peach), framboise (raspberry), strawberry or apricot in vanilla, strawberry au poivre Sichuan, banana, Springtime in Tourrain (a moulange - mix - of red plums, cherries, and strawberries), banana and mango, three kinds of plum, and three types of rhubarb (with lemon, red fruit, or rose petal). Patrick warned us ahead of time that these were breakfasts most people didn't want to leave.
Patrick leads a walking tour of Chinon, where we learn about the town's history, architecture, and fortress, where Joan of Arc asked Charles VII to take the throne back from the English. Dinner together is held at a family-run restaurant. It is common to see both parents and their teenage or grown children working. Tonight we start with an amuse bouche of risotto with mushrooms; followed by stuffed eggplant with salad in a wine-based dressing; tender roast with mustard-infused mashed potatoes and carrot flan; and fondant au chocolat in English cream.
Then we have the evening free.
We have now arrived at Hotel Diderot, the best bed – and breakfast! -- of the tour, housed in an 18th-century manor and run by a family who also makes their own jam. At a given breakfast you may find such varieties as peche jaune (young peach), framboise (raspberry), strawberry or apricot in vanilla, strawberry au poivre Sichuan, banana, Springtime in Tourrain (a moulange - mix - of red plums, cherries, and strawberries), banana and mango, three kinds of plum, and three types of rhubarb (with lemon, red fruit, or rose petal). Patrick warned us ahead of time that these were breakfasts most people didn't want to leave.
Patrick leads a walking tour of Chinon, where we learn about the town's history, architecture, and fortress, where Joan of Arc asked Charles VII to take the throne back from the English. Dinner together is held at a family-run restaurant. It is common to see both parents and their teenage or grown children working. Tonight we start with an amuse bouche of risotto with mushrooms; followed by stuffed eggplant with salad in a wine-based dressing; tender roast with mustard-infused mashed potatoes and carrot flan; and fondant au chocolat in English cream.
Then we have the evening free.
We are extremely fortunate because tonight is the first night of summer, and all of France comes to life in a huge display of music known as the Fête de la Musique! For us in cute little Chinon, that means every little cobblestone street and alley is bursting with locals who can enjoy a wide range of music: Texas-line dancing on one block, disco on another, rock on yet another, and classical on the next. Students and instructors perform together. A boy practices his guitar outside a cafe. A woman on a bicycle with a guitar case on her back, smiles at us as she pedals by.
It is Tuesday, which means that there is no school tomorrow, so even the children are out enjoying themselves until the late hours. With the moon high and the lamps bathing the medieval lanes in an orange glow, we are having the time of our lives dancing and mingling with locals.
It is Tuesday, which means that there is no school tomorrow, so even the children are out enjoying themselves until the late hours. With the moon high and the lamps bathing the medieval lanes in an orange glow, we are having the time of our lives dancing and mingling with locals.