Day 14: Saumur and the Castles of the Loire

Our day starts in the Loire Valley, we left Brittany yesterday. The sun is shining, but it is still quite chilly at 15°C.
The Loire Valley is characterized by many vineyards, charming little villages, fertile land with lots of greenery, caves, and of course the Loire River. First, we find ourselves in the city of Saumur. The city is known for the National Equestrian School Cadre Noir, where French horsemanship is practiced. We see the large stables and the cavalry school. It's Sunday and there is a Vintage Festival taking place in the city. Many people flock to the stands wearing clothing from the 50s and 60s. There is also a bike tour with traditional clothing and bikes. We let ourselves be carried away by the crowds and listen to the music. Afterwards, we walk up to the Chateau. We stand on top of the castle rampart and look out over the Loire and the city. The view is amazing and then we have lunch at the festival. There are pork burgers. On the way back to the car, a brass band plays modern music, they dance to it, and the atmosphere is great. Between Saumur and Doué-la-Fontaine, there are about 1000 kilometers of tunnels where wine is stored, mushrooms are grown, or sometimes even apartments are housed. We skip a tour of these caves but we see the entrances. Next stop is Chinon, with the castle on the hill attributed to Henry II of England with reference to Joan of Arc. We take a quick look at the castle and continue driving. Since many castles and palaces cross our path, we have to make compromises on admission. Then a quick stop in Rigny-Ussé and its castle. It is said to have inspired the French writer Charles Perrault during one of his stays for his tale La belle au bois dormant (in English: Sleeping Beauty in the Wood). The children stay seated while we admire this beautiful chateau from the outside. I would have loved to go inside the castle, but unfortunately, the children were no longer willing to do so. The last stop is Azay-le-Rideau. Here too, we take a look at the castle and stroll through the kitchen garden of the chateau and the small town. Around 5 p.m., we finally arrive at the campsite. Our pitch is right by the La Cher River and we enjoy the last rays of sun of the day. We cook our dinner and do one last load of laundry. After dinner, we play a round of mini-golf with the children. I narrowly win against Rene. The children are happy about the game.