Loire- Wine, Bikes, and Castles

Early last month, I was told that I was going to lose 12 days of vacation if I didn't take them before the end of March.  There was no way I could schedule two and half weeks of holiday on such sort notice. So as to not lose it all, we decided to go for along weekend to the Loire Valley.  Being only two hours away it was the perfect destination for a three day holiday.

Les Vacances

Farm land in Ramboulliet (40 minutes south west of Paris).

Starting about mid July, the French take on the serious business of vacations.  From mid-July to mid-August,  Paris witnesses a dearth of Parisians (although the decrease in denizens is equal to the increase in tourists).  Restaurants and bakeries are closed for the summer.  Markets and traffic are at 25% capacity.

Thomas and I find the atmosphere wonderfully calm.  So much so that this year, we decided to stay in town during the summer and take our vacation in September.