From a Curtain to the Sleeping Beauty!

..or walking from Azay le Rideau to Ussé (the castle that was the inspiration - probably - of the the sleeping beauty story)!

A short taxi ride after a farewell to Azay (and our car!) heralded the start of a delightful walk by the side of the Indre. The notes warned us of mosquitos but we must have been too late in the season as we didn't notice any.

The route finding looked tricky on the map but was in fact fairly easy - the notes reference Pissarro paintings and our lunch spot - see the picture - reinforced the impression.



This spot was just off the path and had some lovely treestumps for sitting on - there aren't many other obvious places for a picnic. Then the walk into Ussé and a stay at the Clos d'Ussé - simple but comfortable and a visit in the remainder of the afternoon to the château, see the album for photos.

Azay le Rideau

There were other parties at the Hotel de Biencourt so breakfast was busy - but very good and after an inspection of the local market for fruit for lunch we headed to the château. We had a first conversation at the market with 3 Canadian women who we'd seen at Les Grottes the previous evening and were doing the same walk as us.

We'd visited this château in the 1990s but then had children in accompaniment! A gentle trip around the château was much enjoyed.
Then the first walk - a short circular one - with a visit to the Troglodytique les Goupillières - an outdoor museum of mediaeval (and up to 19th century) agriculture - lots of interesting old implements, I was reminded of the quirky Milhaud song cycle Machines Agricoles. Back in Azay we enjoyed eating at La Credence just a few yards from the hotel.