As promised / threatened by accuweather, meteo France and all the rest of them it started gloomy and then drizzled a bit and then built updone fat black clouds and showered on us on and off all day. There were occasional sunny patches but it was just teasing.
It was late once we'd crammed everything in the boxes and Paul had braved the rain to attach it all to the trusty bike. We checked out and went to find breakfast. Although we were late the boulangerie was surprisingly well stocked so we had coffee in yesterday's brasserie accompanied by pains au raisin plus 100g chouettes and (special offer) 50g free. Chouettes turned out to be, perhaps unsurprisingly, choux buns minus the filling. Are they really a normal snack or had someone invented them because they have a good name?
Paul was keen to make a move during a rainless patch but I wanted to have a look round our pet chateau. In the event it was nice to look inside but not quite what I had expected... various displays about the Loire and its Barges and Windmills and Weather Vanes rather than all that much about the chateau itself or life in it. There was a bit on its history and its current use and you could see how after it had fallen into disrepair and then been renovated and parts rebuilt the three original towers hadn't been put back. We went out onto the battlements to look at the view but it just rained on us. P looked most dejected but perked up at the end when he was allowed to put on some bits of dressing up outfits.
We drove to Bléré via Amboise as we couldn't check in til between 5 and 7 and Amboise is relatively big so might entertain us for a little while. We had missed the strictly regulated lunch slot so had to resort to a Carrefour purchase of bread, ham and herby cream cheese, wiped on using the wrapping (so classy, but v tasty). We tried to check out a bike rental place but their tandem was out and not due back til the evening so we couldn't really look at it or sort anything out. Then we hit the tourist info where I repurchased a map we already have and got the bus timetable from Bléré to Amboise so we could come and pick up said bike (two a DAY, what is this?!)
Our room in the b and b is in the kind of gate house / lodge rather than the main house and is a curious aesthetic mix of faded French grandeur and Aunty Molly. Still, it's pretty big and comes with not only a kitchenette in the bathroom and a lounging area including chaise longue but also a free cat who came in through the window and after a bit of bonding made himself comfortable on Paul's bike jacket and went to sleep. We also have proper French shutters.
We had a great dinner thanks to a recommendation from the slightly grumpy owner in what turned out to be one of only two open restaurants in the centre of what is actually a reasonably sized town. I had another galette including the Saint Nicolas cheese (of the planchette yesterday lunch), tasty local cured ham and potato. The town looked so abandoned when we first went out at about 7.15 that Paul was inspired to stay singing that banjo duel tune, but by 7.45 the restaurant was crammed full and was nice and bustly all evening. The waitress-/waitering was also pleasantly prompt and efficient. They missed the wine off the bill but we were honest and told them and now feel morally squeaky clean.
We have spoken quite a lot of French. Generally however bad it is, they let us carry on and try to get our point across and then respond in French and carry on speaking French, mostly at an approximately acceptable speed. This is not like in Germany. Why is this? The French are more proud of French? The Germans have better customer service? The French are humouring us and letting us have a go? The Germans speak better English?...
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