A blogging catch-up: Pt 2 - Celebrating the fruits and the land

The day after we got back from St. Clémentin, our friends Martin and Julia arrived for a couple of days, which was lovely. Squeezed in a wine tasting, a visit to Château d'Islette and dinner at La Part des Anges in Chinon. We all went to the market Thursday morning, for croissants and coffee and it was from there that they took off for their next stop in France. Saturday afternoon we were in Chinon, helping for a couple of hours on the stand for one of our Anglo-French groups, at the Forum des Associations in L'Espace Rabelais, for which Mike had done the posters. The Forum is an annual event and shop window for all the local groups and associations in Chinon, of which there are quite a few. We belong to several now, most of which were there. So there were quite a few people around who we knew.

Early evening we went with our neighbour Monique to Jacqueline and Norbert's house,  just round the corner for an apéro. Other neighbours came as well, then we all went down to the sports field, for the annual Sanglier à la Broche, where we met up with some other friends. Must have been about 300 people there. As usual superbly organised. Tickets had been bought in advance. This for us is the real village party. It's such fun. Lots of work for the two committees who organise it, but it is so good. Not sure how many marquees, but they'd been fixed together to create two covered sides as a seated eating area with a good sized dance floor in the middle. We were leaping about all over the place. Fab dinner as well. The wine flowed. Think we left about 2am, with sore feet.

Sunday morning we were up at 7am as we were going for an 8k walk round Saint Louand which is just the other side of Chinon, as part of the Vignes Vins and Randonées event,  held every year across the Indre et Loire region. Jacqueline and Norbert came with us. We picked them up at 8am and then headed off. 

Himself heading towards a tasting!

It was an easy walk which took about 3 hours, with various stops at various places for wine tastings. Eight wine producers in all, on four sites and fifty people in our walking group. A particular wine that was really very good was from Pascal and Isabelle Sourdais - Chino Boisé. Gorgeous day for a walk, although by mid morning it was getting pretty warm. V.V.R. is a two-day event - Saturday and Sunday. There are different trails available for bikes, horses as well as walkers. The daughter of our neighbour opposite took her horse on the 30k ride on Saturday and loved it. A completely different perspective, which I wouldn't mind trying one time. It was all thoroughly enjoyable, with occasional chats with fellow walkers along the way.

By the time we got back in around 12.30, we were both shattered. We'd wanted to go to
a concert over in Richlieu which began around 5pm. But we fell asleep and didn't wake up in time! 

We're now expecting Dutch friends for a couple of days, who we haven't seen for about six years or so. So lots to catch up on in a short space of time.