After Leaving the Paris airport we saw these 3 funny shaped water towers.
We've seen the French flag, so we must be in France!
We arrived late at night to Orleans after a few bad turns and lack of good map and some poor planning. But the Sunday morning was filled with bicycles everywhere. The where having a bicycle event called Velo Tour 2015
This Velo Tour event had many of the roads limited to bike traffic and many people helping keep the cyclers going the right direction. It was a family event with over a thousand riders. I wish I would have known about it in advance, but at least I got to be a spectator.
Orleans main cathedral by day. This is huge, one of the largest churches I've seen.
I took this picture while we walked back to the hotel and it was very quiet.
I saw this 24hours 7days a week pizza machine in the restaurant district and yes I saw a girl waiting for her pizza.
The new and ultra-modern street car in Orleans.
Meung Sur Loire, Loire Valley
The Chateau at Meung Sur Loire was very large and full of Frances most important history. This castle was under the control of Joan of Arc, Louis XI and many more. The Chateau was also known as the "Chateau on Two Faces" since it looks so different on one side verses the other. This is the rustic fortress side from the middle ages and the next photo is the fashionable side altered in the 17th century.
This is the fashionable side of Chateau at Meung Sur Loire.
The moats around the castle where added for protection and later altered for appearance.
This small entrance was to a giant "ice house" or underground silo for storing ice taken from the river so the town could have ice all year long. The wealthy loved their ice cream in the summer. and it had a well next to it where they could draw the cold water off as it melted.
The main kitchen was large and able to handle large gatherings, but there was another kitchen upstairs, for daily use.
The rafters and woodwork of the castles attic were very interesting and it was a place the stored there grain to keep dry and to hang out there laundry to dry.
The spiral staircase was defiantly worth a picture.
The church next to the castle was added to a fortified tower.
The town of Meung Sur Loire was quiet but great to walk through.
This private chateau is owned by the liqueur company Chambord. We passed it while driving and turned around to take this picture.
We passed a lot of cool old classic cars while traveling in France and this French car is no exception.
Another obscure castle we passed while driving.
One of the many small towns we passed through on our travels. don't remember it's name.
We stopped and had a Belgium beer at a very old pub full of locals and a friendly dog.
We passed by the famous Chateau Cheverny and snuck a picture from outside it's gates.
A pretty walkway next to Chateau Cheverny just outside it's gate.
A vineyard next to Chateau Cheverny just outside it's gate.
A road sign listing 4 castles and a vineyards directions.
The sign looks almost as old as the chateau.
The chateau of Amboise sits above the old center of town, as seen from across the Loire River.
Churches dating back to the middle ages are plentiful.
Roses are everywhere and they are spectacular.
The main building sits in the center of the fortress walls.
It was quiet and before the dinner hour but the places got busier around 7pm.
But it's never to early for gelato.
A view from the bridge. We ate at a place right near the river here.
I love these dormer windows.
We stopped by this tiny town to see the castle, but it was in full restoration and covered but the town was well worth the stop. The church is a thousand years old. The quiet river that ran through town made it special.
The small town center was full of flowers and spotless.
I love the vine covered houses.
It was a nice quiet morning and not a lot of tourists here. The renovation probably hurt business but they missed a cute town.
The river had a little falls and they. rented kayaks just past the falls
I saw the French Postal Lady park this Postal Bike and take in the mail to a business. And notice the parking wheels.
The town and remains of a fortress.
Chinon has a lot of history, but also a whimsical side with ties to Joan of Arc and King Author.
We were walking up to the fortress after parking the car.
Chinon is more fortress then castle or chateau and it was built to withstand a battle or two.
The entry tower is the highest part of the fortress.
One 3 different castles that were connected by bridges.
A view of the town below.
I'm on the second highest point of the fortress on one of the round towers.
Bob has a great view from here.
Park of the old crumbling wall.
This vineyard was right next to where we parked our car.
Here's the view from across the river. This area is a park were there are kayaks , bicycles and relaxing going on.
Bob standing near river bridge at Usse.
This is a very quiet area with few houses but these chateaus are scattered all over.
This is one of the prettier castles.
Cyclist, both solo and with groups of all sizes are constantly seen and the weather has been perfect.
I took this one from across the river from a long distance.
This castle was undergoing major work. It was very quiet here.
Some of the chateau towns get only an occasional tourist.
This town was still worth a visit.
While passing through this town (Can't remember name) we saw these ruins and stopped.
This was not a touristy town but a nice stop anyway.
Blois Castle is more of a palace then a chateau and it sits right in the middle of town.
A closer view of Blois's chateau.
This church from the 11th century was next to the Blois chateau.
Here's an inside view of the same church.
I made Bob drive slow so I could take this picture. Blois has many steps and levels in town.
On the way to Paris we took one last small town castle stop. This is more of a fort.
This town looks medieval and the castle sits right in the middle of it.
This town played a part in WWI and WWII and probably looks the same as it did back then.
Originally, this is what the castle looked like. The part that goes across the river was added 16th century.
This is one of the top castles in the world to visit and the place was pack with tourist from everywhere.
This is the lower room of the part that goes over the water and it was used for grand parties.
The artwork in this castle is impressive. Many large and valuable pieces.
The bedroom walls are covered with very old tapestries.
During WWI this was used as a hospital to take care of wounded french soldiers. During WWII this river was the demarkation line and the chateau sat on the nazi occupied side and the other side was the allies side. Many french escaped to the allies side using the castle with help from the castle owners. The Germans had standing orders to destroy the castle if needed.
The view of the main gardens taken from the chateau.
A view of the second gardens from the castle.
The roses are magical here in this part of France.
The river has a good current and loaded with fish.
There is amaze just beyond the gardens.
The tiny towns of Chissay and Chenonceau
A cute hotel in the town of Chenonseau.
Bob and I took a walk trying to find an open pub, but they had already rolled up the side walks by 10pm, so we explored the town.
Here's the Castle we stayed in for one night. The tiny town was named after it.
The chateau dates back many centuries with a lot of history.
Bob's first view of the chateau, he was impressed, and the inside was just as cool.
Yes it has a very nice pool and banquet facilities for weddings.
We had breakfast in the castles dining room.
The castle cat had full roam of the place and she joined us for breakfast, curling up near our feet. She was very sweet.
Bob was checking out the castles courtyard.
There was a small Backroads type bike tour leaving as we were also leaving.
The chateau grounds were very nice and quite large.
We talk to a lady when checking out who told us more of Chissay's history.
