it's not a ride report, but... a drive report

[gapiob]

Until now I have not much talk about me.

For 15 months, I have the chance to have a beautiful baby girl, sweet.

But, because it takes but... FJR holidays are suspended ... sniff ... The bike is almost more than to go to work.

So it's a holiday report in car ...

We chose to go with my wife in the Chinonais ... a small area south of Tours in the Loire Valley. This region has many attractions for holiday rest, visit, gastronomy, wine tasting, and all with a baby.

So we rented a cottage for a week off!

destination : Crissay sur Manse.

A small village lost between a goat and vineyards, and with a beautiful architectural heritage. All 10 minutes of the isle Bouchard, or 40 minutes of Tours.

In these places, we found a charming cottage in a renovated house.





the original wine press:



It's a moment that has not been used ...

This cottage is on 3 levels, with 2 large bedroom on the 2nd level, large kitchen, bathroom toilet at first, and a large living room on the ground floor.







And the view from the cottage:



Okay now that the stage is set ... we can begin the visits ...

Day 1:

Sunday is market day ... and according to the gents the corner, the more fun to make is that of Langeais.

So, first step: the market Langeais ...

Nice little country market with these manufacturers, these hawkers







beer in the sun, then back to the car, while going to the foot of the castle



With Lucie in my arms



The castle and its still functional drawbridge (for once it will have a tourist invasion ???)



And Lucie still poses with Amélie



Then towards Chinon eating, and walking.

The narrow streets of Chinon



The clock tower



then lunch ... chocolate, this is good!



Then after lunch visit of Chinon.





.

As we returned not too late, we took the opportunity to visit Crissay. village where is our house

 

[gapiob]

Day 2 :

As the weather is nice we took the opportunity to go outside for visits ...

Directorate Goupillières Valley:



But What that??? It says it ...

But he talks about good weather, so we talk about troglodytic valley:haha:

:haha:

In fact it not time ... Above all, let us look at some of the history (deliberately) forgotten of the Loire castles.

All these beautiful castles are made of limestone called tuffeau.

The area is also known for its caves and cave houses ... But none of these caves is natural. They all were dug by farmers. Winter in quarries, summer in the fields. These land users were far from the protection of castles and lords ...

On the site of Goupillières 3 troglodytes farms were find and remarkably restored. The last of these three farms was in operation until 1905.

Anyway, back to report ...

Here are the first since the site was









Just magic, we go out of time ...

Then visit the first farm:

outdoor :











Geese Touraine





And hop a little curious



Who Looking sheep



then visit inside of the first farm









Not very great to live in 9 ...

The rest of the visit in the other 2 farms is flush with lots of animals, Lucy loved ...

Here Leonardo:



Câline :



and many other rabbits, geese, goats, turkey ...

During the visit, it also crosses a silo:



A shelter in case of attack ... (I would not like to live in the attack ...)







And More entertainment for the little ones, and a course "discovery" with curiosities ...



To eat, there a little "restaurant" or you can eat foués, local specialties.

In short, the site is remarkable, and if after short time in this timeless place, with the sun it's seems as Hobit town, we were driving to continue ...

For the curious:

Goupilleres

 

[BkerChuck]

Absolutely stunning! Thanks for posting.

 

[Fly Bye]

Beautiful country, wonderful report.

Thanks for posting.

 

[gapiob]

The after noon, we go to another atypical site, a few kilometers from there ... The Maurice Dufresne museum in the hamlet of Marnay.

On the road, yours curiosity ...



Brief arrived at the entrance of the museum:





For the curious: musee Dufresne

Outside, a bunch of machine as unexpected as curious!















At last something related to alcohol, I thought it was not in France ... still a nomad



A German coastal featured WWII



And next to a Char M8 "spear potatoes" that belonged to the famous 2nd DB Philippe Leclerc de Hauteclocque



The camper dentist:





Modern transmission ...



again a tractor:





still curiosities



In the corner, an electric car of the beginning of the century ...





and other curiosities ...



A propeller of Nord 2051 "NordAtlas"



And it is not returned in the museum ... went we go ...

and there ... oops, its continuous ...

we start with????

a reconstruction of a fabric workshop



Then we find a superb Buick







a movable guillotine





the original mill mechanism is obviously functional, well noisy ...









And there are also a lot of stuff has 2 or 3 wheels.

a sidecar for courageous:



a funny tandem:





And many other motorcycle ...













Well, you guessed it, in addition to be in a nice place, full of history, the museum's collections are enormous, atypical, and always surprising. we spent four hours on the site, and it is far from all seen.

After all that, return to house, but still calling at a winemakers ...



We had good fuel to accompany the sausage...

 

[lonerider]

Beautiful old buildings, great RR, thanks for sharing.

 

[gapiob]

Day 3:
Saumur, one seriously begins the wine cellars ...
The first visited (and yes, there is not that ...) and home Ackerman


visit with a tablet (being set up) is done entirely in the cellars, a former tuffeau quarry (if you had doubts, go back to reading the first day)

A course is develop in to discover the history of Ackerman, and a can of their wine.

a old wine press

an old metering (to add the shipping liqueur which allows the fermentation in the bottle)


The suport which serve to focus the deposits towards the neck of the bottle by turning them a quarter turn regularly

















The tour is nice, but for my taste we talk too much history in comparison to the product, unfortunately.
After there is obviously a tasting in the rules of art, and a passage in the shop.

a quick pizza between noon and 2


And new wine house :


Again this is an old house ...
The visit is with a guide and , it's really better than the tablet ...
home:


start of the visit in the old bottling hall



ho bikes ... and yes, by booking in advance, it is possible to visit the cellars by bicycle .... (8 km of underground tour)

Bouvet Ladubay also has the distinction of using a lot of barrels:


After in the cellar... we seen bottles, bottles and bottles ...
The guide provides a real plus,
A yes, we saw in bouvet also those funny silhouettes:





For those who follow, I talk earlier that he had to turn the bottles a quarter turn to bring down the dead yeast. ba here how to do it at once to 1,000 bottles ...
The manhole through which the workers descended ...


with steps carved directly into the rock ...
And finally tasting



Visit very friendly and informative.

then back to the house after a good day ...
"With the accomplishment of sensation..."

Spoiler

 

[wheatonFJR]

Great photos and text! Thanks for sharing!

 

[gapiob]

Day 4:

Direction Tours

City Hall



The cathedral St. Gatien



















A small tree that dragged there:





Roman remains (and yes as they passed ...)





if you prefer I thought of you

Spoiler

the stream that passes by: (The Loire)



Then after eating, the museum of companionship. A unique place where not only is the story of companionship, these rites, but are also exposing some of their works:











And my favorite, for the symbol it represents:



Then return to the Old Tours:



Then towards Vouvray ... Back to serious things ...

Once cellar tour. Much simpler, directly from a producer ...

The old press,



And one of the cellars



Leaving there, forcing it happened before the giant winepress of Moncontour ...







Then back to the cottage,

always with the feeling of accomplishment

Spoiler

 

[gapiob]

So the last two days were devoted to rest, visit of the goat, Lucie adored ... there were young for 5 days ...

ballad feet around the lodging, brief rest Ha ... if we were eating in a greasy spoon that makes omelets ... divine ... Chez Annie at Rivarennes







And the word of the end ...



a glass of wine is good for health

The rest of the bottle, it's good for morale ...

Here's a little piece of France.

I hope you appreciate, discovered things, and especially that you would excuse my erreure, approximations in English.

 

[rushes]

Excellent!!

Perfect!

Merci!

 

[gapiob]

You're welcom,

it's been several times that I said I was going to do a report, and as I returned from vacation, it was the right time!

Thank you for the word in French

 

[Niehart]

Excellent!!Perfect!

Merci!

+1

 

[LittleJon]

Well done, though I will say... I haven't seen anything on the internet in quite a while that I find as frightening as the "Camper Dentist". I'd climb on to the movable guillotine first.

But seriously, thank you for sharing your wonderful pictures and beautiful family. If it takes a car to get you to special places with special people, then by all means, take the car.

 

[BigOgre]

I really enjoyed that! Thanks for taking the time to post it all.

 

[Mihalis fjr]

Thanks for sharing with us this great report with the wonderful pictures!!

 

[escapefjrtist]

Wonderful vacation report and pictures. Thanks for the post and sharing part of your world with us!

--G

 

[user 6393]

Excellent!!Perfect!

Merci!

+1

+ 1 aussi

 

[gapiob]

thank you for your answers, it encourages to start the next holiday. not right away unfortunately.