[2019]

OUR FAMILY HOLIDAYS

0270 Holiday – To the Loire Valley

In 1981 we went to the Loire Valley, in France, for a holiday.  This time we went by car, the first time we had done this -- apart from the Biomedical trip to Paris.

We caught the hovercraft, which was still operating in those days, largely because it was the fastest route across the Channel. It did it in just over half an hour and it was also quite quick getting on and off.  From there we drove through all back routes down into Normandy.  We were following a route set by Arthur Epron in his book.  It was an interesting, and scenic, route.  My main memory of it is that of the sweet smell in the air as all the beets were brought into the sugar refineries, to be processed there.

We stopped at a hotel on the banks of the Seine, just before the river entered the sea.

It was a nice little hotel and the restaurant, recommended by Epron, had some interesting items on the menu -- I had baked ham with beetroot. 

The next day we went along the coast through the little seaside town of Honfleur. 

From there we progressed to the Normandy landing beaches. 

The artificial breakwaters can still be seen, and of course there are the obligatory cemeteries. 

From there we went to look at the Bayeux Tapestry. Pat’s cousin was a professional photographer, who had made his living as an illustrator; photographing artworks for glossy art books rather than people or scenes. His great coup had been, though to photograph the Bayeux Tapestry on a day when the glass covers were off. As a result, anyone who wanted to reproduce this had to come to him; it was a goldmine.

We then cut across the peninsula to visit Mont Saint Michel, which was just as impressive in a rather gothic away. 

We then had to find our own hotel, since the one recommended by Epron was full.  But we found a small one, which would only accept us if we had dinner in their restaurant.  That was a good choice anyway, since the dinner really was excellent.

The following day we went on through Le Mans, driving along the famous Moulsanne Straight, to finish up at Tours. 

This was where we had our gite.  It was nice little gite in a converted outbuilding of a small chateau. 

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