Day 150: Angouleme to Tours - Thurs 2 Oct, 2014

Day 150: Angouleme to Tours - Thurs 2 Oct, 2014
Another gorgeous morning - plane vapour trails pink in sunrise. Pleasant travelling through green and autumn coloured countryside, albeit along expressway north towards Tours. Trucks all in side slow lane, must be maddening not allowed to pass each other. Picked out on Pocket Earth cathedral and Loire Valley chateaus we are most interested in “nobility's summer playground”. Ann and GirlRob went to tourist info, waiting until reopened after lunch, whilst our drivers were hassled in carpark around corner listening on 2-way to hear of our progress. Our “pickup” tour was @53€ (one on internet was 142€ pp, so have to add entrances before we can compare), but at least in this price we are getting 4 chateaus (or 1 winery in lieu) including all big Cs, plus lunch. 

Drove to caravan park, but not open until after 3.30pm so drove out to Clos Luce at Amboise, the old royal palace where Leonardo da Vinci spent his final days. This small palace held gorgeous objects d'art, and was beautifully maintained.

Traiteur and Honore in same sign - what's story?

Clos Luce

 

What the....??

 

 

Chapel

                               

Saw da Vinci's rooms, furnishings, drawings, treasures, 3D displays inside and out, in very pretty gardens holding working prototypes of his inventions in appropriate settings. Relaxed watching red squirrel finding nut on ground, frolicking among snowdrops under tree. Clos Luce was one of the more memorable museums we have seen. 

 

 

 













Returned along Loire River and booked into green leafy caravan park Rives du Cher (prices getting lower end of season). Saw rabbits, orange-breasted robin, blue-backed long-tailed magpies. Salad and potato cake dinner, tired, off to bed....