Back to Orléans

Pages From Jan's Travel Journal: Tuesday, June 20 2017

We woke early so that we would have time to clean the gite before we checked out. After coffee and pastries, we swept the floor, took out the trash, and washed the few dishes we had used. I had a moment of panic when I learned that we would not be able to get a taxi in time to make our train. There wasn't even a bus! I quailed at the thought of dragging suitcases on a gravel road for an hour or so. When our wonderful host realized our dilemma, she very kindly offered to drive us to town. It was an effort for her to remove her children's car seats from her vehicle, but we were very grateful. She received our effusive thanks plus a large tip. What a lifesaver! 

Our good fortune continued when we reached the station and learned that had our train not been delayed, we would have missed it. As it was, we had two minutes to spare! Whew!  The trip back to Orleans was uneventful. Craig and Janey had fun using an app on his phone to check the speed of the train. It reached 120 mph.

Janey and Craig at the train station
 in Amboise, France.

Around noon, we walked across the bridge to have lunch at a brasserie near Halles Chatelet. I enjoyed a croque monsieur, which was served with crisp fries and a small green salad. We then wandered over to the bookstore because we knew it was air conditioned. It was fun to browse among the books and gift items. Janey had seen an Anime shop on another street, and really wanted to visit it. It wasn't far, so we browsed in there for a while.

On the way home, we made a stop at the ice cream shop. They always have a large variety of interesting flavors. Janey chose lychee rose and cactus flower sorbets. I ordered a scoop of pear sorbet and one of chocolate orange. When Janey said she really didn't care for what she had chosen, I made a swap with her. No problem for me, tasting four flavors of sorbet! 

We went home to cool down and rest. By then, the temperature had reached 95 degrees. We didn't do much but sit in front of the fan. Jenni had been invited over for a barbecue, so we unpacked and cleaned house in short bursts, going back to the fan in between. When Jenni arrived, it was still hot. We had drinks and some tasty bites of boursin wrapped in ham, along with some olives, and chips. It was slightly less hot in courtyard, so we moved everything outside and then fired up the grill. The Toulouse sausages were great and we also grilled some turkey for Janey. We had cold side dishes of tabbouleh, shredded celery root in a mayo dressing, a salmon pasta salad, and a salad of marinated peas and carrots. Jenni is a sweet person, and so much fun to be around. She entertained us with funny stories of her life in Ireland. Craig and I always enjoy meeting any friend of Desmond's. The evening ended with a beautiful sunset.

Enjoying a barbecue.

Segway Through Amboise

Pages From Jan's Travel Journal: Monday, June 19 2017

We woke to a beautiful sunny morning, but knew that the temperature was expected to rise alarmingly during the day. The night before, it had been difficult to fall asleep. The rooms didn't really cool down until around 2:00 AM, though the one fan did help to move the air a bit. We had little food in the gite because we were unable to shop on Sunday. I found coffee in the cupboard, along with some packets of tea. We made do with the snack foods we had brought from home. We planned to buy pastries as soon as we reached a bakery, so we set off for the center of Amboise where we were to meet our guide for a Segway tour.

Walking into Amboise from the gite.

We found the meeting place, but no bakery. However, there was a small market nearby where Craig was able to grab some cookies and Orangina. We just had time to gulp them down before greeting our guide.

We were soon fitted with helmets and went through a brief training session. Craig, Desmond, and I have lots of experience with Segway, but this was Janey's first ride. She caught on immediately and in no time we were following our guide through the streets of Amboise.

Janey receives Segway instuction.

Our guide told a story of this ancient church.

As we rolled along, our guide gave us a bit of history and told interesting stories about some of the old buildings and churches we passed. We rode along cobbled streets and through picturesque squares. It was simply beautiful.

We were told that this
 is the oldest house in Amboise.

A crowded restaurant in Amboise, France.

Another charming home in Amboise.

A visit to a wine cave was part of our tour, and included wine tasting. When we arrived at the cave, we left our machines parked outside and entered the cave. Janey was surprised to learn that she would be allowed to participate in the wine tasting, though she did switch to grape juice at one point. All of us enjoyed receiving advice and information about the different wines that were offered, and of course we purchased some to take home.

Janey, Craig, and Des in the wine cave.

Des and Craig purchase some wine.

After the tour, we were ready for some real food. We found a bistro that was cool inside, and enjoyed a lunch of pizza, sandwiches, and quiche. I ordered a citron presse, which was refreshing and oh, so tangy!

Our next stop was Clos Luce. It was crowded and hot, but we enjoyed it tremendously. New displays had been added since our previous visit. Leonardo da Vinci's studio was so intricately recreated that it appeared as if the man himself had just put down his paintbrush and stepped out for a moment.

Leonardo da Vinci's studio at Clos Luce.

Outside, we walked the beautifully landscaped grounds, showing Janey the working inventions that had been created using da Vinci's detailed plans and drawings. It was fascinating and educational. One could easily spend an entire day at Clos Luce.

Janey tries out a da Vinci invention.

A lovely scene at Clos Luce.

Janey tries the helical pump at Clos Luce.

By the time we began our trek back to the gite, the temperature had climbed dramatically, reaching a high of 97 degrees. We walked slowly, carrying our bottles of water and making use of the tiny misting fans I had brought along.

Once home, we couldn't imagine cooking a hot meal. Des and Craig braved the temperature again to walk to the supermarket and returned with food and drinks for a cold supper. We enjoyed chicken rillettes spread upon a fresh baguette, accompanied by fresh fruit, sausage, chips, and other goodies. We wrapped up the evening playing board games.

Day Trippin'

Pages from Jan's Travel Journal: Thursday, May 2, 2013

We were up early again to catch another train. This time, our day trip would take us past Blois to Amboise, where we would visit Château du Clos Lucé. Leonardo da Vinci had resided at Clos Lucé during the last few years of his remarkable life. Desmond had visited before and knew this would be something that both Craig and I would enjoy. The weather was cool and overcast as we arrived, but we had hopes of sunny weather later in the day.

The village of Amboise is absolutely beautiful. We admired the lovely architecture as we ambled along in search of a patisserie for a belated breakfast. We soon found a charming little shop near the river that offered lots of pastries and many different kinds of baguettes and rustic breads. Some of the loaves had been baked with a large hole on one end, and they were hanging from wooden pegs at the counter. I wish I had thought to take a picture. 

After our delightful breakfast, we set off across the bridge spanning the Loire, heading toward Clos Lucé. The view of Château Royal d'Amboise was wonderful, even in the grey light of morning. It looked like a mighty stronghold, towering above the village and the river. We had decided to skip a visit to the castle in order to spend more time at the residence of Leonardo da Vinci. As we walked the cobblestone streets of the town, we passed many charming shops and enticing restaurants. It was a pleasant stroll along pathways lined with trees and flowers in bloom.

Amboise Castle in on a grey morning in May.

It wasn't long before we reached Clos Lucé. The line for entry was not a long one, and soon we were touring the buildings in awe of the man who had dwelt there, and at the beauty of the grounds. The house itself was well furnished and seemed almost homey. The areas in which da Vinci's fascinating inventions are displayed were well-lit and provided information in several languages. It literally gave me goosebumps to see the incredible works this man had created. He invented and/or perfected many of the items we still use today. 

Clos Lucé, the last home of Leonardo da Vinci.

Yes, even the lowly pipe wrench was created by da Vinci.

The expansive grounds are beautifully landscaped and feature many interactive displays with life-sized inventions that are actually operational. The tank, pumps, cannon, flying machine, and everything else was fascinating. There is a lovely stream flowing quietly through the property and there are many groves of moss-covered trees lending shade to scene. The sun had finally made an appearance as we wandered toward the dovecote. The stone structure was a large one which had housed over a thousand doves in their nesting cubbies. A large half-timbered building nearby was once the priory, but had been turned into a restaurant where the staff all wear medieval costume. 

The Priory, which is now a restaurant at Clos Lucé.

We wandered the grounds and toured the buildings for hours. This is a place I could definitely return to. It is simply fascinating. We made our way down to town by a different route, which afforded us some wonderful views of the ancient village below. By the time we had descended, we were more than ready for lunch. We found a table outside at one of the restaurants which faces Amboise Castle and were treated to a stunning view as we dined. We all chose the plat du jour, which happened to be lasagna. But first, we began with a starter. I selected a salad of shredded carrot topped with a delicious orange vinaigrette. Craig and Des asked for the pate, which was served with tiny dill pickles and crusty bread. Our lasagna arrived shortly, and it was fabulous!  

Amboise Castle, a lovely view to accompany lunch.

After that delicious lunch, we wandered the streets for a while, poking around in the shops and finding some nice souvenirs before heading back toward the train station. Once there, we discovered that we had just over an hour to wait before the next train. We walked across the street to a bakery where we indulged in pastries and coffee. Back at the station, we spoke briefly with a very nice couple from Canada who have one daughter living in Lyon, France and another residing in Miami, Florida! And we thought our kids were scattered! 

The weather had turned out to be beautifully sunny and warm. We decided to go for ice cream after returning to Orléans, at one of Desmond's favorite places. I could not believe the variety! Beer ice cream, fois gras ice cream - you name it, they probably made it! I chose something a bit tame - a scoop of lemon and one of dark chocolate. Both flavors were decadent! Craig felt like going back to the apartment for a rest, so Des and I continued on together, talking about our day as we explored some more shops. I found a couple of lovely scarves and other small items. 

That evening, instead of a meal at a restaurant, we chose to go to a bar that is frequented by Desmond and his friends. We ordered a "planche" to go along with our drinks.  A large plank of wood soon arrived at our table, with our "snack" laid out upon it. The food was beautifully arranged and consisted of no less than five different cheeses, ham, dry sausage, blood sausage, apple and orange slices, raisins, pickled onions, dill pickles, pate, and a basket of toast on the side! Wow! It was quite enough for the three of us, though we barely touched the blood sausage. We had such fun, sitting outside in the warm evening air, talking and laughing as we enjoyed our snack. To go with it, Des had suggested that I try the Kriek, a cherry beer. It had just the right amount of sweetness and really hit the spot. It's things like this - just a fun, casual meal with loved ones - that I remember the most.

A planche, which we enjoyed at a bar in Orléans.