Before we leave Bourges, we need to replenish the gas cylinders we used to re-inflate my tyre yesterday. Anne identifies a motorcycle dealer with great reviews who may have the cylinders. We navigate across the city to Dafy Moto. Sadly no gas cylinders are available there, however technology has moved on: you can now buy a usb rechargeable compressor. Much as I liked the cylinders going cold when you use them, this is more practical in our world. It is unlikely that future trips will take us to some of the more remote places we have been, plus electricity does seem more commonplace nowadays! They also provided coffee and hot chocolate for us. Great service.

With the daily storm-fronts sweeping this part of France and the need to dry out the tent and riding gear, we have decided to move indoors for a couple of days. We have chosen to base ourselves in Chinon, a small town straddling the La Vienne river. It has the classic walled Chateau overlooking the town, cobbled streets cafes and more, including family connections. We can travel out from the hotel without all the gear, making Streak and Storm lighter and more fun to ride.

On the way to Chinon, we see three cars in a row flash their lights at us, something happening ahead, police radar perhaps, no a recent accident has a car crashed side-on into a minivan right in the middle of the road at an intersection. No apparent injuries but no emergency services either. In France you are required to have a high visibility vest with you in the vehicle. Three of those who have stopped to help are now efficiently directing traffic around the crash including semi-trailers while others are placing red warning triangles down the road. I am impressed with this coordination, is it part of driver training I wonder.

We walked around Chinon until the hotel reception opened, helmets on as it was still raining.

Chinon holds a special place in Anne’s family history as it is where her father did his last 2 years of schooling. He also played the lead role of Perdican with his sister as Camille in “On ne badine pas avec l’amour” or “No trifling with love” by Alfred de Musset. Great to think that the black and white photos of them in that play which Anne has known all her life were taken in the town hall, the backdrop to the main Festival of Music stage that starts tomorrow.

Chinon is also famous because of Jeanne d’Arc! a French heroine and a catholic saint. She asserted that she had visions from God instructing her to free her country from English domination. A courageous young woman, she disguised herself as a man and led her people against the English in 1429 and won! Two years later she unfortunately met a horrific death after she was captured by the enemy – the Anglo-Burgundians, who were a group of French people that sided with the English of the 15th century – and was burnt on the stake.

This dynamic statue by Jules Roulleau shows Jeanne d’Arc galloping over the bodies of her defeated enemies and was a gift by the sculptor to the town where Jeanne d’Arc met the Dauphin for the first time in 1429.

We stay at Hôtel Rive Sud on the south side of the river, a short walk from town. We are able to bring Streak and Storm into a courtyard which makes unloading easier. Many of the hotels in the old towns have no onsite parking given the nature of the streets. This is a lovely family run hotel with three generations having breakfast in the kitchen next to the dining room where we have breakfast.

A leisurely three course dinner in town with local wine seems an appropriate way to spend the evening. Even with the meal taking a few hours it is still light after 10pm as we stroll back to our hotel.

While the use of paper maps has declined over time, we both still like to spread open a paper map and pore over the little details, such as the green line alongside the road that indicates a scenic route. Today without full loads, we retrace our steps to Montrésor some 100km east. After visiting the town we will be following the D10 west along a green marked route towards St Quentin-sur-Indrois, no not the one where Anne and I met. The route loosely follows the river L’Indrois.

The ride to Montrésor is uneventful as it should be, but Storm is far more responsive on the twisty roads flanked by vineyards and other crops we do not recognise. Traffic is light and the sun is shining. Can one ask for better weather? We tour the chateau at Montrésor which has been restored to its 19th century glory. In a dining room, with a magnificent table overlooked by the dozens of animal heads from around the world, one can imagine the talk over dinner must turn to hunting from time to time.

The ride along the D10 is rewarding, beautiful farmland scenery and minimal traffic. All the reasons for taking the backroads. We will be back in time for the start of the music festival in Chinon.

It seems this Music Festival, which runs for a number of days, covers a wide range of tastes from classical to jazz and rock. Each group of artists performs either in a square or more often outside a cafe or restaurant. I wonder if the food and music are paired like food and wine?

The spacing between the venues and the nature of the buildings means that each sound is contained to the local in which the performance is taking place. Only if you go up to the Chateau above the town can you hear the range of different melodies emanating from the streets below. We just enjoy the variety as do the many others who have thronged to the town for this first evening of music. What a great way to spend our last night here.

– Anne and Anthony