Walking From Abilly

On Thursday 16 January I went out with the local walking club. It was a beautiful clear sunny and surprisingly warm day, with no wind. This was only my second walk since October as I have been forced to spend months resting my tendonitis. I can't tell you how happy I am to be able to manage a ten kilometre hike with just a dull ache rather than absolute agony and a leg that goes rigid. So here are some pictures from the other day. Not vast numbers, because with the low winter sun the photo I wanted was often looking into the sun, so I didn't bother taking the photo.

Water mill at Abilly.

Church, Abilly.

Sign advertising a rabbit and poultry farm. 

I buy most of our chicken, guinea fowl and rabbit from this producer.

Deep wheel ruts in a field.

The lodge, with the Chateau du Bois d'Aix in the background.

Coming upon the newly installed gates of the Chateau du Bois d'Aix.

We think the chateau must have new owners as these ostentatious gates have appeared. Several of my French friends are convinced they are 'anglais', as they appear to have ignored regulations about the distance hedges can be planted from the edge of the road. According to them a French person would never do such a thing (ha!).

Detail of the new wrought iron gate. 

Sadly, they've used gold paint, not gold leaf, so the effect is not as good as it could be.

Chateau du Bois d'Aix.

Babette and Fabrice walk down a rural track. 

One of my companions revealed that this was the spot she had her first fall from a horse.

************************************************

For details of our private guided tours of chateaux, gardens, wineries, markets and more please visit the Loire Valley Time Travel website. We would be delighted to design a tour for you.

We are also on Instagram, so check us out to see a regularly updated selection of our very best photos.