TGV bike-loading method--stuff 'em in | in a train In front of the Gare de l'est, ready to head across Paris | Paris Notre Dame from Pont d'Austerlitz | Paris St. Vincent de Paul church | Blois St. Vincent de Paul church | Blois Drinking my first glass of wine on the plaza in front of the Château | Blois Views from the garden next to the Château | Blois Views from the garden next to the Château | Blois Views from the garden next to the Château | Blois I walked down to the riverbed and stuck my fingers in the Loire | Blois I walked down to the riverbed and stuck my fingers in the Loire | Blois Stairs leading up to the cathedral | Blois Stairs leading up to the cathedral | Blois The cathedral in the beautiful evening light | Blois First day on the road, heading north out of Blois along the Loire | la Chauseée-St.-Victor First day on the road, heading north out of Blois along the Loire | Cour-sur-Loire These were the first of the rather few cows I saw along the way. | Cour-sur-Loire These two guys looked like good friends. | Cour-sur-Loire My first of many Loire crossings | Muides-sur-Loire The Loire at Muides-sur-Loire | Muides-sur-Loire What a spot for a picnic! | Chambord What a spot for a picnic! | Chambord What a spot for a picnic! | Chambord It's a rather large abode. | Chambord It's a rather large abode. | Chambord This forest has very thick undergrowth--lots of ferns. But as there was not air moving, it was still hot. | Chambord The best Coke I've ever tasted! | Bracieux Château de Blois | Blois Francis I's porcupines were all over | Blois Blois Château - the bike packed and ready to go for the day | Blois Blois Château | Blois Blois Château | Blois The steps leading up to the Château | Blois Signage in the forest near Blois | Forêt Domaniale de Russy Signage in the forest near Blois | Forêt Domaniale de Russy The gardens at Beauregard were truly lovely - all the more so because I was alone there and they were so peaceful | Cellettes The gardens at Beauregard were truly lovely - all the more so because I was alone there and they were so peaceful | Cellettes The gardens at Beauregard were truly lovely - all the more so because I was alone there and they were so peaceful | Cellettes The gardens at Beauregard were truly lovely - all the more so because I was alone there and they were so peaceful | Cellettes My faithful carrier | Cellettes The ever-so-crowded Château de Cheverny | Cheverny The doggies were so sweet - I even got my hand nuzzled and licked | Cheverny The doggies were so sweet - I even got my hand nuzzled and licked | Cheverny Cheverny also boasted a lovely flower / vegetable garden | Cheverny Cheverny also boasted a lovely flower / vegetable garden | Cheverny Cheverny also boasted a lovely flower / vegetable garden | Cheverny Cheverny also boasted a lovely flower / vegetable garden | Cheverny Cornfields near the Forêt de Cheverny | Cheverny I had a brief glimpse of Château de Troussay | Chitenay Farms around Cheverny | Chitenay Classic view of old Blois from the "new" side of town | Blois It was so late and I was so hungry, I went to practically the first restaurant I saw and ordered poulet frites and beer(s). Hit the spot perfectly! | Blois I stopped at this sweet little bakery on the way out of town. | Blois I stopped at this sweet little bakery on the way out of town. | Blois I stopped at this sweet little bakery on the way out of town. | Blois Somewhere near Chailles, outside of Blois | Chailles Beautiful little Candé-sur-Beuvron | Candé-sur-Beuvron A snack stop | Candé-sur-Beuvron The bike path was so deeply rutted I had to walk for a bit | Candé-sur-Beuvron At Château de Chaumont | Chaumont sur Loire At Château de Chaumont | Chaumont sur Loire At Château de Chaumont | Chaumont sur Loire I enjoyed the details | Chaumont sur Loire Lookin' down (up?) the Loire | Chaumont sur Loire The stables at Chaumont | Chaumont sur Loire I found it sweet that they had a pet graveyard with headstones for the family dogs and elephant (!) | Chaumont sur Loire At Chaumont there was an interesting exposition featuring many different "artistic" garden installations | Chaumont sur Loire At Chaumont there was an interesting exposition featuring many different "artistic" garden installations | Chaumont sur Loire I may not look like much of a hill, but at 100 degrees and no shade, it was daunting | Mosnes I stood in the shadow of one of these houses and got my gumption up for the task ahead | Mosnes I had to walk about half way, but I made it to the top! | Mosnes Lots of vineyards | Mosnes Scenes around Amboise | Amboise Scenes around Amboise | Amboise Scenes around Amboise | Amboise Scenes around Amboise | Amboise Scenes around Amboise | Amboise Scenes around Amboise | Amboise Scenes around Amboise | Amboise Tasty dinner at the restaurant right autside the Château in Blois | Blois Just a taste of the artfully-done Son et Lumière in Blois | Blois Anne de Bretagne, what a sweet hotel! | Blois Wandering around Blois on my last morning there | Blois Wandering around Blois on my last morning there | Blois These plaques were on the mayor's office building | Blois These plaques were on the mayor's office building | Blois The fleur du lys were all over town | Blois Wandering through the Cathedral's gardens | Blois Wandering through the Cathedral's gardens | Blois Wandering through the Cathedral's gardens | Blois The cat was simply lying relaxed in the sun until this bird appeared... | Blois Streets next to the Cathedral | Blois Blois Cathedral | Blois A simple but divine lunch - heavenly melon | Blois A simple but divine lunch - heavenly melon | Blois The site of the previous evening's dinner | Blois On the train to Tours | Onzain The cathedral in Tours | Tours The cathedral in Tours | Tours The cathedral in Tours | Tours The cathedral in Tours | Tours Place Plumereau | Tours First dinner in Tours | Tours First dinner in Tours | Tours Tour de Charlemagne | Tours St. Martin's Basilica | Tours Tour de Charlemagne | Tours There were lots of these "Share the Road" signs | Tours Looking ahead was the forest, behind me the corn fields | Tours The gardens at Château de Villandry | Villandry The gardens at Château de Villandry | Villandry The gardens at Château de Villandry | Villandry The gardens at Château de Villandry | Villandry The gardens at Château de Villandry | Villandry What I loved especially about Villandry were the family photographs scattered around and the sense that it was a home | Villandry What I loved especially about Villandry were the family photographs scattered around and the sense that it was a home | Villandry I stopped for a visit at the petrified grottos - tacky but interesting | Savonnières The Cher at Savonnières | Savonnières The Cher at Savonnières | Savonnières The Cher at Savonnières | Savonnières Wildflowers nxt to the corn fields | Tours Wildflowers nxt to the corn fields | Tours Scenes along the river Cher | Tours Public art (???) | Tours The train station in Tours is rather grand | Tours The train station in Tours is rather grand | Tours First glimpse of Saumur | Saumur In Saumur | Saumur In Saumur | Saumur In Saumur | Saumur Château de Saumur | Saumur Saumur | Saumur Stopped in at the Abbey just outside of Saumur | Saumur Troglodyte caves in Parnay | Turquant I thought the street was cute, then I ended up having lunch here | Montsoreau Lunch was tasty | Montsoreau The view with lunch | Montsoreau More road art... | Candes-St. Martin Scarecrows! | Savigny-en-Véron Overall, I rode through these picturesque farms | Savigny-en-Véron Scenes in Chinon | Chinon Scenes in Chinon | Chinon Scenes in Chinon | Chinon Scenes in Chinon | Chinon Scenes in Chinon | Chinon This playful guy was guarding the doors | Chinon Scenes in Chinon | Chinon Scenes in Chinon | Chinon I liked this farm so much I photographed it going both directions | Savigny-en-Véron Lots of wineries in the area | Savigny-en-Véron Yard art | Savigny-en-Véron At the Saturday morning flower market in Tours | Tours At the Saturday farmer's market in Tours | Tours At the Saturday farmer's market in Tours | Tours In Les Halle, the market hall in Tours | Tours In Les Halle, the market hall in Tours | Tours In Les Halle, the market hall in Tours | Tours In Les Halle, the market hall in Tours | Tours In Les Halle, the market hall in Tours | Tours In Les Halle, the market hall in Tours | Tours In Les Halle, the market hall in Tours | Tours At the Saturday farmer's market in Tours | Tours The Loire at Tours - visitors from Florida??? | Tours Inside the cathedral, Tours | Tours I was feeling a bit peckish so I stopped at a boulangerie for sustenance | Tours I was feeling a bit peckish so I stopped at a boulangerie for sustenance | Tours Once again, pique-nique extraordinaire! | Langeais And this was the view from my picnic | Langeais Once again, pique-nique extraordinaire! | Langeais Once again, pique-nique extraordinaire! | Langeais And this was the view from my picnic | Langeais Neatly bundled grains | Bréhémont My final château of the week, Azay le Rideau | Azay le Rideau My final château of the week, Azay le Rideau | Azay le Rideau My final château of the week, Azay le Rideau | Azay le Rideau My last Loire crossing of the week - the bridge at Langeais | Langeais When I got back into Langeais they were preparing for an evening arts & crafts fair | Langeais Saw this great old stove as I was walking through the Sunday morning flea market in Tours | Tours Ready to board the train in Tours | Tours Biking along the Seine - fabulous! | Paris I rode right up to the Madeline | Paris Turned a corner and this was the view | Paris Made it safely through Paris to the Gare de l'est | Paris Two bullet-fast vehicles | Paris < Previous Day
