We joined the others for the cycle into Saumur from the aire out of town, though it was a rather overcast day and didn’t throw Saumur into a flattering light.  
We cycled through the streets and stopped for some patisserie before making the journey back to the van. I have to say, I did get a sense of achievement from my efforts. I enjoy cycling, but only when it’s pretty much flat!😉. This wasn’t far off that fortunately as a fair way! – least, by my standards! 

   
    
   
Good spacious rural aire just outside Saumur for not a lot of money and very good cycle track into town – we’ve used it before. Good facilities there too at the aire. 

   
    
 
Another brochure I had grabbed was for a chateau just out of Saumur, at Brezé. This was a great little visit. We treated it as a punctuation mark to our journeying, but actually, had we the time, it likely would have merited a proper, extended visit and been worth the 11 Euros entry fee.   
We however just parked up in the car park and walked the modest perimeter of the chateau, taking in the view down into its vastly deep moat with troglodyte entrances into the rock face. Here, as was described in the brochure, a subterranean world existed below the chateau above the ground.  
A network of underground passages had serviced the chateau with bread making, winemaking and a whole lot more as well as being a hugely safe place from attack. Simply walking around the above ground perimeter gave an impressive feel for how things would have been, and of course provided a great source for photos.

   
    
   
   
    
   
Our next overnight stop was at Thouars. The free aire was set below the characterful town walls. Arriving in the evening we took a stroll around the town before it was dark, and then did our thing of drinks on board all together before turning in for the night.