Anniversary Vacation March 26, 2016

We were out the door at 5:50 for our Château Tour out of the town of Tours. It only took us 40 minutes to get to Gare Montparnasse because just as we arrived at the bus stop, bus 96 arrived. Went first class on the 07:16 train to Tours. On the train, we sat near a dad with his baby. We watched the baby play several rounds of 'watch daddy pick up what I throw on the floor.' Babies are the same everywhere.

Stephen, Shawn, Regina, Bobby, Cyril, Domonic and his wife

The tour minivan arrived on time at 09:15 with our guide Cyril. We were joined by Shawn, his wife Regina, and her son Bobby from Long Island, and Dominic and his wife from Hong Kong.

Our first stop was Château de Chenonceau. It has both a 17th-century history and a World War Two history. It acts as a bridge across the river which divided free France from Nazi-occupied France.

Our next stop was Les Caves Duhard near Amboise. They buy very fresh wine, bottle and age it. They only have white wine. What surprised us is we have always been told by American wineries that white wine can not be ages. Well, it can. We were served three white wines of the same grape and location, bottled in 2014, 1985, and 1976. Each bottle had more flavor as it got older. Each cheese was a little stronger than the previous one. Very interesting how they went together. We learned a lot. Then we had lunch at La Cave Aux Fouées, which was awesome.

Château Amboise

Château Amboise

Château Amboise

Next stop was Château Amboise. It was just fraction of its former self. 

We ended our tour at Clos Luce where Leonardo DeVinci spent his last years and died there.

It was a very long and educational day.

We had a light dinner at the train station and caught the 19:47 train back to Paris where we found bus 96 waiting for us to take us back to the apartment.