Back on the trail

A little more along this nice path, then some off-roading and we got to a bridge crossing.

It turned extra rural for the next bit. I loved the charming, old houses out in this part of the country.

 

This friendly horse ran to greet us, neighing. In French of course.

Picnic lunch next to the river in St-Mathurin-sur-Loire.

 

And we crossed the Loire at last.

 

Outside the town, another old chapel stands alone.

Flowers grow along the wall of an abbey we passed.

 

Below, house boats sitting pretty on the Loire in Le Thoureil, an absolutely beautiful old village, where it looks like they have a tiny tourism industry going for them with B&B's in pretty old buildings. Sarah and I both started wondering if we had just rode into a fairy tale. (Back in the mostly deserted park with the all the slate she had aptly pointed out that it looked like we could be filmed for the start of an episode of Law & Order.)

 

 

A goat and horse spy us suspiciously.

And at last, when we couldn't ride walk up one more hill. We. Arrived. In. Saumur. So many wineries line the roads along the entrance into the city, offering degustations of the wines made in Saumur. Here is a pretty old house called Beausejour we rode past. Oddly it wasn't a building of one of the wineries but just someone's home.

And here, Saumur with its 13th century castle guarding the town.

We-made-it! (finally) smile.

 

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