September 4, 2021
Chatellerault - Poitiers
Grateful for a farmer's market, combining happy hour and laundry duty, and a Poitiers patio dinner.
Ann is admitting it: she doesn't know how to run the camp stove, and never had to with Steve or our son, Rob around. However, today's the day, for two reasons: Ann likes to be able to do all of the tasks involved in cycle touring and secondly, and more importantly, Ann likes her coffee first thing in the morning. Steve tells stories of leading treks in Nepal in the 80's and how guests were served "bed tea" to their tents in the morning. Ann has given up waiting for this to happen and now can make her own, and maybe occasionally, serve Steve a "bed coffee".
With coffee in our veins earlier, we managed to get on the road by 10:15, yes, every day a little quicker in the packing up.
Pulling into Bonneuil-Matour we found a lively Saturday morning market where we picked up fresh goat cheese, baguette, veggies and prunes. This is where we left the clear signage of the EuroVelo and began navigating our own route over to Poitiers, which is always a bit of a gamble whether the chosen road will be dusty track or a fast section with tons of traffic, or as this turned out, 15 kms of tranquil but paved track through the Forêt de Moulière with no cars. It was heavenly. By the time we came through the forest we were starving and as luck would have it, there was a shade-covered picnic table. We sat down to dig into the market goodies.
Our plan is to be in Poitiers for two nights and Steve had found a centrally located B&B. The afternoon ride felt long and the warm wind in our faces made the 30C temperature seem even hotter. We arrived at 3 pm. After resting, showering and changing into our still clean, out-on-the-town clothes, it was happy hour and we moved onto our little outside patio for a glass (as in one) of chilled rose wine with savoury olives hors d'œuvres. Well it was all so delightful that one glass turned into "just two". Then our accommodating host Isabelle, offered to let us use her washing machine to run a load of our sweaty cycle garb. Well drinking wine beats scrubbing laundry in a sink so we graciously accepted her offer. As we waited for our wash to finish, we of course finished the wine. Thank you Isabelle for the clean laundry and our extended happy hour.
On a restaurant suggestion from our host, we strolled through the happening pedestrian area of central Poitiers to Les Bons Enfants and after showing our Quebec vaccine certificates, snagged one of the last tables on the tiny corner patio. The supper was fantastic. For an appetizer Steve had a local delicacy Farci Poitevin (a kind of vegetable hash made with chard, spinach, sorrel, cabbage leek and bacon wrapped in a net and cooked for hours until it sets into a pâté). Omgosh delicious. For mains Ann had a seafood casserole in a cream sauce laced with Pernod and Steve ordered local sausages. Revelling in the surrounding little alleys, stone walls, people walking by, the other patrons, a delicious crisp white Val de Loire and the warm southern winds, all in all it was a wonderful evening. Maybe the second bottle of wine helped create the atmosphere? We slept solidly!
Today's ride: 47 km (29 miles)
Total: 264 km (164 miles)
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| Comment on this entry | Comment | 4 |
3 years ago
Wishing you were here too! The weather has been fabulous, however expecting rain today. Have to try out our new rain gear. After carrying rain gear in the bottom of our panniers the last few trips finally getting to use it ! France is so lovely to travel in. Miss you thanks for reading along.
3 years ago
3 years ago
Thanks for following along on the blog. Yes we are having a great time.
Yes the hash tastes good, the photo op not as good.
Are you back in Bathurst?
3 years ago