Day 6 Tours 17kms around town

 Today was a rest day in the town of Tours.  I woke to an early thunderstorm so enjoyed rolling over and back to sleep for a while.  Laundry to be done first and a bit of sorting out gear.  Good wifi so uploaded photos to my blog. 

I cycled 6km into town on my bike without panniers!  It felt like riding a feather without the 40kg weight..   first stop to see the magnificent Cathedral Saint Gatien.  It's hard to fathom being inside buildings that were remodelled in the 12th century!  The stained glass windows are spectacular and in perfect condition.  A large section include the heads of the major financial donors to the building.  There was a christening happening and so some singing and music at times.  A beautiful building and a pleasure to walk around it.

The ceiling was so intricate 

A dedication to all the financial donors

I cycled along the road to the Museum of Art with a huge Cedar of Lebanon at the front entry, 31m high and 33m wide and full of pinecones.  Beautiful gardens and a cafe stall selling waffles with chairs and tables in the shade.  A peaceful surroundings.  I decided not to go inside but continue exploring.

Then on to see the opulent Hotel De Ville - I looked up the prices and 300euro a night mid week seems pretty reasonable? I then cycled the tree lined dedicate lanes along the Rue de Nationale.

I headed to the mediaeval old town area to Place Plumereau with streets lines with Tudor style buildings and cafes filled with diners deep in conversation, enjoying their food. 

 I decided to indulge in the touristy middle of the square cafe and had a long lunch enjoying my extremely generously portioned platter and a local wine.  People watching on a warm sunny day.  Was great to watch tourists surprised faces as they came round the corner, as I had done.   The French are prolific smokers and I prefer to eat alfresco and so always eating in clouds of smoke!  

Another 30+ degree day made cooler with a gelati - hazelnut and apricot 😊

The ruins of Charlemagne's tower with a group having choir practice, beautiful acoustics.

The Basilica St Martin was across the road and beautiful inside.  Absolute silence required upon entry and enforced by a nun pointing to the sign whenever anyone walked in.

I saw a lovely park and locked up the bike and walked a lap.  Lots of men playing boules and families having picnics.  

I came back to my bike to discover I had a flat tyre 😥. I had taken off all my pannier bags back at the apartment but had forgotten to grab the pump.  It was almost 5pm.on a Sunday and I was 7kms.from the apartment with 5% battery on my phone.  I googled an amazingly there was one bike shop that opened at 5pm.on a Sunday! And only.1km away.. off it walked and found the shop and begged to borrow a pump.  Unfriendly lady but nevertheless she loaned the pump.  My first tube change and the tyres were much harder to remove than my road bike tyres and instead of my usual 5 mins, it took 35mins to change and I was dripping with sweat by the end!  

The train station

Bridge across the Loire river towards my apartment

I headed back home by memory as my phone had gone flat.  Minestrone soup for dinner and packing my panniers and loading up maps onto my device for tomorrow's adventure.