FRANCE – ANJOU

JUNE 2015

My overall plan this year was to return to UK in good time to join my youngest son and his family for their camping holiday in Cornwall so I didn't have time to move camp eastwards but made two visits by car to the east of Saumur.

These prompted an interest in the historical background to development of the region so this post combines a description of my visits with a summary of the results from my later reading.

TOURS

The castle at Tours is situated on another high cliff above the city and river though this time on the north rather than the south bank. It was built on the site of earlier wooden fortifications in the 11^th century, probably by one of the Comtes de Blois before they were dispossessed by the Comtes d'Ajou.

Castle at Tours

The publicity at the castle itself forcefully markets the site as a Royal Castle built by Henry II and claims for him a prominent part in the creation of the Arthurian legends. By that account Henry's Court was often based at Tours and was filled with poets and other artists who wove the tales to link Henry with the mythical King Arthur and thus reinforce the continuity and legitimacy of his claim to the throne.

This thesis is relatively recent in origin – since the 1970s – and is still the subject of much debate amongst historians and students of literature – see for example Martin Aurell's 2015 dissertation http://www.academia.edu/4263472/Henry_II_and_Arthurian_Legend.

Gateway to Tours Castle

The Arthurian and Merlin Legends

It does seem to be common ground that Arthur's existence was first given prominence in Geoffery of Monmouth's book – The History of the Kings of England – written around 1136 although it is believed this account relied extensively on earlier works by Bede, on Historia Britonum which is a 9^th century Welsh manuscript, and on a 6^th century work by St Gildas which is the oldest written record of post-Roman Britain.

Geoffrey of Monmouth also wrote two books about Merlin as a legendary figure with prophetic powers – The Prophecies of Merlin was written before The History and the Life of Merlin about 15 years afterwards. Merlin was a prominent character in stories told by British Bards in Wales, Cornwall and Brittany and pre-dates the Arthurian legend.

Geoffrey's History became very popular and several French poets – particularly Maitre Wace, Chrétien de Troyes and Robert de Boron – picked up and elaborated the stories about Arthur, referring to Merlin as his tutor and contemporary and introducing Guinevere, Lancelot, Perceval and other knights, the Round Table, Excalibur, the Holy Grail, the theme of noble Chivalry and so on. Wace was writing around 1155, Chrétien around 1180 and de Boron a little after that.

The stories we know today derive from Sir Thomas Mallory's 'Morte d'Arthur' that consolidated all these earlier tales into a single work and was published and printed by Caxton in 1485.

Henry II and his Heritage

Distinct from the swirling mists of legend and romantic tales told by poets are accounts of Henry's life authenticated by written records and other evidence – though no doubt even some of these need an added dose of scepticism since “History is written by the Victors”.

Henry was born in 1133 to Geoffrey, Comte d'Anjou, and his second wife Matilda who was the daughter of Henry I of England and had claimed the throne when her father died. But Norman feudal law was based on the principle of Primogeniture and her claim was disputed by her cousin Stephen, Comte de Blois - civil war ensued.

In 1147, at the age of 14, Henry invaded England in support of his mother's claim taking with him soldiers from his immediate household and some mercenaries! But he ran out of money and was unable to return to France until Stephen, whom he had come to oppose, helped him out by providing the necessary funds himself – perhaps he took pity on his cousin's child who was a great-grandson of his own grandfather, William the Conqueror.

1151 was a momentous year for the 17 year old Henry when, in rapid succession, his father appointed him Duke of Normandy (disputed by Louis, King of France until Henry paid obeisance to Louis's son) and then died, thereby causing Henry to become Comte d'Anjou as well.

The next two years were pretty momentous too since Louis annulled his 15 year long marriage to Eleanor of Aquitaine in 1152 as she had not borne him any sons. At the time Eleanor was 11 years older than Henry but they married at her request 8 weeks after the annulment of her marriage to Louis.

Eleanor had decided on Henry as a spouse in preference to his brother Geoffery, Comte de Nantes and Theobald, Comte de Blois who had both tried to kidnap and marry her to gain control of her lands. That privilege thus became Henry's and this provoked war with Louis that was only ended when the latter fell ill and withdrew from the conflict. Turbulent times indeed. Eleanor presumably chose Henry because Normandy was considered to be more prestigious than Brittany or Blois and she rated his chances of becoming King of England higher – shrewd woman.

Meanwhile Stephen had seized the opportunity to attack some of Henry's possessions in England resulting in a war on two fronts for a time. After Louis' withdrawal Stephen's eldest son died so when he and Henry discussed peace terms late in 1153 they agreed Henry would become Stephen's adopted son and heir. Stephen died one year later and Henry became King of England in 1154 whilst still retaining all his other titles and possessions.

Henry soon had his hands full with restoring order and the rule of law in England (he is widely credited with having been the monarch who laid the foundations of English Common Law and National Finances) and fighting independence movements on his Scottish and Welsh borders. He also annexed Brittany and set out to do the same with Toulouse but didn't press this as hard as he might have done for fear of provoking Louis to support Raymond the Comte de Toulouse.

So, From 1154 onwards Henry was ruler of very extensive territories that became known as the Angevin Empire. For much of the time he travelled about leaving local administration in the hands of others.

That didn't always work out happily as illustrated by the case of Thomas a Becket, long time Chancellor of England and friend of Henry, killed in Canterbury Cathedral by four knights who thought they were carrying out the King's wish after a public disagreement between Henry and Thomas.

During his reign Henry faced many wars and revolts including military conflict within his own family, notably with Eleanor and his elder sons in 1173-74 and with Richard (Lionheart, Duke of Aquitaine and later King of England) just before Henry's death in 1189.

Henry was succeeded by Richard, who spent much of his reign in Palestine fighting in the Third Crusade during which time his mother Eleanor ruled as Regent. Richard died childless in 1199 and was in turn succeeded by Henry's favourite son John.

The Angevin Empire was preserved more or less intact during Richard's reign and at the start of John's.

But for much of his reign John was at open or dormant war with Arthur (son of his dead older brother Geoffrey) Duke of Brittany, who was supported by the new King of France Phillip II who was also John's feudal overlord. Five years later Phillip had captured Normandy and occupied Anjou and Poitou thus reducing John's lands in France to Aquitaine alone.

In 1215 John notionally lost much power in England when he signed Magna Carta but in practice that didn't make much difference because immediately afterwards both John and the Barons disregarded its provisions and went to war with one another.

John died in 2016 and his 9 year old son became King Henry III with Baron William Marshall declared as his protector. An uneasy peace was established a year later with a revised form of Magna Carta agreed as a basis for Government.

So, during his lifetime Henry expanded his inheritance as Comte d'Anjou into a great Empire but 65 years later, when his youngest son died, all that was left to his successors was the Dukedom of Aquitaine and the Kingdom of England riven by civil war and discontent.

However, Henry's legal reforms, John's signature on Magna Carta and the use of a revised form of the charter in 2017 were the seeds from which England's Common Law and Parliamentary form of Government were to grow.

This juxtaposition of the dates at which the Arthurian stories were first written and elaborated with the events of Henry II's life and reign leads me to be a little sceptical about whether Henry had enough time to be the builder of Tours Castle or a serious patron of the arts.

It is however known he spent times with friends with whom he would enjoy hunting, feasting and drinking, and that poets and artists did attend such courts to entertain the nobility.

So, although it is not known how Henry apportioned his time between politics and war, administration of empire, coping with his argumentative and importunate family, personal pleasures, and patronising the arts, it is just possible he did build the castle and sponsor the poets.

Perhaps it is more likely though that Eleanor was an active patron of the arts. Her father's court in which she had been raised and educated was known for its refinement (relative) and culture and she held her own court at Poitiers between 1168 and 1173. During that period she and her daughter Marie were credited by one Andreas Capellanus with the conduct of “Courts of Love” at which they sat in judgement over questions raised by their courtiers. It is not known whether such “Courts” were actually held or whether they were a figment of Andreas' imagination designed to entertain.

Westward View from the Castle Ramparts

The tourism marketeers don't bother about such niceties and modern reconstructions of what they think are valid examples of Arthurian objects and people are displayed at various places within the castle and attributed to Henry's court held on the spot.

Prominent amongst them was a giant round table with place settings for the King and his knights, all of whom had places bearing the coats of arms attributed to them.

Modern Tours from the Castle Walls

FONTEYVRAUD ABBEY

Foundation of the abbey

Robert of Arbrissel (a small village in Brittany) was an unusual person, even for the 11^th century.

As a young man he studied in Paris and after being ordained was appointed as a high church official in the diocese of Rennes until his Bishop was deposed whereupon Robert adopted a severely ascetic life as a hermit in the forest of Craon not far from Angers.

His piety, eloquence and asceticism attracted many followers for whom he founded the Monastery of La Roé and became its first Abbot himself. The Pope became aware of Robert's reputation and appointed him as an apostolic missionary authorised to preach anywhere. This attracted so many more followers other priests at Roé objected and Robert resigned as Abbot.

Robert then adopted a peripatetic missionary life preaching in many places in Western France. Amongst his congregation he attracted “adulterers and prostitutes” to whom he preached of “sin and the medicine of repentance”. Many followed him on his travels and that may well be the reason he founded a “Double Monastery” at Fontévraud in 1099.

A “Double Monastery” was one with both Monks and Nuns living in the same community. Their origin lay in the 5th and 6th century foundation of Monasteries for women only which naturally had an Abbess in charge and Bishop Caesarius who established one for his sister wrote she should be “obeyed without murmuring”. So it was at Fonteyvraud with Monks and Nuns initially living in the same house and Herlande de Champagne, a kinswoman of the Duke of Brittany appointed by Robert to be in overall charge but without the official position of Abbess.

Church authorities disapproved of both genders co-habiting in the same building and the Monks and Nuns were soon housed in separate accommodation.

The subjection of the monks was very marked in the rules laid down by Robert being men - "who of their own free will have promised to serve the nuns till death in the bonds of obedience, and that too with the reverence of due subjection.... They shall lead a common conventual life with no property of their own, content with what the nuns shall confer upon them."   The establishment was recognised as a religious community in 1106 by both the Bishop of Angers and the Pope. Robert soon resumed his roving missionary life and in 1115 Herlande was succeeded by Petronilla de Chemillé who became the first Abbess.

Robert died in 1117 and at that time there were 3,000 nuns at the Abbey – the number of monks seems not to have been recorded, perhaps because of their inferior status. (At first I was surprised at the huge number of nuns but on reflection surmised there may well have been a surplus of single women at this period since there were so many wars that many men and boys must have been killed in fighting and raids.)

Henry and Eleanor's connection with the Abbey

Henry, after defeating the sons who had revolted against him in 1173-74, and been actively supported in that endeavour by Eleanor, imprisoned her for 9 years, much of the time in England where she was often moved around from one castle to another.

But their son “Henry the Younger”, Duke of Normandy, died in 1183 and this led indirectly to Eleanor's temporary return to France (this helped Henry dispute the ownership of certain properties in Normandy to which Eleanor had clear title but which were claimed by King Phillip II of France).

Thereafter Eleanor was not allowed independence but accompanied Henry under less restrictive conditions as he moved around the Empire.

Henry died in 1189 and was buried at Fontévraud, as was Richard 10 years later.    Eleanor survived them both and lived at Fontévraud for much of her widowhood between 1189 and 1204 when she herself died at the age of 82.

Tombs of Henry, Richard, Eleanor and Isabella d'Angoulème (John's second wife), with painted effigies of the deceased upon them, are positioned in the main Church at Fontévraud that is devoid of almost all other artefacts and decorations.

Dramatic portrayal of these People and Events

In 1966 James Goldman wrote a play – The Lion in Winter – later adapting it to become an award winning film with an all-star cast - depicting the political and personal conflicts between Henry, Eleanor and their sons.

Fontévraud after the Plantagenets

Life at Fontévraud became a lot less dramatic and a lot poorer after the death of Eleanor.

So much so that upkeep and even provision of living quarters and expenses became problematic.    These difficulties were severely compounded between the mid 1300 and 1400s when armies marched to and fro over the land throughout the Hundred Years war during which the English lost control of Aquitaine and nearly all their other French possessions.

The Abbey again became a religious centre at the end of this war when Marie of Brittany was appointed Abbess in 1457. A century later King Francis 1 of France remodelled and restored many of the buildings so most that can be seen today stem from the mid 1500s.

The Abbey remained a religious house after 1457 with a continuous succession of Abbesses until 1792 when a Revolutionary decree ordered the evacuation of all monasteries. The last Abbess with about 200 Nuns and a few monks were evicted and she at least is said to have died in poverty in Paris in 1797.

No physical remains of the Plantagenets have been found and it is supposed they were most likely lost or destroyed during the revolution.

In 1789 all property of the Catholic Church was declared now to be the Property of the Nation and in 1804 the site became a prison with a planned capacity of 1,000 convicts – men, women and children. Such numbers required extensive alterations and new buildings to house guards and the prisoners whose numbers expanded to double the planned level.

Fontévraud remained a prison until 1963 including the period during World War II when the Vichy Government used it to house political prisoners as well as common criminals, and as a place of execution by firing squad of captured Resistance fighters.

In 1963 use of the site as a prison was discontinued and a major restoration started by the Ministry of Culture.

The site was opened to the public in 1985 and restoration of the Church completed as recently as 2006.

Site Plan and Some Photos

This plan has been adapted from one on a WIKIPEDIA site and is reproduced under the terms of the Free ART Licence including the requirement that any further use is subject to the same terms.

Photos of most of the buildings and some of the effigies are available on the Wikipedia and other sites providing information on the Abbey. I took the couple that follow in June 2015 and include them here as they give some impression of the size and scale of the buildings, illustrating with the help of the map, how large they were and how far they spread (they would of course have needed to be extensive with 3,000 nuns and some monks to be accommodated.

Exterior East End of the Church

Abbey Cookhouse

This building is probably the one with fewest modifications from the original though just how many were made in the 16^th Century is uncertain.      Its distinctive turrets and roof of overlapping tiles were designed to keep the interior dry whilst allowing fumes and heat from the fires and food to escape into the atmosphere before they stifled the cooks!

FRANCE – MAINE ET LOIRE (II)

JUNE 2015

During the car trip from St Florentin le Vieil to visit the Cycling Festival at Saumur I passed several campsites and selected one at which to stay next as a base for local rides and exploration.

The Chantepie site is situated on the range of hills forming the southern boundary of the Loire Valley about 12km north west of Saumur. It is very well appointed though the WIFI range is limited to a small area around the offices and bar. I particularly enjoyed the swimming pool that had both a covered pool of reasonable size and shallower open air play areas for children surrounded by a sunbathing patio.

From this base I enjoyed local rides through the undulating countryside to the south and others around Saumur city itself and along roads and paths beside the river.

SAUMUR CITY

Saumur, like so many other places along the Loire, has been the site of human settlements for thousands of years with written records illuminating our understanding of events from the first millenium AD. 

During the 9^th and 10^th centuries locals here constructed a castle after a particularly destructive raid in 845 from Vikings who had settled in Normandy.       But that castle was itself destroyed during another war in the 11^th Century.       Henry II, Count of Anjou and King of England, rebuilt the castle about 100 years later.

In the 15^th century King René, the last Duke d'Anjou, converted the Castle into a Residential Palace and later it successively became a Military Barracks, a State Prison, and a modern Museum.       It still stands today, high on the bluffs overlooking the city and river.

In succeeding centuries Saumur was again the scene of significant military action on at least three occasions.

In 1793 a Vendéan army, at the high point of their campaign, captured the city from Republicans (see 2017 post, La Vendée for a brief summary of this civil war).

In 1940 Saumur was captured by the advancing German Army that overwhelmed a small number of cadets from the French Cavalry School who made a gallant defence during the period between a ceasefire having been agreed and its signature.  This Battle of Saumur is therefore described by some as being the first action of the French Resistance.

Saumur was again attacked in 1944, this time by Allied 'planes that bombed bridges and railways to prevent, or at least delay, German tanks from reinforcing troops opposing the Allied landings and actions in Normandy. 

Bridge at Saumur

Situated in the heart of the Loire Valley's Chateau Country and enjoying a benign climate Saumur today is a prosperous and busy city largely focussed on Tourism, Viniculture and the production of Mushrooms!

LE CADRÉ NOIR

Saumur has a long history as a centre of equestrian excellence and in 1783 the French Cavalry School was established here,  later becoming known as Le Cadré Noir after the colour of their uniforms.

The Cadré typically numbers 22 riders of about 50 horses with both men and animals having an International reputation.       It was originally formed to teach officers and NCO's of the French Cavalry a riding style first formalised by Louis 15th's riding master and described in a book published in 1731. 

In 1972 when there was no longer a need for cavalry in the French Army the Cadré provided the core of the teaching staff at the newly established National School of Équitation.   

The Cadré continue in their teaching role, training horses and riders for Olympic and other competitions, and also give displays to the public in their purpose built centre at Saumur, and in other national and international venues.

I attended one such during my stay at Chanteprie. The School's establishment is located in a rural setting on the outskirts of Saumur and has offices, lecture halls, and so on as well as extensive stables, exercise Yards and a huge covered Display Hall.    The latter has artificial lighting so my 'photos suffer from this somewhat and from the distance of some activities from my viewpoint  – particularly the jumping displays I have not attempted to include.

But here are some of the others from which you can get an impression of the extreme discipline of movement and rider posture attained even when the horses and riders were sharing the arena with humans performing ballet movements.

In-Line Entrance

And March

Perfectly Poised

Dancers, Riders and Horses in Harmony

Pas de Deux

Two Beauties

Pirouette with Me

Close Formation

Grande Finalé

Time for a Shower

TUFFEAU STONE, TROGLODYTES AND CARVINGS

The region around Saumur is famous for its Tuffeau stone. Tuffeau is a type of limestone with a highly consistent appearance and structure. It has a high porosity and is very light in comparison with most other stones being only about 20% heavier than water.

Tuffeau has been quarried from the hills on either side of the Loire for more than a thousand years and used extensively in the construction of sarcophagi – it has been estimated more than 120,000 were produced between the 5^th and 8^th centuries - and innumerable buildings.      Most of the Loire Chateaux were built using Tuffeau and it was widely exported for similar use in other countries –including Westminster Abbey in England.

All this activity led to many holes in the ground of course, some completely underground (particularly around the town of Doué) and some visible on the surface such as those in the cliffs close to the river.      It is said there are more than 1,000 kms of tunnels left over from quarrying over the centuries.

The temperature in the tunnels is typically 10-12 °C and is remarkably uniform throughout the year whatever the external weather.      In earlier centuries this resulted in some communities using them as places of refuge and even as permanent dwellings. Hence the widespread reference to Troglodytes in Guide books and other tourist promotions.

Until recently people living in such a manner came to be seen as doing so because they were poor but now there are signs it is again becoming popular amongst artists and other bohemian types.    A number of hotels and restaurants have also adapted the tunnels and caves to their needs and I enjoyed lunch in such a one at La Matinière just to the east of Saumur.

Use of the tunnels as places in which to store wine has been much more constant with many of the numerous Vintners of the region taking advantage of the suitably dark and uniform temperature conditions to store their produce before offering it on the market.

Mushroom cultivation is another commercial use that has become a large business – the region here supplies over half of all the mushrooms consumed in France!

There are a couple of caves penetrating the hillside next to the D751 not far west of Saumur that are open to visitors. 

In one a wide variety of mushrooms are grown for both visitor edification and commercial sale. 

In the other a large number of intricately detailed Chateaux, Cathedrals and Abbeys each carved from a single block of Truffeau are displayed.     One showed a sequence of blocks at different stages illustrating how the sculptor had first created a bold envelope and progressively filled in the detail later.

Two of several stages

Carved from a single block of Tuffeau

A RIDE TO GENNES AND BACK

The Loire à Vélo route just west of Saumur runs beside and sometimes on the D751 passing through the small villages of Chenhutte, Trèves and Cunault before reaching Gennes.   It was easy to reach this road from the campsite with a fast downhill run from the Route de Chantepie - a minor road along the hilltops parallel to the river that provides access to the site.

Chenhutte, Trèves and Cunault are separate small villages each having its own history but so close together they are grouped with one another as a single commune for administrative purposes.

There are reminders of past centuries in all three but here are a couple of photos from Trèves .

11^th Century Castle

L'Église Saint Aubin

Gennes is larger than the three small villages just mentioned and lies at the southern end of the first bridge over the Loire downriver from Saumur. As such it was one of the sites defended by Cadets from the Cavalry School during the 1940 Battle for Saumur. Seventeen of them were killed and they are buried in the 11^th century Saint-Eusèbe church in the town.

There are of course many other historically interesting points and places in the town and one that particularly interested me was a Roman Amphitheatre on the outskirts still used for modern entertainments.

Roman Amphitheatre being equipped for 21^st Century Pop Concert

Roman Wall enclosing the Seating Tiers

At the top of the Wall there was originally a ticket booth and crowd Control Passage wide enough for just one person at a time to enter the seating area - plus ça change ......

Climbing up the hill leaving Gennes took me to an even steeper section I had gone up once before when returning from a ride to the south at the higher level.    (I say climbing but should explain I walked the steepest bits pushing the bike - I wouldn't want to be thought an aspiring entrant in the Tour de France!).     From the top it was an easy ride back to camp along the rue de Chanteprie.

LES ROSIERS AND CAMPING VAL DE LOIRE

Bearing in mind the need to make a return journey to England I decided not to camp further east during this trip but did make two visits in that direction by car - to Tours and to Fontévraud described in the next post.   

I did have time to move to Camping Val de Loire at Les Rosiers, north of the Loire and opposite Gennes. This was also a well equipped site albeit with smaller pitches and less splendid views.

Here I succeeded in finding flatter land and enjoyed a few rides into the hinterland and on roads parallel to the river.

Looking West at Les Rosiers

On the day this photo was taken I took the sign to mean the route lay down the ramp and bounced about over the uneven and stony surface for a mile or so until finding myself blocked from further progress by an ever steeper river bank covered in long grass and undergrowth.

Retracing my route I deduced the sign was pointing to a moderately busy tar-macadamed road and did indeed find myself travelling  parallel to the river but with cars whizzing along in both directions. Soon I found a turning into a minor road leading away from the river and enjoyed a pleasant ride along country lanes that eventually led me back to camp.

The route east along the north bank of the Loire from Les Rosiers similarly followed a shared use road through a couple of small villages to the northern end of the bridge at Saumur.

So I certainly found rides from Les Rosiers were over flatter ground than those from Chanteprie but they were along busier roads and through less interesting places.

FRANCE – ANJOU VÉLO VINTAGE

JUNE 2015

Every year an organisation formed for the purpose organises a Cycling Festival held over two days and centred on Saumur that's called “Anjou Vélo Vintage”. This is a very large affair with the riverside road of Saumur at the centre of activities. There were numerous market-type stalls and stages here providing food, craft items and entertainments of all sorts.

At the heart of the festival though were a number of cycling routes of varying length – in 2015 there were five with the shortest being 20 km and the longest 90 km. But the routes and lengths vary from one year to the next and in 2016 they were 30, 40, 60 and 130 kms – each starting and ending on the promenade. At the time of writing it seems the 2017 routes have not yet been chosen though the dates are fixed for 24^th and 25^th June.

The shorter routes in 2015 followed relatively flat land east and west along the banks of the Loire, but the longer ones went north and south and involved climbs over higher ground at the edges of the valley.

Entrance requirements for participants were unusual and included:

Once booking has been confirmed entrants are only allowed to use a bike dating from earlier than 1987. All bikes must have brakes but neither handlebar-mounted gear change levers nor shoes automatically clipped to the pedals are allowed. Single speed fixed wheel bikes are permitted. Anyone presenting themselves with a bike that does not comply with these requirements will not be allowed to ride the course and will forfeit their entrance fee.

Entrants are asked to wear vintage clothing – swimwear, helmets, skirts and other vintage clothes and accessories.

The festival attracted hundreds of entrants and thousands of spectators – including some from other countries.

I arrived in time to see many groups arriving at the finishing line and then continuing up the slope to join friends and relatives or just to park their bikes in the densely packed areas dedicated to this purpose and joining the crowds around stalls and stages.

I found the whole event delightful. Everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves and there were no signs at all of violence or disruptive behaviour – a modern microcosm of an imagined Golden Age.

Here are some of my photos of entrants as they left the finishing line.

Looking down the road to the Finish Line

Greeting Family and Friends

No Oil on those Stockings or Skirt

Ladies Cycling Club

You'll Look Sweet

Upon the Seat

of a

 Bicycle Made for Two

FRANCE – MAINE ET LOIRE (I)

JUNE 2015

ST FLORENT LE VIEIL

By the second week in June I had visited all the towns and villages near St Philbert de Grand Lieu and decided to move inland up the Loire Valley.

It took a fair time to strike camp and I hadn't booked anywhere to stay but thought I should do so after reaching Ancenis around 3:00 pm. But I didn't fancy the effort of making camp just a couple of hours after packing everything up and so searched on the iPad for “Chambres d'Hotes”.

This revealed a number of candidates between Ancenis and St Florent Le Vieil and I tried to 'phone the nearest. As there was no reply I drove past the place that was already occupied and had all the appearance of being a Gites for weekly rental rather than an overnight B&B.

There was again no answer to the second number I tried but then struck lucky with my third attempt when I was fortunate to call the number for “Aux Lumières de Loire at St Florent le Vieil.

Lucie and Jean Sauvestre were charming and friendly hosts at their home high on the hill just below the Abbey that's a prominent landmark above the river's south bank.

The property was built in the 17^th Century as a Presbytery and even though modernised and elegantly furnished I experienced a feeling of historical continuity when staying there – which I did for nearly a whole week despite having intended it should be just an overnight stay when first arriving.

The grounds extend some way down the hill above the riverbank and create a fine viewpoint at which to relax with tea or an apéritif.

There is a short driveway and small garden at the side of the house and inside a wall with locked double-gates. Guests normally park in a public space outside the property but as my car was full of camping gear Jean did me a great favour by moving his own vehicle outside and allowing me to use his normal space in the internal driveway. Furthermore he allowed me to set up my mobile fridge containing perishable foods in an outhouse without electricity but to daily recharge in his garage the 12 V battery used to power it under those circumstances.

On top of all this he and Lucie shared wine with me on more than one occasion so altogether I felt my stay was more like living en famille with friends than being a paying guest.

Descending the hill from the Chambres d'Hotes to the cycle paths on either side of the Loire is easy and re-ascending more difficult, even if you walk and push the bike, which I was compelled to do by age and lack of fitness! It's not far though so I soon got used to it, and even found I could ride when approaching on the upper road from the west.

During my stay and in addition to short rides around town I made one round trip by car to Champtoceaux and Oudon, and one in each direction along the Loire by bike.

CHAMPTOCEAUX AND OUDON

I chose to visit these towns because they both had castles controlling the river crossing between them.

Fortifications were first constructed in these strategic spots in the Stone Age and later, in the first Millenia AD, because of hostility between the different inhabitants north and south of the river and in an effort to provide security against vikings from Normandy who made raids deep into the interior up the Loire and other rivers.

An early medieval castle was built at Champtoceaux around 1,000 AD by the Count of Anjou who also established a toll bridge over the Loire just below.

The castle was besieged many times over the next 200-300 years as the Counts of Anjou, The Dukes of Brittany, the King of France (region around Paris in this period) and the King of England (Henry II was also Count of Anjou and married Eleanor of Aquitaine whose earlier marriage to the King of France was annulled in 1152 (do keep up with the twists and turns of Medieval History!).

Jean V, Duke of Brittany, was captured by rivals and imprisoned in Champtoceaux but freed by armies created by his wife Joan of France with the help of her English allies. Upon his release, in 1432, Jean V ordered the destruction of the city and military structures within the walls so all that remains today are the impressive gate towers.

Chomptoceaux Castle Gateway

Little remains of early fortifications at Oudon but a later castle built around 1400, can still be visited. Though modified in later centuries it still conveys a sense of great defensive strength. Its main feature is a single Keep in tower form with its own moat and drawbridge set within an outer moated wall containing a fortified tower and gatehouse.

Oudon Castle

There are four internal floors and of course a fifth comprising the roof. On each floor there is one huge room and one of smaller size with fireplaces, wardrooms and so on incorporated within the thickness of the walls. Each room is now used to exhibit artefacts and video presentations illustrating past times and events.

Outer Drawbridge and Gatehouse Towers

Gateway seen from the Top of the Tower

Modern Bridge over the Loire from the Top of the Castle

THE RIVER LOIRE

The Loire is the longest river in France and has been used by humans for millenia – from before the stone age to modern times.

Like the Nile, the river has been a hugely important source of food, of irrigation water for the surrounding countryside, and as a means of transport.

Flow rates vary greatly from low in the summer months to extremely high in late winter and early spring when rain and snow-melt on land drained by the river reach their peak. In early history this resulted in widespread flooding over the river banks in the “wet” season and the emergence of shifting sandbanks in the “dry”.

Over the centuries humans attempted to control these natural changes by constructing Wooden Embankments and Levées, and by dredging to keep open a channel navigable in the dry season by specially constructed shallow draft craft.

These forces are still present in the modern age as flood control measures permit cultivation all year round on nearby land but lead to faster and deeper currents in the wet season and more extensive sandbanks in the dry.

INGRANDES AND LE FRESNE SUR LOIRE

To reach the north bank of the river at St Florent one has to cross two bridges as there is an island here created by a secondary stream departing the main river upstream of the town and rejoining it downstream.

On the Bridge at St Florent

View Upstream

The cycle path eastwards on the north bank mostly runs along a gravel surfaced track that I found to be a little jarring but otherwise easy to ride as it was wide and flat.

The towns of Le Fresne sur Loire and Ingrandes merge into one another and one needs to continue to the latter to reach a bridge over the river that must be crossed to rejoin the main Loire à Vélo route which lies along the D210 between the end of the bridge and St Florent.

Sandbank and Le Fresne sur Loire from the South

The Hostellerie de la Gabelle is located at the end of the bridge in St Florent and has an extensive patio to the river bank on the far side of the D210.

Upon returning from this ride I saw and heard a boisterous crowd sat at tables in this area and speaking English. They turned out to be very friendly motoring enthusiasts from the UK who invited me to join them to help quaff large quantities of Champagne before they had dinner at the Hostellerie.

They had crossed the channel and arrived from UK that day in a fleet of their own fast cars - Jaguars, Mercedes - BMW's etc - and were on their way to watch the racing at Le Mans the next day. They made the same trip every year and said the main hazards of this whirlwind tour were the French Traffic Police who were stationed on the motorways precisely because they knew so many UK drivers were coming and likely to exceed the speed limits.

ANCENIS

My second full ride on the bike (35 km) was over the St Florentin bridge again and westwards on the north bank returning on winding country roads south of the river.

View downriver from Bridge at St Florent

Much of the track on the outward journey was again on a gravel surface with a few smoother sections near Ancenis. On this latter section I was again delighted by wild flowers beside the track.

Wayside Poppies

There is a castle at Ancenis built about a century after the one at Oudon and also having some unique and interesting characteristics - but it was closed on the day I was in town. There are also residential Chateaux not far away and modern amusements such as boat rides to be enjoyed.

But the highlight of my visit was lunch at a restaurant on the eastern edge of town where the cycle path joins the normal road system. Here, I took my time over a magnificent shell fish platter with fresh bread rolls, a bottle of mineral water and a glass of wine.

AN EXPEDITION BY CAR TO SAUMUR

Towards the end of my stay Jean drew attention to a forthcoming cycling event at Saumur that I attended as a day trip by car from St Florent but will describe in my next post on this blog. An incidental benefit of this trip was a preliminary scouting of potential cam^sites for my next stop.