Though Blois was--like Orleans--more crowded and noisy than appealed to us, we stayed two nights so we could spend a day touring sans trailer.  We had a wonderful day ride to see our first chateau.

 

Chambord was interesting and huge.  Yet it was actually lived in only rarely, despite the great effort, money and time it took to build it.  Parts of the forest are still kept as a preserve for animals (rather than as a hunting preserve).  We especially enjoyed taking a bike path through one section of the forest.

 

We are finding, as we had foreseen, that touring by bike lets us see areas missed by other tourists.  Many of the towns we have passed through are so tiny they have but a handful of old stone houses.  Some of the bike paths meander through alleys, behind backyards, along fields of corn, grapes, and sunflowers.  We highly recommend this mode of transportation for anyone wanting to see another side of France.