What a lovely day it was yesterday...the PERFECT time to go to a Medieval Market. Packing a picnic lunch ('pique-nique' in French), we set off about 11:00 a.m. for Chinon, which lies a bit southwest of Tours. This is wonderful countryside to travel through!
Vineyards, fields of wheat and sunflowers are interspursed with small villages, little hamlets and an occasional town. The roads are good, but mostly undivided, two-way roads with ditches on both sides and no shoulders. There are few places to pass/overtake slower traffic...and lots of tractors, hay wagons, caravans, mopeds and other slow-moving motor vehicles...so the trip can test the driver's patience.
After an-hour-and-three-quarters driving, we arrived in Chinon and started searching for a parking spot. Fortuitously, the way our TomTom satnav got us there, we passed two little parking areas before we actually found the market. We spent a few more minutes looking for a spot farther on, then turned around and went back to the parking lots...they were by far the closest we could get and, as luck would have it, someone was leaving just as we got there.
It was now almost 1:00 p.m., so we had our lunch in the well-shaded car before proceeding over to the festivities. A number of streets, from the chateau down to the river, were closed to traffic and lined with stalls selling goods of every description.
At the entrances to the area, programs were handed out and plastic wine 'goblets' sold. For 2€ you could buy an empty souvenir goblet with this year's logo then, at various places along the streets, you could get your choice of white or red wine or beer in your goblet for an additional 1€.
People in medieval costumes walked around and street performers stopped here and there to entertain the passers-by. In the main square, a stage was set up and a variety of performances staged. As we passed it, a small band of musicians...a recorder, a drum and a hurdy-gurdy...were playing to the crowd.
Nearby, two wild boars were being roasted over open fires and served to the tavern guests who were seated at long wooden tables under a canvas canopy. It looked very medieval...and smelled delicious! The people at the tables were singing and seemed to be having fun.
Fortunately, the narrow streets were fairly well-shaded and a gentle breeze blew up from the river, keeping us from getting too hot. Art exhibits were open (free) to the public and medieval music played through well-placed speakers around town adding to the festive atmosphere. After about three hours of walking and elbowing our way through the crowd, we decided to head for home.
It was a long drive and a lot of walking and a good time was had by all!
"Perched" villages
1 day ago
