La vie d'été

Our adventures in meeting people has been stimulating.  We were on our way to Paris when our train was canceled.  Of course, we did not understand the PA announcement of what to do.  A lovely young lady, Angeline, took pity on us and shepherded us all the way to Paris on another train.  During the course of this experience, we got to know her and discovered she is an actress whose parents reside in our region.  She introduced us to her parents.

Christine and Phillipe, her parents, were incredibly charming to us and immediately invited us for dinner at their home in St. Martin Le Beau.  Phillipe is a tech whiz who works for Orange Telecom in Tours and bicycles to work 23km.

Christine prepared a lovely dinner on the terrace with many items from their own garden

They really know how to grow "courgettes" - zucchini.

We met Sally and Aflie MacKay from Scotland and England.  They also extended a dinner invitation to us.

A bit later we all embarked on a "Promenade."  It was a 5 hour 7km walk through the small village of Limeray and its vineyards.  Wine, food, and music at each station at which we paused during the promenade. It began with the French horns.

Each person was issued a wine glass to wear on a cord around one's neck to use at each station.

Naturally, lovely flowers abound.

A couple, Alice and Nigel from England, came over just for this event.

Sally and Alfie at the aperitif first station - loads of champagne and lardon muffins.  The stations that followed served one course of a traditional Loire Valley meal - poisson, coq au vin, frommage, salade, dessert, cafe with many different wines at each stop,

Ron partaking of one of perhaps 50 or 60 different wines offered - as much as one desired

Music at each station

Trek onward

Barb on a vineyard stroll

Beaucoup de musique

Old fashioned organ grinder

At the very end, someone's name is selected from a raffle.  The person then sits in the large barrel and is  given wine bottles that equal his or her weight as they place bottle after bottle in the other barrel until they balance !