An expedition to discover the source of the Loire

[Jane And Rog]

We made it for lunch at the mouth of the Loire (St Brevin). I had my eyes firmly closed over the bridge - and I was driving!

We’re now at the municipal campsite at Oudon, which is right on the Loire. Very friendly manager person too.

We walked the dog along the river - very pleasant indeed.

Will soon be off to try to eat out in town. Saturday night though...

 

[Jane And Rog]

Had a lovely drink in the sun at The Café du Havre - lots of stepped outside terraces overlooking the Havre river just before it joins the Loire. Three house cats which luckily Flynn didn’t spot or we would have had to leave in disgrace. More like an English pub in some ways with bar service, but lots of local wines.

Then dinner at Villa Saint Germain - we got the last table in the place. Super friendly young couple running it - he was keen to practice his English and I my French - in the end I mostly won.



I started with shrimp raviolis in a shrimp sauce, R had quail with North African ratatouille, we both had beef served blue with frites & saucings , then R had an apricot dessert and I had a strawberry one. Glass of crémant and beer each first, then two glasses each with the meal. Any guesses?

 

[Figaro]

85 euro

 

[Baileysbus]

I was thinking around that too. Given the alcofrol and designer dessert ? I’ll raise that to €92 ( do like guess the price )

 

[Jane And Rog]

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[Jane And Rog]

It’s proving impossible to get the dog into anything except restaurants and bars. We’ve had to miss the machines at Nantes, the tapestry at Angers Castle and more. We did get to visit the troglodyte village at Rochemenier yesterday as the weather was bad enough to leave the dog in the van.

We thought we’d found the perfect stop at an aire just south of Cunault, with a French - Caribbean restaurant for tonight. It was open as we passed, so we got ourselves set up, walked the dog along the river and then called in to make sure of a table for tonight. It was closed.

Upped sticks and ended up at the ridiculously expensive site on the island at Saumur. At least the dog was allowed (after inspection of his pet passport and question about whether he was from Hungary and what his name was, and why it was the same as the original on his pet passport!).

Did get a proper shower, and so did the van as it tipped down for an hour or so. Then we walked into town and started with a Soupe Saumuroise - the local cocktail of Triple Sec and crémant. Then we braved the outside tables so that we could eat at Saumur 1929. Excellent it was too - kind of local tapas in largish sizes (for tapas).

We had 4 - a trout brandade, a pig’s trotter and lentils, onion flowers with local goats cheese and honey, and some pittas with melted Tomme cheese and rilllettes. A pichet of red, and then a crémant and another red with our desserts (pain perdu and frangipane tart) - quite a boozy night!

Any guesses?

Fab sunset as we walked back over the bridge.

 

[scousebird]

€58

 

[Baileysbus]

? ........ €77 maybe? We stayed on the same site in Saumur last year and were equally unimpressed. If you’ve no firm plans head east via Montsoreau (tres bon patisserie) and stay at the muni campsite at Chinon. Friendly folk, good facilities and a short stroll into town.

 

[DBK]

I like pigs trotters. There's a restaurant in Paris which specializes in them, it's called appropriately the Pied de Cochon. I queued for half an hour once to get in. I was younger (and hungrier) then.

 

[klaatu]

90 euros. Looks very nice, whatever it cost, and we will definitely give it a try the next time we are in Saumur!

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[Jane And Rog]

Thanks for tip - have heard good things about Chinon. Anyone know if the gardens at Villandry are dog friendly? Or any other chateau? Wondering if we’d be better getting to the wilder bits of this trip...

 

[The Dudess]

Thanks for tip - have heard good things about Chinon. Anyone know if the gardens at Villandry are dog friendly? Or any other chateau? Wondering if we’d be better getting to the wilder bits of this trip...

Taken from their website:

• Dogs are allowed in our gardens if they are leashed throughout the visit. Small dogs are tolerated in the castle provided they are placed in a suitable bag and they remain there for the duration of the visit.

 

[klaatu]

Thanks for tip - have heard good things about Chinon. Anyone know if the gardens at Villandry are dog friendly? Or any other chateau? Wondering if we’d be better getting to the wilder bits of this trip...

Yes, dogs are allowed in the gardens at Villandry, on a lead.

 

[Baileysbus]

Thanks for tip - have heard good things about Chinon. Anyone know if the gardens at Villandry are dog friendly? Or any other chateau? Wondering if we’d be better getting to the wilder bits of this trip...

Yup. We were allowed into the gardens with ? last year when we were there. There’s a new aire nearby if you need a stopover.

 

[Figaro]

The Aire at Villandry is very good and handy the the chateaux

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[Baileysbus]

Thanks for tip - have heard good things about Chinon. Anyone know if the gardens at Villandry are dog friendly? Or any other chateau? Wondering if we’d be better getting to the wilder bits of this trip...

Chinon is a lovely place. Many a happy hour with a coffee sat in the square in the old town watching the world go by.

 

[Jane And Rog]

Just a quick question - do they police numbers of vans on aires? We’re the 5th at Parking La Croix du Pont.

 

[DBK]

Very rarely, you are more likely to be picked up for having an awning or chairs out where "camping behaviour" is not allowed. Just squeezing in isn't a problem. The French can be very inventive finding room where none appears obvious.

 

[Jane And Rog]

But more importantly Baileysbus, you’re a winner!

 

[Jane And Rog]

So this morning had a second shower (got to make that campsite pay!) and then wandered around Saumur a little, and bought some charcuterie for supplies. Also bought a bottle of Triple Sec for home from the Combier distillery and a small bottle of the doings for Soupe Saumuroise for campsite cocktails.

Then headed off to see Les Pommes Tapées, but they were closed due to it being France, err, I mean Monday. Because all tourists hibernate on Mondays, I suppose.

Onwards to a very nice lunch at Restaurant Diane de Meridor - quite a smart place but absolutely no problem with the chien who got his drink before we got ours.

We’d been drawn in by the promise of eels from the river, and we both had those. It meant that we couldn’t have the cheap lunch menu so bear that in mind! Also two small glasses of crémant each.

It was delicious and worth every centime. Any guesses?

At this point the weather took at turn for the worse and was tipping it down as we arrived at Villandry, so we decided to skip it and just try to get past the touristy bit of the Loire. There was enough of a break for a dog walk near Amboise and we even looked at the site there, but it was heaving and I think we both pined for the Hebrides a bit.

As above, took the 5th place in this lovely aire - stunning views of the river while the sun was out briefly but now inside sheltering from the rain.

Tonight’s supper is bread & meat products, followed by two little cakes called “miroir de Loire” - almond soaked in Triple Sec apparently. (Though looks as though it was originally created by the Cointreau marketing board - http://www.boulangerie49.com/le-miroir-de-loire/)

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[Jane And Rog]

And how could I have missed the view before the rain came back!

 

[DBK]

The eels might have been expensive. I've only eaten ones l caught as a schoolboy, a pain to prepare (pliers were involved) but very tasty, a bit like trout.

€60 is my guess, assuming no pud.

 

[Baileysbus]

But more importantly Baileysbus, you’re a winner!

View attachment 323952

Yay ?. Love “guess the bill”. We’ll be over in September so it’s good to get my eye in for the prices!

 

[Baileysbus]

I’m going slightly less at €58 for lunch ......... although I think I’d have ranked eels much like giziers and foie gras...... on my non-merci list.
Looks like you’re in a decent spot for the night. Do try and hit Chinon ....... lovely restaurant on the right heading up to the square. Cafe hotel de ville I think it is. Friendly staff too.

 

[scousebird]

€45

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[Jane And Rog]

You’re all too low. It was very expensive, but we had a hankering. And made it up with cheap night & supper. No dessert, just the eels & fizz.

 

[scousebird]

OK, revised €82

 

[Baileysbus]

? ........ ok. How’s about €65. Assuming there was no “cafe gourmand” to finish ( a must try by the way )

 

[Jane And Rog]

90 euros! scousebird you’re a winner!

 

[Jane And Rog]

Must just say again how brilliant the site at Parking La Croix du Pont was. There are two picnic tables so that you can sit out and the views of the river are lovely. Lots of birds.

This morning we carried on with the plan to get somewhere less travelled (we’ve visited some chateaux in a previous existence, on our way to moving to Ukraine). Our first proper stop was Sully-sur-Loire where we had a look at the very pretty little castle (quite a livable size, I hinted to Rog). Also food shopped - cheese, tomatoes and bread. Sadly the Isle of Wight toms we’ve just finished were much better - must try harder, ideally a market.

Then after a picnic lunch on to Briare - a lovely, sleepy place where the lateral canal of the Loire crosses the Loire via a 600 odd metre long aqueduct - the longest navigable one in the world until 2003. Think there is a good site at Briare but we pressed on...

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