Barrou to Paris by bus.

Because of the current train strikes here in France Pauline had to take the bus to Paris yesterday as her train was affected. So rather than wave her off from Chatellerault train station we simply walked up to the bus stop opposite 'Le Bourg' in the village which was an easier journey for me...but as it turned out, not for Pauline. There is only two buses through the village,one on Saturday and one on Wednesday (don't know how you are supposed to get back) so it was ideal for getting her to Tours to pick up the other bus to Paris.

Unfortunately the bus at Tours was late and it meant that by the time it hit Paris traffic was at a peak. She left Barrou at 12.15 and did not get to my brother's apartment in Paris until around 8.00pm. She is setting off from their with my sister-in-law today to get to Milan...hope that journey goes smoother!

A trip to Tours...

Yesterday Pauline and I took the bus from Le Grand-Pressigny up to Tours (at 2.40 euro each way, why wouldn't you?) where we had a busy afternoon...

visiting the small market on Boulevard Herteloup...

did some touristy things...

did a lot of walking...

had lunch at the first restaurant we ever ate at in the city (scarily 14 years ago!)...

followed by more walking...



and *church visiting



and even more walking, this time over the river Loire...

so much walking that Pauline was reduced to a shadow!

*footnote 

As we were walking towards the church of Saint Julien I said to Pauline "I wonder if I'll ever get to see inside there" as the last few times we have come up to Tours it has been on a Tuesday which means, as the church is a national monument, it is closed. On other visits we have also found it closed. No sooner had I said it than I noticed workmen bringing gear out of the church...a polite request and I was in there...more to follow!

You couldn't make it up...

Trains Planes and automobiles...oh and bus too.

We are off to Toronto for two weeks!!

Our big adventure started yesterday morning with our friend Karen giving us a lift to Le Grand Pressigny to catch the bus to Tours. After the bus wound its way around the deviation at Ligieul and back onto the Tours road the lady opposite us,seated by the central door, rushed to  the front of the bus to tell the driver that the door to the luggage hold was flapping open! Only Pauline and I and a young man after us, put luggage there - with the young man closing (or not as it happens) it  Both he and I went out to check our luggage once the bus had pulled in at the side of the road.As I was about to have a look a car pulled in and the driver came out holding one of our bags!!! It must have fallen out as he negotiated one of the roundabouts and bounced in front of him! Now this was our 'carry-on' bag (maybe we should have) which had our passports, train and plane tickets plus the keys to the house!!!!

How lucky were we?,one that the lady saw the door flapping, she was only one of ten of us on the bus and happened to be sitting in the only seat you could have seen it and two, that there was a car behind the bus.We have driven this road many times and been the only vehicle on the road. The bag could have ended in a ditch and we might have had to retrace our journey - doesn't bear thinking about! We obviously thanked the lady but didn't get a chance to thank the driver THANK YOU wherever you are. The rest of the trip should be straightforward after this.