June 29, 2016
Villandry to Amboise.
Ornamental gardens and ornamental glass.
June 29 Wednesday 52kms
Villandry to Amboise.
Ornamental gardens and ornamental glass.
52 km of Buxus to be trimmed annually, 1015 Lime trees to be pruned, not a weed in sight and you know there is a team of Gardeners behind the hedges. Villandry’s restoration began in 1906 by Spaniard Joachim Carvallovorn. Yes In the kitchen garden, buxus blocks are filled with colour: red cabbages, blue/green artichokes, white cauliflower.
Miniature pear trees adorn each corner and red roses fall from pedestals. Avenues of lime trees on the terrace above provide cool shade and glimpses of the lake which is the shape of a Louis XIV mirror. One corner of the gardens is given to a buxus arrangements to represent different aspects of love: tragic love (swords with red plants for blood), tender love (hearts and flames), passionate flighty love (butterfly wings and broken hearts).
Back on bikes we return to Savonniers in time to buy beautiful quiches for a later lunch, and have a coffee to get us going ( best we’ve had so far).
The route is on small sealed roads. Wheat replaced by vines in this area. Decorative brick work on the houses.
We come into Tours through leisure Parc of Wilderness , walking tracks, picnic areas and lake. Allotments fringe the trail. We ride through the city on a well marked cycle track, past the glass domed Gare, up to the Cathedral, past the banners depicting the life of St Martin (18th century) whose anniversary is this year. We stop and visit the Cathedral .
It was built between 1170 and 1547 and is a magnificent gothic structure with a dark interior contrasting with its multi coloured stained glass windows.
Thecathedral also contains the marble tomb of the children of Charles VIII and Anne of Brittany, who died as infants.
We lunch, sitting on some of the seats in the square outside and then it’s back to the river.
24 kilometres further on we reach Amboise .
Camping Municipal is reached early evening. We shower the use up our supplies- soup, tomatoes, nuts and apricots. There is a rock concert on the Isle but not til tomorrow. We will sleep tonight!
Today's ride: 52 km (32 miles)
Total: 781 km (485 miles)
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