Campervan Therapy

The Château

A visit to the Azay’s château beside Camping Le Sabot is a must. The limestone glares so much it hurts my eyes. The vine-stuccoed loggia tricks me into thinking I’m in Italy.

To be fair, the Renaissance took hold here in the Loire Valley, beauty becoming a goal in itself. Leonardo da Vinci once lived a few kilometres away. Catherine de Medici introduced the three course meal to France’s Loire Valley. Though, the French may dispute that! But these stories are part of the joy of travel for me.

I’m impressed with the craft and determination of the gardeners, who’ve shaped the oaks in the avenue into lollipop columns.

The Secret Garden

Once a walled garden, the garden is a riot of glorious growth: cosmos reach up to my eyes; lavender and salvia buzz with bees; artichokes sway above my head; peppermint tastes intense; massive marrows swell before the eyes; and intense tomatoes, summer hot, scramble through the flowers.

 Formal Lawns and Wild Woods

The palace stands on an island in the middle of the River Indre. Footbridges take us around the garden, into the protected, wild marsh area. Bald cypresses line the river, their trunks like old bones in the water, their leaves delicate feathers. Plane trees stand proud, along with sequoia, Lebanese cedar, and oaks. Coypus graze on the lawn.

The Interior

Us tourists stream through the grand house, but I love  the sheer variety of wine glasses set for a banquet – champagne coups, wine goblets, digestif glasses, the list goes on. The other high point is the attic’s amazing carpentry. Seán is excited as a boy when he points out that the soaring cathedral of an attic is supported by oaks which are 500 years old.

Azay’s Halles (Market)

To know an area, you have to walk it, and so we find the solid, square market, the cosy bar beside it; St. Symphorien’s Church, with its huge bronze of strolling players. We follow the red and white GR3 signs (the trail along the Loire Valley is 1,250 kilometres long).

The Island

From the shaded island, we watch fish feed and water buttercup glow from the shallows. The L’Ilot Bar is open until 9 pm by the banks of the river.

We hire a kayak here and paddle among water weed’s green hair and water lilies.  Kingfishers dart, their russet breasts set against the iridescent blue of their wings. They’re not the only iridescent creatures. The river throbs with azure bodied damsel flies and others with fluttering, navy velvet wings. Zillions of dragonflies helicopter through the air.

Cheillé’s Troglodytic Caves

The GR3 takes on a 10 minute walk to Cheillé’s caves where people once lived and worked. The tufa caves are mysterious and forlorn, a stable door swings on broken hinges, a work bench stands alone, the interiors yawn dank and dark in the sunshine.

A crisp Cremant de Loire from the vintage van, L’Epine, in the town square, provides an antidote and a rustic menu from Au Bon Vin de Touraine, the starter a goose gizzard salad, restores my equilibrium.

The Money?

Canoe hire: €20 for two for 1.30 hours

Camping Le Sabot – €25 per night

Chateau Entrance – €11.50 each.