8 August 2009: Epeigné-les-Bois to Aubigny-sur-Nère
with excellent dinner Le Lièvre Gourmand in Vailly-sur-Sauldre
We started off with a look at the vines at Monthou-sur-Cher, which were a sad sight as they have clearly suffered substantial damage from the hailstorms of mid-July. On a quick look some parcels had very few grapes left.
Monthou: hail damaged bunches
Monthou: hail damaged bunches
Monthou: canes damaged by the hail
Monthou: shredded vines
About five miles away in Oisly up on the plateau, the vines (again on a quick look) appeared not to have been affected by the hail as this sight of some generous bunched shows.
Oisly: plentiful bunches
Then we headed across to Aubigny-sur-Nère, where we had a booked chambres d'hôte for the night, going via the pretty village of Pierrefitte-sur-Sauldre.
Church@Pierrefitte-sur-Sauldre near Aubigny
Pierrefitte-sur-Sauldre: statue of Joan of Arc
Pierrefitte-sur-Sauldre: water feature by church
Pierrefitte-sur-Sauldre: elegant house with dark blue shutters
Aubigny-sur-Nère: the remarkable roundabout complete with water wheel, frog and heron
Aubigny-sur-Nère is famous for its connections with Scotland in particular with the Stuarts and the Château des Stuarts - details here.
Our b&b was with Claude Courboin, Gorgeot, 18700 Aubigny-sur-Nère (tel: 02.48.58.03.16) – just to the west of Aubigny on the road to Lamotte-Beuvron. Claude will feature in the second day's report.
Monthou: hail damaged bunches
Monthou: hail damaged bunches
Monthou: canes damaged by the hail
Monthou: shredded vines About five miles away in Oisly up on the plateau, the vines (again on a quick look) appeared not to have been affected by the hail as this sight of some generous bunched shows.
Oisly: plentiful bunchesMoving on from Oisly we drove through Contres (Loir-et-Cher) with its asparagus beds and extensive market gardening on the very sandy soil found here through Soings-en-Sologne, Mur-de-Sologne, Millançay and to Marcilly-en-Gault. Once you reach the Sologne (the big forested area with many lakes between Orléans and Vierzon and famous for its hunting) the buildings change. The tuffeau of Touraine and Saumur is left behind and instead the buildings are a mix of timber and brick.
Marcilly-en-Gault: typical lake just to the west of this small town
Marcilly-en-Gault: typical lake just to the west of this small town
Marcilly-en-Gault: La Maison de Foussydoire and its remarkably wavy lower beam
Then we headed across to Aubigny-sur-Nère, where we had a booked chambres d'hôte for the night, going via the pretty village of Pierrefitte-sur-Sauldre.
Church@Pierrefitte-sur-Sauldre near Aubigny
Pierrefitte-sur-Sauldre: statue of Joan of Arc
Pierrefitte-sur-Sauldre: water feature by church
Pierrefitte-sur-Sauldre: elegant house with dark blue shutters
Aubigny-sur-Nère: the remarkable roundabout complete with water wheel, frog and heronAubigny-sur-Nère is famous for its connections with Scotland in particular with the Stuarts and the Château des Stuarts - details here.
Our b&b was with Claude Courboin, Gorgeot, 18700 Aubigny-sur-Nère (tel: 02.48.58.03.16) – just to the west of Aubigny on the road to Lamotte-Beuvron. Claude will feature in the second day's report.
