The Loire Valley and especially Blois
With all the recent rain, the Loire is almost over the bike path opposite the church of Saint Nicolas and the castle in Blois. Below, a little further along the banks of the river – but without the sun! Avec toute la pluie qu’on a eu récemment, la Loire recouvre presque la piste cyclable en face …
Continue reading “Almost on the bike path – Presque sur la piste cyclable”
This is another photo from our recent cycling trip along the Loire to the east of Orléans. The basilica at Saint-Benoît-sur-Loire started in the 11th century with a crypt and sanctuary and was finally completed in the about 1218. The porch tower, built in about 1020, is a symbol of the celestial Jerusalem in the …
We had just finished cyclling for the day when we were lucky enough to see this very large barge on the Canal latéral à la Loire between Châtillon-sur-Loire.and Briare with its famous canal aqueduct built by Gustave Eiffel. You can hear the birds chirping in the video. The passengers had to duck their heads to go under the bridge! …
Continue reading “A Barge on a Canal – Une péniche sur un canal”
This is the entrance to the canal aqueduct in Briare on the eastern end of the Loire Valley. The 662-metre long aqueduct, built by Gustave Eiffel in 1896, takes the canal over the Loire River. You can also walk or cycle across. The photo below was taken halfway across the aqueduct. Voici l’entrée du pont-canal à Briare dans la …
Continue reading “Briare Canal Aqueduct – Pont-canal de Briare”
Châteauneuf-sur-Loire is a little town of about 8,000 people on the north bank of the Loire and part of the Loire à Vélo and Eurovélo cycling routes. The river banks are a delight for both cyclists and pedestrians. There are also many gabarres flat-bottom boats. Sur le circuit de la Loire à Vélo et l’Eurovélo 6, …
I took this photo before going down the hill on our bike route because I certainly wasn’t going to stop on the way back. It is in the village of Rilly-sur-Loire between Chaumont and Amboise. J’ai pris cette photo avant de descendre la pente sur notre circuit vélo parce que je savais que je n’allais …
Continue reading “The Hilltop Church – L'église en haut de la colline”
This typical house in the area can be seen from the bike path between Candé-sur-Beuvron and Chailles, on the other side of the Loire from us. It was a great day for cycling. Cette maison typique de la région est visible depuis la piste cyclable entre Candé-sur-Beuvron et Chailles qui se trouvent de l’autre côté …
Continue reading “House in the Distance – Maison en arrière plan”
A little late this year, but cycling weather is here at last. This is the bike path between Ménar and Saint Dyé which runs along the Loire. Un peu tard cette année mais le temps nous permet enfin de faire du vélo. Cette piste cyclable le long de la Loire se trouve entre Ménar et Saint Dyé.
We went cycling today at last, along the Loire. These are typical traditional flat-bottomed boats, called gabarres at Saint Dyé sur Loire. Nous avons enfin fait du vélo aujourd’hui le long de la Loire. Voici les bâteaux traditionnels de la région, appelés gabarres, à Saint-Dyé-sur-Loire.
Although we have often cycled along this path with the Loire on our right, I had never noticed this little bridge across a small stream on the left with the old railway bridge in the distance. Nous avons souvent faire du vélo sur cette piste avec la Loire sur notre droite mais je n’avais jamais …
Continue reading “The Two Arched Bridges – Les deux ponts voûtés”