6: Catherine de Medici’s Bedroom

Slept in, got a late start and arrived in Blois at 11, bikes loaded on car. We drank coffee in a café at the steps of the Chateau and then walked around town.

We spent a couple of hours touring the chateau which was fascinating – you really get an idea of the opulent lives of the inhabitants. After the chateau we ended up back at the same café from the morning and ate Croques-Monsieur and drank a glass of wine.

A short drive out of town took us to a campground at la Chausée St.Victor from where we rode 20km up to St. Dyé and back on the Loire trail. The vistas were particularly lovely in the early evening light. [map style="width: 300px; height:300px; float:right; margin:10px 0px 0px 20px; border: 1px thin #777777;" gpx="http://saras-bike-travels.de/wp-content/uploads/gpxFiles/20130828_day5_reduced.gpx"] At St. Dyé we took a brief pause on the riverbank before heading back in the same direction.

On the way back to the hotel I drove and Werner had several conniption fits about my driving style on narrow French roads.

We arrived in Bracieux just in time for a bit of last-minute grocery shopping. Werner enjoyed another swim and we picnicked outside our room and hit the hay by 10:30.