An excursion to Chartres

Another good day - we decided to take the train to Chartres - we last went there 36 years ago! It is quite cold today (this is not a complaint, I love it but did need all my layers, and I think tomorrow will be colder). And each day it is sunny, with rolling clouds that turn into rain lasting about 5-10 minutes now and then! We had anticipated this spring weather, and it will probably continue like that when we start walking. Also from the train, about an hour’s journey, we could see the green fields with shoots of the crops looking so lovely, and such a contrast to the fields in September. And the trees just have a green mist around them - some still without leaves, so beautiful! By June they will all be in full leaf.

Chartres is a lovely small town, and the cathedral is still amazing!! The famous stained glass windows are so intricate and beautiful, and I had forgotten the very wondrous stone carvings all around the choir. So we spent time admiring the cathedral, and then found a crêperie for some lunch - I love a ham and cheese crepe, and Amr had a hot dog Breton! Essentially a white frankfurt with onions, cheese and mustard rolled in a crepe! Both content. A bit of wandering round the town and got the train back.

Carole and John arrive tomorrow and we have to work out plans…we are all booked on a TGV on Thursday down to Bayonne, but that is a declared strike day, and we don’t yet know if our train will be affected….maybe we should change to the day before, but perhaps everyone has already done that…when they arrive we’ll work out a strategy…

Off to dinner just down the street soon. Very relaxed.

Just had to edit and add that we had yet another fabulous dinner! Just in the little dive half a block from the hotel - packed of course being Saturday night, and throbbing, great food, happy ambience. It seemed to feature food from the Auvergne and Aubrac area, where we walked in 2015, and featured aligot (the amazing mash which is half butter and half cheese) and wine and meat from there. We started with aligot croquettes, then Amr had his usual beef tartare, and I had grilled octopus on the textured mash (must have a serious discussion with Paul about this!) and we shared a crème brûlée…perfect. A half litre of house red rounded it off.

Have to mention that on a blackboard they offered 1 kg of beef to share for €69, we noticed it and laughed (and thought of Paul) and then the table next to us ordered it (the 3 boofy boys shared it, the 2 girls daintily ate burgers)…all so tightly squeezed in a small space, you are quite intimate with your neighbours. Funny. Now off to bed.Read more