Gien-Jargeau-France-9-8-14

There are two routes for Euro Velo 6 after you leave Gien. One follows the Loire River and the other goes into the hillside country just south of the Loire. We intended to follow the flat route along the Loire, but the turn was not signed and so we followed the longer route through the hilly countryside. It was a pretty route to St Florent which is an interesting and charming little town. But it took a lot of energy to do that route as opposed to the one along the Loire.

The highlight of the day is Sully-sur-Loire. There is a château in the middle of a moat and a lake which is so incredibly picturesque. We took an hour to do a tour of the château and see the interior decorations. The château is a medieval castle, one of few remaining. Although many of the artifacts inside were from the 17th and 18th century.

Gien-Jargeau-France-cobblestone bike path

It is surprising that these gravel sections even exist on Euro Velo 6. They almost looked as if no one had ever used them. If they want to keep us off the highways, they need to improve these trails. They are overgrown with grass and have rough gravel.

We did not quite reach Orléans, but stayed instead in Jargeau which has a family type campground on the Loire. There was protection from the strong wind we had today by a beautiful hedge.