Saturday, 21st April Artenay to Blois

DISTANCE: 91.5 k/56.8 mi; TIME: 4h 52m; AV: 18.8 kph/11.7 mph; ODO: 539.3 k

I got up at 7 am, packed my panniers and placed them on my bike. Breakfast included “wheaties” and yoghurt and the usual bread, butter and preserve. I brewed up my own infusion with the hot water provided. The road through Sougy and Gidy to Orléans took longer than I expected and I arrived about 10:30.

I approached the cathedral and wheeled my bike into the porch and attached it to the railings. As I did so, I was followed by a French man and woman. It turned out that he was the President of the local branch of the Société des Amis de Saint-Jacques de Compostelle and the woman was from the local newspaper, to whom he had been giving an interview. He was very keen to give me names of contacts in Blois and Tours where I could stay the night. I thanked him, but decided that I could not in all conscience impose on people whom I had never met. He also neglected to give me his name.

The cathedral is grand and imposing rather than beautiful (as the guide says). The clerestory windows are mainly plain glass, giving the interior a light and airy ambiance. The stained glass is very different to Rouen and Chartres. The scenes are on a larger scale, filling the whole window. They are clean and bright and the detail of the faces is good. There are several scenes of the life of Jean d’Arc and other royal personages.

There was no Accueil, so after a tea at the nearest cafe, I visited the Musée des Beaux-Arts, got my pilgrim passport stamped and had a quick look round. There were mainly portraits, but none of the artists was known to me. I took the D951 rather than the small roads, so that I could look for a place to eat. In Cléry St. André I stopped at the “Hôtel de Notre Dame.” I was the only one in, but they produced a menu for 66FF. After lunch I visited the church opposite the hotel. I was surprised at the size of the church and how bright it was inside. The stone was very light, almost white, and the clerestory windows were large. There was a small chapel dedicated to St. Jacques, but the gates to the chapel were locked.

The road to Blois seemed endless and the wind seemed to be hooking round the trees to head me. However, my speed was not too bad (see average). I got a bit fed up with the traffic roaring past. On arrival in Blois, on the South bank, I immediately spotted the two hotels mentioned in the CSJ guide and chose the “Viennoise.” The room was only 150FF, but had only a lavabo cabinet (wash basin in a separate room). It was convenient for a wash and the WC was opposite my room. The real problem was that there was no plug for the wash basin, however I used my body spray cap quite effectively.

After changing my clothes and investigating my route for tomorrow, I walked across the bridge and back. The sun was shining, but the wind was still cold. Dinner was good, but the Tarte Tatin was no match for the “Mirabelle” in Rouen!

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