Day 2, Orleans to Macon

I was looking forward to day 2. I'd downloaded the France maps to my satnav using the slow but free wifi in our £24 a night Formula 1 room. I've found it easy to follow and generally accurate in the 3 years or so I've used it. And, the rural parts of France we were set to travel through looked like just the sort of roads with villages and small towns I enjoy so much. 

We set out after something of a lie in toward Gien. On the river Loire and with a rather nice bridge, if you like that sort of thing. 

Our first excellent cafe au lait of the trip and a brief walk around with croissant and fresh peaches left us eager for more. 

Next we aimed for Varzy. The roads got better and better. The traffic was hell! 5 cars in 55 miles! 😀

Sweeping bends and wooded areas. Comfortable 70 degree warmth. Sticky tyres. 61mpg out of my ecu remapped Aprilia. Life was very good. 

We stopped in Varzy for a leg stretch, parking in the village centre. A fellow sitting on a step across the road gestured to us and got up to walk across, my thought being that he'd be telling we couldn't park where we had. But no! A swift bonjour and he was asking if we'd lake a cafe. Non I replied, gesticulating in my best French that we were stretching our legs only. With that he told us all the nice spots in the village worth looking at, including the medieval drinking and washing area I've pictured, before bidding us a good day. We'd arrived in France! 

We continued on similar roads, stopping for another cafe au lait, there were lots over the week, before arriving at Macon about 7. The Formula 1 hotel was situated to all intents and purposes on a service area by a motorway. That sounds bad, but the services were rather excellent. 

We showered and walked across the road to a service restaurant where we're offered a table and a three course meal for €15.40 per person including a quarter litre of vin rouge. The salad bar was great. The steak good and the tart tartin finished me a treat. France is expensive? Not if you know where to go it seems.