Fritillaries et friperie

Colours of the lighter Loire and the darker Vienne as  they form a confluence  at the village of Candes Saint Marten, France courtesy of Google maps

 

 

 

The confluence of two rivers, the Loire http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loire and the Vienne, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vienne conjoin the wealth of the Touraine and Anjou regions of France.   At first they swirl alongside each other before eventually settling in combination in their descent to the Atlantic Ocean. The river valleys bring together Man, his habitat, his ancestry; his longstanding, developing relationship with the rivers’ waters and the land’s flora et fauna. 

As I crossed the bridge at Candes St Marten  I read a panel all about the oxbow lake that is there to help pike spawn. Fascinating.

For some years I have wanted to come to this point and today, it was because Susan had told me that the snakeshead fritillary flowers were in bloom here in abundance. I wanted to walk in the area to find them but glad I didn’t as it is GI-NORMOUS area! I’d like to do that maybe when I’ve studied a local map. However, in the car, I drove down many tracks alongside flooded dykes / ditches and there, through (maybe they were poplar) trees and lo, peeping between green grass blades were little pinkish treasures….SUCH JOY to see them.

I once planted fritillaries in a UK garden … they only flowered the one year.

It was fascinating to view small fields called bocage, feel history amidst ancient coppiced trees, newly planted or maturing tall silver barked trees,  hedges that meander,  tracks that go to wherever,  and swathes of celandine or were they winter aconites?  Though there are more cowslips in my region than there!

My early morning departure was delayed as I’d been asked to look after two year old twins…. That WAS fun… reading books, playing ball, singing songs.. as well as changing a nappy! So I arrived in Chinon a little after 1pm. It was necessary to find lunch. I had a feeling it would be pricey but I found a very nice Café des Arts where Boeuf Bourguignon and a glass of Chinon was 15e in immaculate modernistic setting. Lovely glasses!

There was a REAL bric a brac sale in the streets which deterred me from roaming where once I'd been before though I did have a browse.

 Another reason for why I headed into this direction (an hour and quarter drive north of where I live) was to catch a glimpse of the Loire-a-velo route! Don’t ask!!!! BUT .... I dream of having courage to do some solo cycling.  I’d prefer company for camping wild but chance to find anyone of my age to do that is a fine thing!!!!! I can but dream! Anyhow... one never knows, but maybe in the Summer I could just do a shorter velo trail than the grand aspiration which goes from St Nazaire to the very east of other European cultures once the Loire is far behind one's journey.

Hence after wandering in fen land, I headed towards the Loire where I knew that if I turned left I’d meet the Vienne and sure enough over the bridge is the ancient village, Candes Saint Marten, where I climb up high to have a panoramic view of the confluence, then potter about the narrow village lanes steeped in history.

I’m tired and cannot find a place to have tea, so indulge in dried pears and naughty Easter chocs I have in the car, whilst heading home via a different route, though one I know, once near St.Maure du Touraine.

In addition, the following amused me: