Sancerre, Thauvernay and Cosne sur Loire, France

The view from a hilltop in the town of Sancerre which is surrounded by magnificent green vineyards.  The medieval town has winding roads and unreal views, winemakers, cheesemakers, well-fed livestock and happy tourists.

While in Sancerre we were fortunate enough to meet Mr. Vacheron and taste his amazing wines at Domaine Vacheron.  While he basically spoke no English and us no French we still managed to communicate and enjoy our visit with him.  Of course we carried off some of his delicious wines as well.  Here you see samples of the soil in which the wines of Sancerre are grown.

Most of France was originally under the sea.  At Domaine Vacheron among the samples of the soil in the area is this ammonite.

This is a close up of the limestone soil in which the grape vines are grown.

Sancerre and the surrounding area are known for goat cheese and the delicious Sancerre wines.  Since both originate from the same soil the two go together beautifully.

Interior of the Restaurant La Tour.  It's in a 14th century tower with cozy half-timbers

 While wandering the town of Sancerre we started getting hungry and it was approaching lunch time.  Having done my homework I knew there was a Michelin star restaurant in town called La Tour.  We checked and they were booked for dinner but had an opening for lunch.  How fortunate since we were hungry and it would soon to be time to eat.  We had enough time to explore a little further and work up a larger appetite for what we knew would be a gastronomic treat.

 Every course was a feast for the eyes and the mouth.

The presentations were beautiful.  The sauces delicate, enhancing each course.

I wish I had the menu so I could describe the meal we enjoyed

The cheese selection was amazing.  Being as this was Sancerre, the selection of goat cheeses was larger than what we found in other regions of France.

After lunch we visited a variety of wineries and wine shops.  Of course we had to taste before purchasing.

We drove to a neighboring area to view Sancerre from a distance.

We found this cheese shop that specialized in goat cheese.  Of course we bought various aged cheeses

We walked to a goat farm and bought cheeses direct from the farmer/producer

The same goat cheese but from very aged on the left to fresh on the right.  They are all delicious and unique in taste and texture.

We discovered fields of malt which are planted across from fields of wheat.  This is the malt plant up close.

The light in the afternoon is magical.  We took a few minutes to relax on deck and enjoy the views.  It's hard to capture by camera the beauty of the light at that hour.

This wooden boat is typical of the river boats seen around France.  One name for them is Penichette.  We found this while walking in Cosne sur Loire

While going through a lock we were invited to taste local wines the lock keeper sells.  We said we would return once we had reached our mooring.  We have a rule about drinking and driving Rabelo.  Now it's time to try out some of his wines.

The lock keeper was like a conductor as he took us through all of his wines.

My niece and her family were arriving soon.  We needed to make sure we had plenty of wine to share with them.

Some streets are too narrow for cars.

While in Sancerre I had the opportunity to shop.  It is a tourist town which we don't often see in our travels.  I found this necklace that I just had to have.

Rabelo in a tranquil setting

Charite to Sancerre, France

Charite was an unexpectedly lovely town.

Charite

Entrance

Note the old arches that were covered to form a new structure

Modern stained glass windows

While the walls may be restored the ceilings often tell a different story

The back of the cathedral

Ancient walls of Charite

Another view of Charite

We found these guys while taking a walk

More views while walking along a country road

White Asparagus

Fields of white asparagus grown under long sheets of plastic so as to not turn green

Picking asparagus is back breaking work.  Since the asparagus is grown under cover, the plastic is raised up, the asparagus picked and then the sheets are laid back down

The canals are beautiful

We are tied up below Sancerre looking up at the town

Sancerre is perched on a hill top surrounded by grapevines

Stay tuned as we continue with our exploration of Sancerre the town, food, and of course (best of all) the wine.

Nevers, Beffes and Herry, France

The bridge to Nevers with the Cathedral in the background

Ancient walls in Nevers

A Military Tower

Windows from the XIII Century

Needs no explanation

There was a giant carnival in Nevers that included rides with names from all around the world.  It was a very happy group that participated in all the carnival had to offer.

Dusk on the canal

We kept our eyes open for wild cherry trees

Tom became an expert cherry pitter

Yes, we are again enjoying Clafouti 

A map showing the location of Beffes on the Canal Lateral  la Loire

Wherever we travel we find interesting art decorating the roundabouts.  You can see Rabelo through this sculpture.

A charming street in Herry

It is very common to see moss growing on the roof tops

A new roof is being installed

We are cruising on a canal above a river

The mussels were delicious as was the Sancerre wine