Tours, France

I seem to talk about food a lot in this blog, but food is an important part of what we do. Over the last while I have experienced some hugely gastronomically satisfying wonders. My belly has been treated to honey-coated quail in the restaurant among the trees in Le Pin followed by a wide choice of cheeses and a rich chocolate dessert. In Chaterllerault we dined with Mick and Kate  at  La Gourmandine. We ate a five course meal selected by the chef. This included two extra complimentary courses. We began with a cold melon soup, a fois de gras in a nest of peach, beans and nuts followed by lobster starter, Our main course was a gorgeous tasting piece of steak with potatoes. I‘d been put off steaks in this part of the world in the UK for the corn-fed flavour, but this restored my faith that continental steak could taste good. Our final three courses consisted of a selection of cheeses, a complimentary sorbet in tapioca, and a very rich berry dessert soaked in a sweet champagne sauce.

 

Lunch can be as simple as as un bagetette avec fromage, confiture de framboise ou de tomatoes et un avocet. We did this yesterday, after a drive from Tours to Saumur. We took the advice of a British couple who had chosen to picnic in the carpark next to the Loire. “No, not here,” they said, “there’s a much better spot if you are prepared to walk up the next street and up the steps  to the chateau. There you’ll find grass and plenty of places to admire the views of Saumur.” And they were right. It was a super place to stop and lay out our picnic spoils, relax in the sun and watch the world beneath us.

 

Mary has joined us for this part of our journey. We’re now staying in Tours and had the use of a car for a nerve- wracking two days. Learning to drive on the opposite side of the road, give way to our left, and over take on the left isn’t that easy when you have been driving cars for a very long time.

We drove on to Fontevraud Abbey. A magnificently restored Abbey with a very interesting past. It  was founded in 1100 and became a double monastery , with both monks and nuns on the same site. Robert of Arbrissel declared that the leader of the order should always be a woman and appointed Petronille de Chemille as the first abbess. She was succeeded by Matilda of Anjou, the aunt of Henry of England. This was the start of a position that attracted many rich and noble abbesses over the years, including members of the French Bourbon royal family. It also became a refuge for battered wives and even prostitutes.

Henry II's widow Eleanor of Aquitaine became a nun there. Hers and Henry’s tombs are still there and on display. Louise de Bourbon left her crest on many of the alterations she made during her term of office.

During the French Revolution, the order was dissolved. The abbey later became a prison from 1804 to 1963. Political prisoners experienced the harshest conditions: some French Resistance prisoners were shot.  Buildings were made public in 1985 and there is still evidence of continuing restoration work in the wider grounds.

Our final full day in Tours has been spent mainly wandering around, browsing the shops, taking photographs and yes, the inevitable stops for food and wine. The temperature is more changeable with a cooler wind blowing this morning, and we were soon back in our rooms putting on warmer clothes

TOURS CATHEDRALE (as seen from our hotel window)

 We're at Abbey l'Fontevraud