Château du Plessis

Tour Guide

"Two Months of Heaven"

Cynthia & Eric Wittenberg
Le Plessis, May 1st to June 31st, 2011

Introduction:

We never guessed that our choice to visit the Loire Valley “in depth” would lead us to the most wonderful home with the MOST wonderful owners imaginable! After several years of driving vacations in France (every corner), we decided to try renting a home in order to have a “base of operations”, and we’ve been doing so every summer since 2005.

Every home has its charms and drawbacks, but Le Plessis is just about as perfect as it gets! For our first foray into the Loire Region, we called the agency, Just France, who had arranged a couple of our previous rentals, and after much discussion, were guided to the ideal home to fit our needs. (After trial and error, we have firm pre-requisites…a king bed, a stall shower and a heated swimming pool…we like our creature comforts!)

After spending a week in Paris, we picked up our rental car and headed to Versailles for three days to re-visit the palace and the gardens. Then we set out to drive the two hours (supposedly) to be at Le Plessis by 4 PM when Jean-Jacques was waiting to greet us. Well, the two hours stretched into 10 - insert a horror story including two tow-trucks ending with a one-hour taxi ride, with the driver talking alternately to Jean-Jacques and eventually to Gerald getting directions every inch of the way. Amazingly, Jean-Jacques was still waiting with lights ablaze and open arms when we finally arrived. Jean-Jacques gave us a brief introduction to the house…we have no French, but he did a good job with limited English, after which we collapsed into bed. Things could only look up from there on…and, did they ever!

The house itself is everything and more than the photos describe. We made the Summer Room our nest…beautifully comfortable, bright and cheery…it fit right into our Californian sensibilities. The kitchen is a dream and really fun to cook in…I love the huge French stove with the fierce burners. I had a bit of trouble figuring out how to use the wall oven, but with Gerald on one end of the phone and me on the other receiving instructions long distance, he was able to solve my problem. This brings me to the point where I tell you that Gerald and Lynn were always available…by e-mail or phone to solve any problem or answer any question. They love the property and it shows, and they are incredibly helpful.

The sight-seeing opportunities are bountiful and we began by reading Gerald’s many “Itineraries” giving us ideas of what to see in any given direction. I e-mailed Gerald with my comments about places we really liked, and he would immediately e-mail back with even more suggestions – many not in any guide book. Having so much time to explore, we never felt as though we had to rush around to fit everything in…in fact, we never got to some sites we wish to see, giving us a wonderful excuse to return! As time passed, we developed a leisurely routine of morning sight-seeing, lunch (sometimes the divine, three-hour French variety), home, nap, swim, cocktails and dinner.

May, especially, is “Rose Month”…every possible rose bush, rambler and climber burst into full and glorious bloom. This abundance appears everywhere and is impossibly lovely. The Chateaux Gardens in the area were just being newly replanted and didn’t reach full bloom until later in June – all were gorgeous. Off the beaten path was a visit to Elsie’s Garden and Jardin de la Chatonnière. We visited each of the famous Chateaux many times as all of our visitors wanted to tour them, and we could see the progression of the gardens’ growth. As roses faded, hydrangeas, honeysuckle bloomed out to take their place.

Lynn and Gerald’s restaurant list was invaluable and we indulged ourselves thoroughly. Because the roads are narrow and dark at night, most of our food outings were for lunch – a real French pleasure – we rapidly adjusted to “lunch out” instead of dinner out. Our personal favorites were Auberge de XIIe Siècle, L’Aigle d’Or and Le Moulin Fleuri, further afield, La Licorne near Abbey of Fontevraud. This is not the area of outdoor cafes, awnings and umbrellas as in other parts of France, although we were not there in July and August, so that may differ in hotter weather.

We are “walkers” and searched for the famous “GR” (Grande Randonée) trails that crisscross all of France…the trails are marked at eye-level by two white bands with a red band in the center marking the way. The closest to us was right in Pont de Ruan, which we followed all the way to Azay le Rideau and another from Artannes to Pont de Ruan along the river. There was also a trail through Villaines, across vast wheat fields and down into valleys where the famous basket willows are grown, and finally south toward Chinon through the lovely Foret de Chinon. All wonderful walks!

On a trip to visit the Chateau in Saumur, we stumbled into the little museum featuring information about the Cadre Noir…the French Riding School that is the equivalent of the famous Spanish Riding School in Vienna. We discovered that the major Spring Show was the next week so we bought tickets for the performance and were thrilled with the spectacle.

Another “off the beaten track” experience was the Chateau of Angers – a spectacular edifice displaying the wealth and strength of the town in medieval times. A surprise addition was the Tapestries of the Apocalypse – a mammoth output of exquisite medieval weaving, housed in an especially built museum within the walls of the chateau. We were dazzled…headphones a must.

Sunflowers were just coming into bloom before we departed on July 1st….leaving us with bright memories of our Loire Valley sojourn. We can’t say enough about Le Plessis and the glories of the Loire Valley…we planned a return visit even before we left for the trip home!

"Two Ideal Weeks"

by Liz and Dennis Kneier: “Two ideal Weeks”
Trip to France and New York - 2006
Château Le Plessis, Thilouze, Loire Valley

Day 1 – Sunday – June 25:
After flying the “red-eye” from Los Angeles to New York, our seven-hour lay-over gave us an opportunity to have brunch with our daughters and their friends in Manhattan.  Sunday night we took another “red-eye” to Paris, leaving behind Kristen and Lew to sort out their passport problems.

Day 2 – Monday – June 26:
We arrived at the Charles de Gaulle airport in the morning, picked up our car, got ourselves out of Paris (where the traffic is like Los Angeles), and headed to the chateau, following Gerald’s excellent directions.  The journey took about four hours, including a much-needed nap at a rest stop.
We arrived at Le Plessis about an hour before we were to meet Veronique, the housekeeper, so we drove to Thilouze (about three minutes away) looking for a place to get a quick lunch.  This is not as easy as one would think, given the size of Thilouze (very small) and that the French have a lovely custom of closing most everything on Monday. 
By pure luck, we stumbled upon a farm where the owner was giving a class to a group of would-be hunters on the fine art of stringing a bow.  We were invited to join the guests for a lunch of tasty cold cuts, cheeses and bread. We offered to pay, but the response was “Welcome to France”.
 
We met Veronique as scheduled at 3:00 pm.  We speak no French, and she no English.  But she patiently and graciously showed us around and made sure we understood how to work everything (more or less).
Being exhausted from the trip (back-to-back red eyes are not fun), we rested a few hours.  In the early evening, we drove to Tours, which takes about thirty minutes.  We found an open and excellent bakery, where a very nice gentleman, who works at Michelin Tire, helped us with our selections (remember, we know no French). 
Back at the chateau we had a light dinner, relaxed, and watched the movie, Le Chocolat, on the large plasma TV in the sun room (one of about five TVs available at the chateau).  Given the northern latitude, it doesn’t get dark until about 10:30 pm, which was about the time we turned in for the night.

Day 3 – Tuesday – June 27:
We spent a leisurely morning at the chateau, recovering from jet-lag and listening to the birds sing as we enjoyed our bakery purchases. 
We felt it would be good to have a better feel of Tours, so we headed back to town.  Our first stop was the Tourist Office, where friendly representatives gave us brochures and all sorts of useful information.  After a brief walking tour, we started to get our bearings and a feel of what the town has to offer (a lot).
On our way out, we stopped at Carrefour (think Costco or Wal-Mart) in St. Pierre for some groceries and other supplies.
Knowing that we would still have some jet-lag, Gerald had coordinated with Veronique to prepare our dinner. (The arrangement is that we pay for her shopping expenses and preparation time, all of which is reasonable.)  She made stuffed tomatoes, a beet and egg salad, and an apple tart.  Veronique is an excellent cook.
As the World Cup was going in full swing, we watched the France vs. Spain game on the TV.  France won, meaning they advanced out of the round of 32 into the play-offs. 

Day 4 – Wednesday – June 28:
As Kristen and Lew will attest, getting passports renewed on short notice is not easy, but with luck they were successful.  They got the red-eye out of New York and arrived Wednesday morning in Paris.  The TGV brought them to Tours, where we met them.  By now we were excellent guides, and we spent a few hours showing them the city, visiting the open market at le Halles, the Cathedral Saint-Gatien, etc. We had lunch in the wonderful open-air square surrounded by centuries-old buildings.  After lunch we took them to the chateau.  They were thrilled with the wonderful accommodations. 
While they rested from their long trip, we walked to Thilouze, via the path through the adjacent forest.  We bought pastries at the neighborhood bakery.  On our way back we stopped at the cemetery adjoining Lynn and Gerald’s property and, while paying our respects, enjoyed sitting on a bench feasting on some of our recently-acquired baked goods.
Our dinner that evening consisted of leftovers from Veronique’s dinner and other items from Carrefour.  The four of us relaxed with a couple of bottles of wine (French wine is excellent and inexpensive) and another DVD movie.  We were relatively early to bed.

Day 5 – Thursday – June 29:
We woke up rested and ready to explore the Loire Valley.  Lynn had written a three-page list of things that she and Gerald recommended as “must sees”.  Kristen and Liz spent an hour or so, with Lynn’s list as a guide, planning a tentative schedule for the week ahead. 
We called to make reservations for lunch at Lynn and Gerald’s favorite restaurant, the Auberge du XII Siecle (02-47-26-88-77) in Sache (only five minutes away).  We were lucky that they could take us the same day.
We headed off to explore the first item on Lynn’s list – the chateau at Azay le Rideau, about 10 km from Thilouze.  Before visiting the chateau, we walked around the quaint town, stopping by the Tourist Office to get information about biking tours, golf, concerts, etc.
We enjoyed our morning tour of the Chateau d’Azay le Rideau.  The audio guides were informative and allowed us to go around the castle at our own speed (about 1 ½ hours).  This well-preserved chateau is surrounded by water in the center of a romantic park.
Thank goodness we were hungry by lunchtime, as the meal at the Auberge was amazing.  Each dish was artistically presented and tasted out of this world.  Lynn and Gerald had said to plan about three hours for lunch – they were right.  We left, saying that we had to come back.
On our way back to “our” chateau we took a detour to visit Villaines-les-Rouches, known for its basket weavers.  We walked around some of the shops and watched weavers hard at work.  We spent the rest of the afternoon swimming, reading and napping.
We were so full from our lunch that we had only a light snack for dinner.  Then we headed back to Tours for a vocal concert at the cathedrals Église Notre-Dame la Riche.  Later, we strolled through the streets to enjoy some of the night life.

Day 6 – Friday – June 30:
We were off early for another fun day of chateau exploring.  We toured Chateau Villandry, with its incredible gardens.  Villandry is truly a “must see”!
Afterwards, we had lunch at another of Lynn and Gerald’s restaurant recommendations – La Giraudiere (02-47-50-06060).  This is on a farm where the restaurant serves beautifully prepared meals emphasizing goat cheese.  Following our two-hour lunch, we enjoyed a walk around the farm.
On our way back to the chateau, we stopped to enjoy the sights along the way – golf courses, art studios, etc.  At the chateau we enjoyed a swim, a light dinner, and another movie.

Day 7 – Saturday – July 1:
We got an early start for the Saturday open-air market in Azay le Rideau.  We stocked up on fruits and vegetables.  Kristen and Liz succumbed to the temptations of a local jeweler, but the financial damage was minimal.
We enjoyed a drive to Chinon, seeing many sunflower fields along the way.  We walked around the town and its chateau, which is mostly in ruins, but the views are spectacular.  We visited some of the interesting shops along the cobble-stone streets.  At one of the cave wine shops we bought a bottle of wine to accompany our picnic at a lovely place along the river.
After lunch we drove along the river to Saumur, stopping along the way at the Champignonniere du Saut aux loups, which is a group of troglodytic caves where they grow mushrooms.   Kristen, Lew and Liz went on the guided tour of the caves while Dennis, our designated driver, took a nap in the car. 
We enjoyed a swim when we returned home.  Later, we had dinner at a café in Azay le Rideau, after which we went to a local bar to watch the Brazil vs. France soccer game.  What an experience!  The fans were wild (nuts is a better word).  Before long we were as wild (nuts) as the locals.  You can’t imagine the bedlam when France won and moved to the quarter finals. 

Day 8 – Sunday, July 2:
We had a leisurely morning at the chateau, enjoying an omelet loaded with mushrooms purchased yesterday at the cave.  We relaxed, read and had a morning swim. 
After lunch we visited Abbey Royale de Fontevraud, which dates back to 1101.  Its church, grand cloister, community halls, dormitories, refectory and Romanesque kitchens are amazing.  Interestingly, in 1804 by decree of Napoleon the ancient abbey became the first of France’s central prisons, eventually holding over 1,700 inmates.  In 1963 the prison was closed and the monument was handed over to the proper national authorities for restoration.  Today the royal abbey is considered a national treasure.
We wanted to see some troglodyte cave homes, so we explored the Doue-la-Fontaine area, about 15 km south of Saumur.  Best of all was the cave where we had dinner, Le Caveau (02-42-59-98-28).  Its menu allows you to try the traditional giant mushrooms and medieval pita bread.  The place was fun, and the dinner was good (but not remarkable).
Then we stumbled upon the Festival D’ Anjou, where we enjoyed a musical/play in an ancient outdoor arena.  Thankfully, the play was done in a combination of French and English, so we had a general idea of what was going on.  The music and dancing were out of this world. 

Day 9 – Monday– July 3:
Dennis stayed at home to read (he finished four books while at Le Plessis); Lew played golf at the Golf de Touraine in Ballen-Mire; and Kristen and Liz explored the countryside.  They had fun driving to Artannes, Monts, and Montblazon, with lunch in Azay le Rideau.  Strangely, the car had a habit of stopping now and then for a shopping rest. 
As many restaurants are closed on Mondays, it can be a challenge to find just the right one for dinner.  But Liz hit the jackpot with Domaine de la Tortiniere, a beautiful chateau/hotel and restaurant (02-47-34-35-00) overlooking the Montbazon valley and the Indre River.  The dinner was superb.  Allow at least three hours.

Day 10 – Tuesday – July 4:
After the usual slow-getting-going morning, we headed for Amboise Chateau.  Instead of going the fast way, we took the quaint and scenic route through small towns and by lush fields of sunflowers.  At Chenanceaux we stopped briefly to see famous chateau built over the water, but given our limited time we passed taking a tour.  We went to Amboise.
The Amboise Chateau is perched high above the town and from it you have magnificent views of the Loire Valley.  Leonardo da Vinci (1452 – 1519) is buried in a chapel at the chateau, and his house is just up the street from the main part of town. Legend has it that King Francis was at Leonardo’s side, cradling his head, when he died.
On our way home, we drove through the Vouvray vineyards looking for a wine cave.  Finding a cave that was open was not easy, but we finally did.  The owner’s son (a good looking young man attending university) gave us a wonderful tour.  And of course, we purchased a good supply of wine at an amazingly low price.  (By the way, for people who are just moderate and occasional wine drinkers, we surely went through a lot of bottles while in the Loire Valley.  We had an extra occasion to celebrate, as this trip was our 30th anniversary gift to one another…and July 4th was the actual anniversary.)
When we returned home Veronique was there preparing our anniversary dinner.  She created a wonderful meal – stuffed avocadoes, roasted veal with mushroom sauce, pureed potatoes and broccoli, green salad, cheeses, and a cream tart with American flag.  (There was a small point lost in translation.  Veronique didn’t quite get the distinction between our 30th anniversary and the birthday of our nation.  Bless her.)
To make our anniversary all the more special, we created a lightning and thunder storm, with lots of rain that went on well into the night.  This cleaned the air and made the countryside all the more green.

Day 11– Wednesday – July 5:
After our requisite leisurely morning, we went again into Tour for the Wednesday open market, something we enjoy.  Maybe the vendors will think of us locals, but once we speak, they know better.
Pont de Ruan, which is only five minutes from the chateau, is famous for its award-winning goat cheese.  A wide selection of their cheese is sold in a small shop across the street from the creamery.  The cheeses are ever so fresh, and the prices very reasonable.
 
Later in the afternoon we had a picnic, consisting of goat cheeses, wine and freshly-picked apples, by the mill pond in Pont de Ruan.
That evening, after dinner, we were back at the Balzac Bar to join the locals for the semi- final World Cup football game (we would call it soccer).  Again the fans, including us, went wild and nuts.  France won!

Day 12 – Thursday – July 6:
Regretfully, Kristen and Lew had to leave this morning, as they had a wedding to attend in Seattle.  We got them to the Tour train station at 6:00 a.m., where we said goodbye as they boarded the TGV for Paris.
Later in the morning we went to Loches (about an hour away) where we toured historic buildings, including the Donjon (dungeon).  This historic fortress dates back to the 5th century and passed through many hands, including King John of Robin Hood fame, Richard Heart, and other members of the French crown.  In the 15th century Louis XI decided to convert it into a state prison.  In some ways this was good, as it ensured the continued upkeep of the buildings.  In 1926 the prison was closed and the buildings reverted to French authorities for maintenance and tourism.
On the way home, we stopped at the museum at the water mill at Pont de Ruan where we purchased a hand-made wicker bird done by an artist in Villaines les Roches.  The artist agreed to mail it to California.  

Day 13 – Friday – July 7:
By now becoming addicted to open-air markets, we drove to St. Maure for their Friday market.  It consists of market stalls in two squares on either side of a centuries-old hall, which is filled with vendors selling every conceivable fruit, vegetable, meat, fish, etc.  
For the second time we had lunch at Auberge du XII Siecle in Sache (we couldn’t stay away).  The Auberge is beautifully done inside a building aged at least 500 years.  Again, lunch was delicious, beautiful and memorable.
After the three-hour lunch, there was only one thing to do for the rest of the day – relax at Le Plessis.  Also, a late-afternoon swim was delightful.

Day 14 – Saturday – July 8:
We again went to open air market in Tours.  After an informal lunch (excellent pizza, honestly) from a stand among the flower vendors, we went to Veigne, where we had reservations for a kayak trip on the Indre River.  This was really fun – the river meanders through beautiful wooded areas; we paddled around a few old mill houses; we waved to families fishing along the shore; and generally had a good time.  After turning in our kayak, we enjoyed drinks at a riverside café.

Day 15 – Sunday – July 9:
Knowing that our time at Le Plessis was growing short, we had a leisurely morning at “home”.  But then we were off for lunch at Le Moulin Fleuri (02-47-34-04-71).  The setting includes lovely gardens, a mill pond, and a restored centuries-old main building housing the restaurant and a small hotel.  Lunch lasted four hours, including time relaxing by the mill pond while enjoying an aperitif.  (Dennis’ lunch dessert was a soufflé, which was decadently large and indescribably delicious.)
After lunch we drove to Azay to take pictures and walk around another mill pond.  While leaving Azay, Dennis spotted a Citroen, which he followed for miles through the Chinon forest and wine country.  Eventually, he got the driver to stop for a conversation about the virtues and foibles of a 2cv. (See the PPS comments at the end.)
After our Citroen encounter, we stopped at the Usse Chateau (a.k.a the Sleeping Beauty Castle).  While it’s beautiful to look at, we decided not to take the time for a tour.
We planned to again (for the third time) be at the Balzac Bar to watch the soccer match.  This was the World Cup final: France vs. Italy.  We got mixed up on the time, and when we turned on the TV the game was already half over.  We decided to watch the remainder of the game at home.  This was probably best, as Italy was the eventual winner.  The French fans at the bar were likely despondent and who knows how unruly, especially after Zinedine Zidane’s famous – or infamous – head butt of the Italian player.

Day 16 – Monday – July 10:
We enjoyed our last morning at Le Plessis.  After bidding fond farewell to Veronique, we had to leave.  Our exit out of the chateau’s massive iron gates was a bitter-sweet moment.  We were sad to leave, but ever so thankful for the experience.
We took the N-10 north to Chartres, where we walked through the historic part of the old city and spent a fair amount of time in the cathedral.  Dating back to the 11th century, it is one of the most famous cathedrals in France.  Its stained glass windows are considered some of the best in Europe.  Interestingly, the windows were removed in both WW I and WW II, but the cathedral was not hit or damaged in either war.  The cathedral houses the “sacred tunic” supposedly worn by the Virgin at the time of the birth of Christ.
We took the A-11 and A-10 into and through Paris (traffic was still heavy, even though one would think we were well past the rush hour), got to our hotel on airport property and returned the rental car.    

Days 17 to 21 – July 11 to 15:
After a restful night at the Ibis hotel (which was clean but minimal), the shuttle bus took us the short distance to the airport terminal.  The eight-hour flight on American Airlines to New York’s JFK was fine.  We spent the next four days at our daughters’ apartment in Manhattan, enjoying being with them and their friends.  We also spent a night with our friends in Chappaqua, about an hour north of Manhattan.  On Saturday, our flight from JFK to LAX seemed short and we found ourselves home ahead of schedule.  Everything was fine.
In every respect, the trip was fantastic.  Following are two top-ten lists (but they only scratch the surface):

Top Ten “Must See and Do”

10. Get to know Tours.
9. See the cathedral at Chartres on the way to or from Paris.
8. See the troglodyte caves and homes, with dinner at Le Caveau near Saumur.
7. Visit the Abbey Royale de Fontevraud.
6. Explore Amboise, including the chateau and da Vinci’s home.
5. Tour the Chateau d’Azay le Rideau and surrounding town.
4. Enjoy town markets: Tours (Wednesday and Saturday), Azay le Rideau (Saturday), St. Maure (Friday).
3. Visit Chateau Villandry, followed by lunch at La Giraudiere.
2. Have lunches at Auberge du XIIe Siècle and Le Moulin Fleuri in Veigné.
1. Stay at Le Plessis.

Top Ten for “Relaxation and the Soul”

10. Have a picnic in the cemetery.
9. Walk to the bakery in Thilouze for fresh pastries.
8. Read books, relax, and nap as the spirit moves you.
7. Find an unexpected concert or play.
6. Stop and look at fields of blooming sunflowers.
5. Go kayaking on the Indre River.
4. Take a swim, daily if possible.
3. Enjoy breakfast on the patio and listen to the birds sing.
2. Have a wine and cheese picnic by the mill pond in Pont de Ruan.
1. Stay at Le Plessis.

PS:  While at the chateau, be sure to read in its entirety Gerald’s excellent account of the purchase and restoration of Le Plessis.  It’s in a large three-ring binder in the entry hall.  It gives one an even better appreciation of how special is the chateau.  It’s incredibly interesting.  With just a minor amount of editing, it could be published.  It could be a candidate for the New York Times best seller list!
PPS: Citroen 2cv:
 
PPS:
In years past Dennis had this crazy idea about getting a Citroen 2cv.  They are so funky as to be cute (though not everyone would agree).  Anyway, we saw a number of Citroens scooting around the Loire Valley.  To make a long story short…we are now seriously looking for one in the States.  We’ve made contact with several sources, and hopefully we will have located/purchased one within the next few months, the French gods willing. We look forward to zipping around town in the most unusual car in San Marino, all the while getting about 50 mpg.

Please send us your own comments and experiences by Email to GdeKerchove@LePlessisThilouze.com. We will endeavor to include them in updated versions of these guides should you allow us to do so.