A couple of photos taken at a lunchtime stop in Candes Saint-Martin looking downstream of the Vienne to the confluence with the Loire.

Last rays of the light on the Château de Chinon and the Vienne

Monday was certainly the best day of 2011 so far. Not that there has been much competition to date. Monday was the first sunny day of the year and the light was good throughout but particularly good as the sun dipped down. The clarity of light on a fine winter day has a special quality. 

After finishing my visit to Domaine de la Noblaie we headed to Chinon to try to get the last of the light and just managed it. I took pictures from two sites: the south side of the Vienne across from the town and the château above and then from the far east of the town by the railway bridge and the Vienne.

Chinon and its château (above and below)

Railway bridge to the château

Setting sun on the Vienne

See also photo here taken same day combining ancient and modern Chinon.

Confluence of the Loire and Vienne@Candes Saint Martin (above and below)

Domaine de Bablut: Chenin Blanc mid-October 2009 raisins dorés and start of botrytis