Day 5 in the Loire Valley

 [2 April]

It was a last-minute decision to head to the village of Blois. We had already planned on using one travel day on our rail passes while we were in Tours. We felt Blois was far enough upriver that we probably wouldn't make it there by car with Richard and Pauline so off we went to the train station. 

Ah but which train station, that was the rub. The main station in Tours, the one just down our street, is closed for at least the next couple of weeks due to the previously mentioned fire that put us in a bit of a snafu upon our arrival a few days ago. So we had to make our way back out to the suburbs to St. Pierre des Corps.

After a very leisurely morning we walked the 10 minutes or so to the TI office and purchased our slightly reduced rate tickets to the Château de Blois. We had discovered that we could get Bus 5 right across the street from  the TI and in front of le Gare de Tours. Since our public transport passes were still valid, we hopped right on the no. 5. After a short trip with various stops along the way, we were soon at the St. Pierre des Corps station.

Our train to Blois was posted as delayed just a few minutes, but it turned out we left on time anyway.

Only a 40 minute trip to Blois, the ride was smooth, quiet, and stress-free. The station in Blois (pronounced "blwah") is quite unique and reflects the serious attention to cyclists using the train. There's a bike parking area and a circular ramp that allows bikes to be ridden up/down to cross platforms or exit. And scooter users like it too. Whee! Pretty slick.

Although it was a pretty straightforward walk to the château we managed to get ourselves turned around with a stroll through the king's bastion before making our way back down to the street and the entrance to the château. 

Along the way we came across two very nice pieces of sculpture, one a memorial to the soldiers who died in the Franco-Prussian War of 1870-71 and another to the goddess Diana by the American sculptor Anna Hyatt Huntington.

From the end of bastion we could see the "backside" of the château so we knew we were close.

Back down to the street just past the TI office near a tea room that looked enticing and around the corner, we found the entrance. Entry was easy since the TI office had emailed the tickets directly to my phone. Ah technology.

If you would like to know more go to the Wikipedia site and the official site.

Perhaps the most notable feature today is the spiral staircase in the Francis I wing just inside the entrance.

A number of pieces of the original château -- it was heavily restored  in the 19th century --- have been preserved.

For one interested in period architecture, textiles and furniture this is a paradise indeed.

"The Cycle of War and Peace" tapestry

the Queen's gallery

view of Blois and the river Loire from Foix terrace 

"So Irresistible" by Laurance Dreano (2019)

Leaving the château we made our way back toward the station, stopping at the tea salon (O'Chateau) we noticed on the way in. We ordered a couple glasses of Cheverny rosé, and Susan tried a slice of their quiche Lorraine, concluding it was superb!

We returned to the station shortly before our train arrived. The return trip was uneventful as we slid through the lovely flat and agricultural Loire countryside. The fun began when we returned to Tours.

Since the previously mentioned fire on March 29 near the main Tours station has disrupted so much local (and not-so-local) traffic, the national railway company SNCF (snick-if) has scrambled to try and make things as smooth as possible for commuters.

As we were leaving the platform there was announcement -- which Susie picked up on right away -- regarding free shuttles back to the center of town. We confirmed that with SNCF staff and were directed back toward the underground access to the platforms. We hoofed it all the way to the end and up behind the tracks and found the free shuttle busses. Yay!

We cooled our heels on the bus for about 20 minutes as other shuttles were dropping off passengers coming in for departures. Once en route it was a short ride into town with our drop off right in front of the Tours main station.

We had to go inside this lovely building. Snick-if staff were there as well, scattered around helping travelers as best they could. The absence of trains was a bit eerie though.

aboard the shuttle bus

We hope to repeat this trip, albeit it in reverse, next Wednesday when we leave for Lyon. Otherwise it will be back on the old No. 5.

But that's almost a week away. For the time being we're just happy to be here, enjoying life in France. 

Leaving the station we walked across the street to the TI where I bought an apron and then made our way up the street to the apartment. For dinner I took the leftover chicken and potatoes, drizzled with olive oil and persillade and into the oven they went to be paired with fresh blanched broccoli. While we were prepping dinner our host dropped by to change the filter in our coffee machine and we learned that although he is French he in fact lives in Lisbon, Portugal!

Tomorrow: We hoper to catch up on some home chores but our meeting up with Richard and Pauline will be the highlight so stay tuned!

TRAVEL TIP: Transportation in and out of Paris

Paris is an incredibly accessible city; easy to get around and you can see nearly everything or everyplace right on the ground, that is by walking.

If you have to cross the city for whatever reason, meeting a friend or having dinner in a distant arrondissement from where you're staying, using the Metro is a blessing. And if you're staying in the city for any length of time, say longer than a week or ten days, you might want to consider picking up a Navigo Pass.

The Navigo allows you to just swipe and go through the turnstiles; and you can use any of the buses as well as the RER and trams that run around the inner periphery of Paris. You will need a photo (notice all those Photomation machines in the larger Metro stations?) and you’ll have to have a passable grasp of French to speak with one of the service reps. But once you have the Navigo, off you go! We've had our passes for quite a few years now and just top it off when we return.

The other Metro option is to purchase the “Carnet” or 10-pack of tickets. There’s also a 1-day pass but we didn’t find that as cost effective as the 10-pack. Still the 1-day might work for you so check it out before you buy.

Whichever way you opt to go, you’ll probably only need to buy tickets for zones 1-3; zones 1-5 will get you all the way out to the airports, Versailles and Fontainebleau, way out of the city in other words. . . Again check your needs before you buy. (The Navigo pass is good for all 5 zones.)

The official Metro site can be found right here: http://www.ratp.fr/en/ratp/c_21879/visiting-paris/ Another very user-friendly site in English in Paris by Train: http://parisbytrain.com/paris-transportation-zone-map/

As for travel out of the city -- like we took to Giverny and to Lille --  you might find a small challenge in purchasing tickets. The official French railway company, SNCF, makes it very easy to purchase tickets online BUT if your credit card has a magnetic strip, which most American cards have, you won't be able to use the self-serve kiosks at the train station. That's right folks, you'll have to stand in line to get your tickets. Go figure but go prepared.

Finally, for getting to and from any of the airports -- we usually go in and out of Charles de Gaulle -- we used Paris Bleu Van shuttle this time. We’ve used them in the past and never had a complaint, although if you opt for the (cheaper) shared service you might find yourself in the dark early hours driving around and around Paris picking up other passengers. A 35-minute trip then becomes 60- or 90-minutes. . . You get the point. You can find Bleu Van online at http://www.bluvan.fr/