Loire valley - Blois

Let's take a break from the alpine & venture into another part of France! Swapping skiing for cycling, altitude for (fairly) flat cycle paths, and snow for rain, I headed off on a jaunt to the Loire during the second last week of the season. Spent 3 nights in Blois, and 3 nights in Saumur, managing 2 & 1 cycling days respectively. Navigating the cycle routes is easy with the well signed Loire a Velo trails. Loire a Velo is part of the Euro Velo 6 cycle trail which runs from the Atlantic coast in France all the way to the Black Sea along the Loire, Rhone and Danube rivers across 10 countries...

The Blois area had tonnes of sights to see, of which I managed a few:

View to the west from Blois Castle, Loire in the background

View toward Cathedral of St. Louis

Chateau de Blois - external spiral staircase from courtyard

Chateau de Blois - double vaulted ceiling in marble & stone

Chateau de Blois - hall covered in fleurs-de-lis

Chateau de Chambord & my ride

Chateau de Chambord - king's bed chamber

Chateau de Chambord - concentric double spiral staircase designed by Leonardo da Vinci

Chateau de Chambord - trophy hall

Chateau de Chambord - tapestries

Chateau de Chambord - double spiral staircase comes out on the rooftop

Chateau de Chambord - rooftop

 

Parc du Chambord (hunting ground surroundings) from chateau rooftop

Cathedral of St. Louis - building started in the 10th century

View over Blois from the Cathedral

15th century townhouse

Sunflower fields everywhere along the trail

Cathedral of St. Louis from the main bridge

Church in Les Montils village

Loire a Velo signs

Forrest trails

Chateau de Blois - scene in the illumination show