From the above Bad Company song back at the start:
"We who are constantly moving...leaving part of us behind."

Et donc, our personally-curated listing of Premier Moisson ('pick 'o the crop). Those bonne addresses below appear in no particular order.
Le Select!

Eggs from Charnizay
Honey from Gizeux (try bruyere flavour)
Organic flour from Anjou
Walnut oil from Ferme de la Cahute
Strawbs from the above-shown gal and her partners at Domiane Chatenay OR Chouze OR Solonge
Dairy from Verneuil
See also donkey sausage, frog legs, horse meat and rabbit

Michel Granger Boucherie/Charcuterie in Tours
The 'Around the Bread' boulangerie in Tours *our winner of Friendliest Entire Staff whom we met on this trip
Mirabel plum jam de Lorraine by Albert Mens
Yogurt from Fromagerie Maurice
Best chewy macarons de Montmorillon by Rannou-Metivier (given as a welcome gift by our wonderful Tours landlords)
La Parisienne boulangerie in Loches
De la Crie au Panier fishmongers from Tours (as mentioned @Loches weekly market above) i.e. Sylvie & Vincent Arnault **try their salmon tart-pie
Nicolas Villeret boulangerie Loches

Inside the permanent covered Les Halles market in Tours:
*the Italian deli Cas' Al Dente (Sicilian family offering a wide variety inc. panforte from Siena) See their food van also selling food at the weekly smaller Rabelais market in Tours
Their competitor Les Saveurs d'Italie
*Traditional Lochois Tourelle cheese=small pyramids of delicious goat cheese OUI PAPA!! Try matching with yellow apples from Limousin Avail. at this same Les Halles
Les Belles caves wine shop
Tajine with couscous @Chez Nezha (le Maroc)

-the former fishmonger Gabillet is now called 'Marioniers'
-the same Gabillet family has a relative (Sebastien) still running the great olive-based spice stand @Tours' Rabelais weekly market
Ledoux meats
Carre Rouge deli

Time for our Traditional Quiz Loire-style

Who called the Loire valley 'the garden of France'? (circle correct answer with your baguette)

1) Louise Colombet
2) Kylian M'bappe
3) Rabelais
4) Francis 'Bongo' Lauzon

Angers' chateau is protected by:

1) sharp spikes called 'les dents'
2) a moat
3) 17 towers
4) it had no protection

Which legendary rockstar owns a chateau just north of Amboise? (point vaguely using your coke spoon)

1) Madonna
2) Thomas Yorke
3) Ringo Starr
4) Mick Jagger

What did Catherine de Medici supposedly hide in the Blois chateau?

1) poisonous potions
2) a favourite pet ferret
3) love letters from daVinci
4) the first draft of her script for the original French 'Eyes Wide Shut'

Chaumont chateau is known for:

1) being grim in appearance
2) having the largest garden besides Villandry
3) maintaining the best historic furniture collection
4) all of the above

The Loire river is born of springs in:

1) the Massif central
2) the outskirts of Nantes
3) a cave near Vezelay
4) none of the above

Which historical figure spent their final three years in Amboise?

1) Dianne de Poitiers
2) Vincent Van Gogh
3) Joan of Arc
4) Leonardo da Vinci

The first Chambord 'Son et Lumiere' show made its debut in what year?

1) 1950
2) 1907
3) 1964
4) 1969

The course of the famed car race '24 Hours of Le Mans' originated in what year?

1) 1922
2) 1923
3) 1923
4) 1924

Which of the following constellations did astronomy enthusiast Mrs Z see three times in Tours?

1) the Milky Way
2) Orion
3) the Clever Newt
4) Leo

Saumur chateau is famed for LOUD daily feedings of which animal?

1) monitor lizards
2) horses
3) doves
4) dogs

The TGV Atlantique train began when?

1) 1989
2) 1990
3) 1991
4) 1992

The word 'crotte' means what?

1) a dog turd
2) a score in rugby
3) a special raft used to harvest scallops
4) the latest French fighter jet

Which ethnic army group embedded with the Nazis once raped and pillaged the girls school at La Roche Posay?

1) Sikhs
2) Ukrainians
3) Croats
4) Algerians

Lastly, which Loire town or city had a recent art scandal?

1) Orleans
2) Tours
3) Loches
4) Chinon

Those exquisite chocolate and pastry goods… 😍

Another terrific trip report Zebec. And wonderful photos. Mrs Z is equally talented if her sketch is an example. You certainly know how to make the most of your travels and it is a pleasure to read about them.

I know a certain Stone likes to spend his birthday in his chateau. We thought we saw him in Amboise when we were there, but couldn't be sure.

We are considering the Loire and Berry this year, mainly for cycling from different bases, not doing the whole V�loroute, so I am enjoying this TR.
Whether we make it or not depends on petrol prices - I am not up to cycling there from Friesland, and I can't take the trike on trains.

BEST MASSEUSE: Estelle at her 'Parenthese' bodywork shop in central Tours. Estelle's business also wins the award for Cutest-lil-antique-WC-sink-with-leaf-laurel-ring. Shown here is both Estelle herself plus the sympa 'Le Salon Bleu' cafe just down the street, where I killed time while Mrs Z got the first massage of our 2-hour reservation with Estelle. *Next our Tours splurge rental.

Given that ELP were just once again passed over for the so-called Rock & Roll Hall of Fame (sound of spit) by such musical geniuses as Billy Idol, I figured that the following was in order.

Perhaps you've heard this song? **Be sure to scroll up and down to both subsequent stories as told by Paul. Great stuff.

Two tips before re-commencing with Amboise et al.

Tip 1- Le Vieux Manoir B&B in Amboise would be a very good choice. We came this close to making a reservation there prior to instead opting for a rental in Tours. I promised a shoutout to the B&B owners.
Tip 2-be careful about daytrip reservations with local Chateau van-tours. Outfits such as Acco Dispo plus Touraine Evasion are apparently beholden to some local tourism law that forbids them from going out without a certain minimum of passengers. We did not suffer such a disappointment but there are travelers online complaining about having had their daytrip tours cancelled at the last moment, oft without prior warning.

Maybe Heti here or TT poster 'Bonjour' or anyone else with a better understanding could clarify all that.

Bonus Tip
Also be aware that a number of the chateaux are located not so close to the their namesake train stations. Those with mobility issues take note.

Our Tours splurge landlord and landlady. Jean-Michel and...

...Fanny. This was the first time across many rentals where we stayed in someone's actual private residence. Fanny and Jean-Michel had gone on holiday. *merci amis pour le tip regardez 'San Remo'!

This is there Taschen-like living room. The swimming pool (seasonal only) was just outside that large window. This is where we sat while handing out candy on Halloween eve. Its also where I tried to stay awake from 1am-5am on a number of nights, game-tracking the World Series baseball championship on our tablet. It was one of the most thrilling baseball playoffs on record, even if our Toronto Blue Jays agonizingly lost by a hair. *I'd not been able to get the &8#!KD)%!! PVN to work.

These vases were in the living room as was...

...this fish. Everything about this rental was A+ excellent. Superbe.

This is Neil, one of those adolescent hockey players who came canvassing. He was tall for fourteen.
[img alt="This Celine, Jacqueline and bien sur la Queen Bee Michelle.
She says, "]https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fodors.com-vbulletin/1320x2000/loire_2025_64_b43d563e2188d91db4c207e4f0dc117a9d05 5ab6.jpg[/img]
This Celine, Jacqueline and bien sur la Queen Bee Michelle. She says, "I would like to meet Neil very much."
[img alt="This image has absolutely nothing to do with our Tours splurge rental. It shows the unexpected swimmer who kept a determined course alongside our Chenonceau cruise. Man? Woman? Young? Old? Training for the Loire Olympics? Escaped from a correctional facility?
*Next=Amboise."]https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fodors.com-vbulletin/2000x1325/loire_2025_30_ed38bd93ad6144188f9776807d1fd36e59ff 977d.jpg[/img]
This image has absolutely nothing to do with our Tours splurge rental. It shows the unexpected swimmer who kept a determined course alongside our Chenonceau cruise. Man? Woman? Young? Old? Training for the Loire Olympics? Escaped from a correctional facility? *Next=Amboise.

These girls are saying, "S'il vous plait: we would like very much to meet Neil!" *We've never encountered these tech issues in TRs past, I mean those snafus occurring at the end of each lot. Anyway, I'll try again here.
[img alt="This image has nothing to do with our Tours rental. In fact, it is the mysterious swimmer who stubbornly kept course with our Chenonceau tour boat. Male? Female? Young? Old? Training for the Loire Olympics? Escaped from the Devils Isle penal colony?
*Next: Amboise."]https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fodors.com-vbulletin/2000x1325/loire_2025_30_d9f3e266a84c3339ff4b51361a33f7aac3d3 7bd1.jpg[/img]
This image has nothing to do with our Tours rental. In fact, it is the mysterious swimmer who stubbornly kept course with our Chenonceau tour boat. Male? Female? Young? Old? Training for the Loire Olympics? Escaped from the Devil's Isle penal colony? *Next: Amboise.

This song is dedicated to those travelers who have had French people immediately switch to English at the start of a conversation.
I got no fire on me...
Amboise soon come.

S'il vous plait, come with us to Amboise.

Clos de Luce is the famed Amboise museum dedicated to Leonardo da Vinci. Given that it was the Toussaint school break, one noticed a number of families including grandparents, taking kids to these kinds of attractions. There are paintings, sculptures, mechanical items, architecture both within and without, plus compelling landscape replete with bridges plural and attractive streams.

Speaking of Da Vinci. Someone clearly had a sense of humour as to what art to include in their establishment's WC!

We will post a separate dedicated section to our fave Amboise 'Chateau Gaillard' after this.

Large models made from da Vinci's sketches cover the property. Here is if memory serves, the corkscrew?

Whomever planned this museum estate was brilliant. Their design includes plentiful opportunities for young people to experiment with and use the various models. You can see that corkscrew top right. On the far left was another waterside model popular with children and also teens. No such thing as a bored kid at this museum, I promise!

This peaceful pond had a variety of features. The forest was compelling, like a green cathedral.

A popular boulangerie.

There is a sense of history here.

A pair of lions.


A pair of flamingos. Don't ask.

A pair of troglodyte dwellings. Tufa rock has meant that numerous Loire locations have such structures, Folks reside, cafes serve and garages endure within caves.


Coming to Amboise first thing in the morning will serve you well. It is popular and can get crowded later in the day.

Houses reflected on the Loire.

A cormorant and their heron pal staging a sit-in on the Loire.

The walk north out of town towards Clos de Luce and Chateau Gaillard is wonderful. Work crews were working on that road on the day we visited.

The Loire apparently narrows as it reaches the sea.

The Amboise chateau shown represents barely 10% of its original form prior to centuries of war.

Ah, Zebec!!! Another awesome trip report with stunning and unique photos. You and Mrs. Z really know how to take creative and interesting photos of close-up shots, and photos of people, and photos of places! I love all of the "reflections" photos; the food photos (the Torteau); Rafael from Tours is adorable! The "Let's Try this Shot Again" is golden!

Isn't Chenonceau absolutely stunning??? We visited France for the first time in 2012 when our daughter first became engaged and we met our future son-in-law's parents for the first time. We visited Paris and then the Loire Valley before meeting the future in-laws. While reading your report, I thought "wait a minute, I think we 've been to Montresor and Loches!" You inspired me to look for my 2012 TR (written under my old screen name "kwoo") and sure enough, I found it! For Loches, I wrote "We really like Loches and I think this town would make a really nice base." We walked along the footpath that follows the river in Montresor . . .so a big thanks for inspiring me to search for my report which brought back so many wonderful and very happy memories!

Sacre bleu! Chez Nenesse and Enfants Rouges in the same Paris stay. If only you got to Le Quincy, you'd have conquered Vieux Paris. So many wonders in one TR, bravo.

Malheureux Toujours by Rachid Taha

Holy freakin' crap. OMG. (Repeat ad nauseum.....)

zman, thanks for posting the link in the SSNLC thread. Never would have seen this TR otherwise.

Damn too much talent in one person, although the Mrs certainly gets an assist here.

The photos, all of them, are so damn good. The compositions. The cropping. The light. The subjects. The art. The descriptions. You are a master photographer. But we all know that.

How on earth did you get all these people to pose for you, especially the ladies who generally hate having their photo taken????? Love all the portraits. Bravo!!! I'm guessing your French language skills and irrepressible countenance, humor, personality and sincerity had much to do with that.

Anyway, I can't imagine the time it took to pull all this together. But with your numerous gifts across so many fields, maybe you're one of those who can whip it out like Elton and Bernie could whip out hit songs in 15 minutes. So jelly.

WOWZA!
What a fantastic trip report. Both the narrative and the photos are amazing.
I'm so glad you sent us losers over here to experience it.
You and Mrs. Z are both so talented.