La Loire à Vélo day 9 - 43km from Tours to Rigny-Ussé

Today was a day of magical images. I passed through fields full of sunflowers, and spotted that there seems to be a trend for picking out some of the seeds to make faces on many of the flower heads that are close to the path. It really is quite effective and a bit spooky!

I then passed through the commune of Savonières on a beautifully still stretch of the Cher river. The surface was so smooth that it reflected trees, birds, and sky like a mirror.

My destination for the day was Rigny Ussé, a small village with the Château d’Ussé as I entered. This château is celebrated as Charles Perrault’s inspiration for the story Sleeping Beauty.

Compared to other châteaux that I visited, this one is particularly well furnished inside, giving a true feel of the luxury of living there.

Due to the connection to Sleeping Beauty, part of the tour around the buildings includes a section where some rooms are set up as scenes from the story. It’s a fun addition. The route takes visitors up into the roof, where various dusty old objects are stashed away.

The Château d’Ussé also has a chapel and gardens. This includes a large section full of tomatoes and other vegetables.

I stayed at Le clos d’Ussé, a lovely hotel in the village only a minute’s walk from the château. The rooms were clean, comfortable, and took full advantage of the bare stone walls inside to give character. The restaurant was also very good, which was handy, given that there didn’t seem to be any other options nearby for an evening meal.