“ The lure of the Loire ”
Do you think you can manage cycling through villages, medieval towns, vineyards, beautiful pastoral river scenes? Would you like a fresh warm baguette on a cold day? Perhaps a bottle of wine and some raspberries, perhaps some fromage? Pause for a cup of coffee before you continue your journey. Oh, wait, another unbelievable chateau or another spectacular medieval church.
Thanks to the guidance of Velo Voyageur, this was a well-planned trip which required very little on our part. They provided excellent bicycles, thorough well-planned directions, advice and accommodations. We could not have asked for more. Well, the weather was not ideal, but one can only expect so much in October. Despite having a couple rainy days and mostly cloudy days, we enjoyed and will cherish the memories of every moment of this trip.
The accommodations were always delightful and the hoteliers were always informative and helpful. The riding distances were always reasonable, allowing time for exploration and deviations if the moment presented itself. The road surfaces were varied, some paved, some gravel, some dirt and were all well-marked.
It is difficult to describe the feelings of peace and tranquillity that one may experience on a bicycle ride through vineyards, forests and villages in the Loire Valley. In so many of these places we felt as if we were constantly stepping in and out of a pastoral landscape painting.
Is that possible? Well, perhaps, but I think we’ll have to do it again to be certain.
Thanks for everything.
Phil and Penny