Come with us to the beautiful Loire Valley ! Our destination is Camping De L’Isle Verte which we will use as our base while we explore the region by bike.
On the map here, you can locate the village of Saumur & our camping is in Montsoreau, which is 10 km to the east…..I know, we’d never heard of this place either!

Now, do a quick service on your bikes or grab an electric bike if you can! There may be a few steep little hills today to test out those legs of yours

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Bev is naturally resting up before our ride in the Loire region & observes these cyclists as we pass by for some riding tips …..oh, you have to lean over that far to pedal fast!?

We drive thru the quaint streets of Montsoreau with their white dwellings made from local  Tufa rock with attractive, grey slate roofs!

Voila , here we are at wonderful Camping De L’Isle Verte beside the Loire River !!

It just so happens, the night we arrive there are welcome drinks for everyone, including a free glass of bubbly ! There is a wine stall displaying local products too. A great atmosphere & start to our stay here.

There are many English people here now  because they  belong to the Eriba Caravan Club from UK ! We count at least 20 of the petite caravans in the camp grounds.

Interesting beverage bar tonight too !!

One  of the quirky Eriba caravans from the UK club !

Ok, we’re ready to ride into our local village, Montsoreau, “small city of character,” to do some exploring ! ….Get your bikes ready, pump up those tyres !

Now remember to keep to the right in France & always give way to fast moving red cars !! We don’t know how long an ambulance would take to get here!?

Warning !!! Steep hill, so change down gears quickly & try to catch up to Mark who is around the corner already ! He didn’t wait for us!

Well done ! The effort was definitely worth it with a view like this , high above the lovely Loire river.

Oh wow ! Didn’t expect  such a splendid, fairytale- like chateau up here !  Let’s take in its beauty whilst we catch our breath for a moment ! I think this is one of my favourite Châteaux so far. Some interesting information:
The château de Montsoreau is in flamboyant Gothic style. Construction began in the mid 14th century and was completed in the 15th century. It is the only château in the Loire Valley built directly into the riverbed. It is an UNESCO world heritage site.it is now a Museum of contemporary Art.

Mark rode down to the other side of the Chateau so you can see how close it was built to the river.

Riding along further we can peer into the attractive back gardens of some of the local homes.

Yep, another incline for us as we snake our way up this little tunnel ….keep to the right remember !

We are now in one of the many Troglodyte caves, which is a cool relief on this hot day. It’s like taking a step back in time !

This area of the Loire Valley is filled with caves & the people who lived in them were called Troglodytes. People lived in these caves for hundreds of years until the late 1930s in this area. These are not your typical caves. The Troglodyte caves were created when the soft Tofu white stone was removed to construct homes, etc. Today, people are restoring these for dwellings and turning them into restaurants, shops, and B&Bs.

Look, as we ride past the Troglodyte shops & cafes.

Mark points out this electrical power source in the cave wall !

How quaint & interesting are these dwellings? Maybe, we can retire here Bev ?!

Let’s ditch the bikes & take a wander through the village streets.

If you don’t own a camping car, Hotel Le Bussy looks a great place to stay to explore the village & immerse yourself in some French culture. Here are the current tariffs for you.

Follow the leader …..we’re impressed by the quality of the road here.

It’s time to ride back down to the village and reward ourselves with a delicious, local speciality treat, tarte aux pommes & pear something or other? Ha !

Hope you enjoyed the petite village of Montsoreau with us today. Tomorrow, another adventure awaits us….the Loire River  & beyond !