An expedition to discover the source of the Loire

[scousebird]

€72

 

[Jane And Rog]

Higher!

 

[Baileysbus]

? €84.30.......

 

[Jane And Rog]

 

[Jane And Rog]

We had a good walk to see the confluence of the Allier and the Loire. Flynn swam in both and both gained his approval. We stopped in Nevers to buy provisions for dinner, but it was strangely empty and shut. The cathedral was open though and had a nice line in modern stained glass windows. “Luckily” the weather is ropey again so Flynn could stay in the van. He’s not particularly into cathedrals, more a Buddhist temple kind of dog.

Drove on and stopped at the next small town for provisions. It was strangely empty and shut. I googled for supermarkets and found this...

Weird how virgins ascending bodily to heaven can affect opening hours so severely.

We pressed on and found ourselves a quiet little place to spend the night on the banks of the Loire. We are the only van here and this is the view.

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[Baileysbus]

Ice and a slice ....... I’m assuming that’s not limonade ?

 

[DBK]

We had a good walk to see the confluence of the Allier and the Loire. Flynn swam in both and both gained his approval. We stopped in Nevers to buy provisions for dinner, but it was strangely empty and shut. The cathedral was open though and had a nice line in modern stained glass windows. “Luckily” the weather is ropey again so Flynn could stay in the van. He’s not particularly into cathedrals, more a Buddhist temple kind of dog.

View attachment 324602

Drove on and stopped at the next small town for provisions. It was strangely empty and shut. I googled for supermarkets and found this...

View attachment 324601

Weird how virgins ascending bodily to heaven can affect opening hours so severely.

We pressed on and found ourselves a quiet little place to spend the night on the banks of the Loire. We are the only van here and this is the view.

View attachment 324603

France is very good at unexpectedly throwing a public holiday at you.

But the next one isn't until November. The second footnote suggests folk are likely to take tomorrow off.

Public Holidays in France in 2019 | Office Holidays

Comprehensive list of Public Public Holidays that are celebrated in France during 2019 with dates and information on the origin and meaning of holidays.

www.officeholidays.com

 

[Jane And Rog]

No, gin from home

Ah, le pont! I remember it well. Supplied definitely won’t last another day so let’s hope we find a shop or restaurant ouvert.

 

[Jane And Rog]

How do I quote you btw?

 

[DBK]

How do I quote you btw?

Click the quote arrow in the bottom right. The one with a + sign is for multiple quotes from different posts, the one with the arrow is the basic quote.

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[Jane And Rog]

Had a lovely stop at St Aubin Sur Loire. A work white van appeared sometime during the night but we were fast asleep by then. Barbecued ourselves a guinea fowl leg each and served with chasseur sauce I knocked up inside. It was safe for Flynn to wander around off lead and he had a lovely time.

 

[Jane And Rog]

Our first stop of the day was Digoin, where the canal crossed the Loire in a 19th century aqueduct.

Picnic lunch, then we stopped very early at Camping Mars at the top of a hill with amazing views of the Loire. Were planning a long afternoon walk near the river, but we strongly suspect it has blue green algae which means a no to the walk and might throw the whole trip on a different course. Flynn is a pain to walk on the lead and really needs access to water in this heat - yes, it’s finally getting warm and southern in climes.

 

[DBK]

Hmm, yes, could well be the toxic algae. From what I've read it is green rather than blue but is also variable and it isn't really possible to distinguish one type from another. Best to be careful - as you are.

 

[Baileysbus]

Useful info for us too on our forthcoming travels. Bailey (springerpoo) just heads for water the moment she sniffs it so we need to be really vigilant to stop her just piling in ?. Keeping her on a lead all the time isn’t really an option either as she needs to range about to burn off some energy ?

 

[Jane And Rog]

We had a close inspection and are 99% certain it’s pondweed. The lighter green is the full size leaves and what looks like an algae slick is actually smaller darker leaves - certainly bigger than blue green algae. We let Flynn swim not far from it.

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[DBK]

I would still be careful, the toxins are in the water, it isn't necessary for the algae to be near. This is the prime time for poisonings.

Toxic blue-green algae bloom - News - Val de Loire patrimoine mondial

During summer 2017, the Centre-Val de Loire Region was affected by blue-green algae contaminated water, resulting in the poisoning and death of dogs that had swum in the rivers (the Cher and the Vienne) in the Centre-Val de Loire region and in Maine-et-Loire (the Loire). As a result, several...

loirevalley-worldheritage.org

 

[Jane And Rog]

Yes, thanks, will try asking people.

 

[Jane And Rog]

A dog died in Vouvray last month, very sad. We’re much higher than that now but definitely watch out if you’re in Indre et Loire.

Broken Link Removed

 

[Jane And Rog]

Had a quick side trip to shop and see the Château de la Roche - latter was gearing up for a jazz concert that evening.

Then waited for the sun to get low in the sky before having our bbq with a view. Onglet, pesto from home, lettuce with garlicy dressing and crotons. Peach and ice cream for puds.

 

[Jane And Rog]

Today was a long hot rather frustrating day. The campsite said that the market was on in Cordelle, so we backtracked a little to the town to find that the market was a single butcher’s van. Sigh.

Gave Flynn a walk...

...and then stopped at Aurec just at lunchtime, but found nothing that took our fancy (the main one that did was closed from Aug 3 until Aug 29) so bought bread and stopped for a picnic a little later.

Rog climbed the tower at Chambles while Flynn and I chickened out and just watched the view, and then we tried to find a decent town as we really fancy a meal out.

Have ended up on the ex municipal site, now aire, at Retournac. Lovely position for the vans and there is masses of space with only two others here at the moment. No services, AFAIK.

As an aside, why do French tourist businesses such as restaurants take their holiday when the French eating out public is also taking theirs? We’ve vowed to stick to our usual September next year, if we’re still allowed to leave the UK.

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[Fenman]

The thinking is different in France for a lot of restaurant owners. Particulary in Paris. The thinking goes along the lines of "My regular customers for 11 months of the year are my bread and butter. They all go off on holiday in August and I am left with visiting tourists. So I will take my holiday in August as well."

You might think they'd consider upping their prices for August and making a killing out of ignorant tourists, and therefore being able to sell up a few years earlier and retire, but that's not how French minds work.

 

[Jane And Rog]

Last night was a bit of a disappointment. We were hoping for a menu du terroir and ended up with steak tartare and chips (me) and steak carpaccio and chips (Rog). Washed down with a pichet of red. No starters, no coffees, no puds.

Next time I’d avoid The Sharks and go for a pizza by the bridge. Or move on to the next town.

 

[Baileysbus]

€42.70........?

 

[Jane And Rog]

Expensive too

 

[Jane And Rog]

Yesterday was mostly spent (after a market shop and a dog walk) in Puy-en-Velay. A very interesting town that is famous for its statue of Mary, its cathedral, for a kind of lentil, and for its lace-making. Would have stayed in the campsite there for a few days, except that this was Sunday morning and we were entering the curse of Sunday-Monday closing.

But first food, and indeed the lentils. It was the curse of Sunday, even though we were eating lunch rather than dinner, our three top picks were all closed.

We chose a nice little restaurant with tables in the street because there seemed to be a good choice of proper French food. We both had the same - tête de veau en ravigote to start, then pork knuckle with the local green lentils.

T de V was very good indeed, but two slices was masses for a starter so we passed a fair bit to Flynn in a vain attempt to keep us hungry for mains. Made a pathetic attempt on the knuckle, then gave up and asked for it to take away. V poor attempt from the visiting English side. Washed down with a pichet of red and two extra glasses for recovery. Guesses?

Then sightseeing. Started with a walk up to Virgin Mary’s feet, and in the way I bought a lace owl to sew on a T shirt. Achievement unlocked*. Then Flynn and I enjoyed the view and shade from Mary’s feet, while Rog climbed up inside. Fab views from my level so the extra climb not necessary.

Then we took it in turns to view the cathedral, which does a daily blessing at 7am for pilgrims setting off on the trail to Santiago de Compostela.

Mooched back to the van, and headed off to Goudet and Camping au Bord de l’Eau which seems to have changed to a rock themed place (weird) and was also bizarrely almost empty. Edit: nice enough site but plagued with flies a bit, I think I’d avoid.

We walked down to the beach to try to swim but there were too many people for Rog and Flynn so gave up.

Just after we’d nibbled on a little cheese at 8:30pm a massive thunderstorm began and has continued off and on all night. Flynn very pissed off with massive dustbin men in the sky.

*Except owl is now missing, poo.

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[scousebird]

€60

 

[Baileysbus]

Sacre bleu ? €82.80

 

[Jane And Rog]

Having chatted to owner of campsite as we filled up with water, I think I’m being overly harsh. He’s trying to do it up but bad weather in May put them behind. He’s setting up two brands basically - Bord d’Eau for travellers like us / the campsite by the water. And Rockcamp more for locals - bands playing one night a week.

What with a bistro next to the site and great walking, I think we might have stayed if the weather forecast wasn’t so bad.

 

[Figaro]

Sorry but that starter looks disgusting, I'd have wished the restaurant was also closed at that point.
Edit : tête de veau Calf's head apparently - yuk

 

[Lenny HB]

As it was lunchtime €45

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