My friend Marie-Claude organised an outing that combined geology, topography, botany, lichenology, speleology, and local history on 30 April. It was a joint outing between the Association de botanique et de mycologie de Sainte Maure de Touraine (Botamyco37) and the Société d’Étude et de Protection de la Nature de la Loire (SEPANT). We covered a lot of ground, and got covered in mud. On my way home I went to an Orthodox church service at the invitation of the friend I had given a lift to, still covered in mud.
The reason for all the mud was the highlight of the day, a visit to la Cave gouttière in the Vallée de Courtineau, which is one of the rare natural caves in Indre et Loire and virtually unknown, even locally. It is privately owned, by the optician in Sainte Maure de Touraine.
Also of interest was the information that the Loire River is not the most important river in the Loire watershed. Without the addition of the Vienne River, which flows into the Loire from the south at Candes Saint Martin, the Loire would not reach the sea. The Vienne is shorter but carries a greater volume of water.
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Mud caked naturalists debriefing after having been down the cave.
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Musky Stork's-bill Erodium moschatum (Fr. Bec-de-grue musqué) is the largest species of Erodium in the Touraine Val de Loire.
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A highly pigmented example of Lady Orchid Orchis purpurea (Fr. Orchis pourpre).
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A large old oven, now being used as someone's garden shed in Nouâtre.
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A pretty pink Lady Orchid, photographed on the same limestone ridge as the bright purple one above.
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A geologist explaining how the terraces of the Vienne Valley are formed, and why there is a band of white limestone rocks along the upper and lower sides of the ploughed field, but not in the middle.
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Heading into the tunnel which gives access to the cave.
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Inside the manmade tunnel leading to the cave.
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The entrance to the tunnel.
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Mud from the cave all over my boots and trousers -- and this is after I've had a go at washing it off in the Courtineau river. I thought my boots were ruined, but it looks like I might have saved them after all.
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Gallican Orthodox Monastry of Saint Michael at Bois-Aubry.
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2 comments:
Ah The Bois-Aubry monastry - remember it well - once you get in you can't get out!! The final resting place of Yul Brynner.. No health and safety either... Ask Jim Craig!!!
Colin and Elizabeth: Sort of. I was actually at the bit across the road which is owned by the Gallican Orthodox Church, not a posh mad Belgian.
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