BIKING THE COUNTRYSIDE

Ted wanted a Loire Valley biking experience. He borrowed a bike from Karen. We sat at the Lion d’Or with a bike trail map and planned out a route. After a good dose of strong coffee and croissants from the bakery we set out for Chinon.
Along the D751 through St. Germain-sur-Vienne we found the first of the bike trails. We took that through fields along the Vienne all the way to Chinon. We were mostly riding through woods in the alluvial plain of the river so it was very pleasant.
We stopped in Chinon for lunch. There was a little excitement off the main square where the fire department were battling a house fire. Then it started to pour down rain so our little stop for lunch turned into an hour-long beer fest while we waited for the skies to clear.
After it stopped raining we took a walk around town. The market was winding down and lots of stores were closed for the annual holidays but there was still lots to see and talk about.
We got back on our bikes heading across the river and through the Faubourg-St.Jacques in the general direction of Richelieu. When we got to the St. Lazare roundabout we decided to go towards Marçay instead. We found a walking trail that was well signposted so we decided to follow it. That trail took us through fields of golden wheat and as we wheeled into the village of La Roche Clermault we came across a goat farm with an attached cheese factory. We stopped to sample. Ted bought some cheese and I bought some marmalade. Everything was “bio” or biologique meaning organic, but while we were perusing the wares the shop attendant excused herself to go outside for a smoke – super bio!
The sun was high in the sky as we turned our bikes towards Beauxes. It took us another 30 minutes to reach this village. Not even a dog was out in the rippling heat. We dropped our bikes beside the open door of the first café we came across. We each had two cold draught beers and a big pitcher of free water.
Late in the afternoon we mustered the energy to continue to the village of Vizières where we had lunch on fresh bakery bread, our goat cheese and a hazelnut pork sausage that Ted had picked up in Chinon. From there it was an easy 10k ride back to Karen’s house in Roiffé.