Chateaux & Sancerre Wine Festival Tour 6 – 11 June 2014
The group at the Sancerre Wine Festival – about the only time we were all present & correct !!!
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The Tour starts with breakfast at Honfleur
But we’re missing Bob & Jozina who’s new BMW R1200RT has been recalled and they’re stuck in Fecamp!!
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John Shepherd has to repair his side-stand switch…Nigel & Janet Short arrive on their Harley Electraglide
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“Thank you for another wonderful holiday with Bike Normandy. The group on this tour were the nicest bunch of people we’ve met in a long time. You worked your magic again! Cannot think of anything to improve the trip, loved it so much we might do it again! Need to work out how to bring a few cases of wine home though!”
Nigel & Janet Short, (11th & 9th visits), Harley Electraglide
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Some of the bikes at our picturesque lunch stop – Lynne Wareing’s CB400 having broken down en-route!
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“Many thanks for a lovely holiday as I will remember the lovely people I met and places we stayed and visited. Thank you Jen and John for the planning and organising and many thanks again for everyone looking after me and letting me continue with the trip it will be one to remember I hope for the right reasons”
Lynne Waring, Pillion on Nigel Short’s Harley Electraglide
Our hotel the first night is in the grounds of the fabulous Chateau at Chambord
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David & Kate Buttriss arrive on their Triumph Bonneville (1974)…Jan Smerke arrives on his BMW GS1200
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Nick Strapp on his BMW R1200RT…Nigel Short on his Harley (Janet a.k.a. “Parkerette” now driving the luggage van)
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Some guests enjoy drinks before dinner outside our Hotel
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Stuart Golightly,having ridden with Lynne as a pillion for the first time, arrive at last and can’t wait to down their first beer!!
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The fantastic “double spiral staircase” inside Chambord Chateau
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Stuart & Lynne and John & Sandra Shepherd
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“Bonjour To all, An eventful tour, full of frustration ( mechanical ), joy ( food, hotels and wine ) and sadness ( Dave & Kate ). Looking forward to our next tour, may have to retire the Triumph and get lighter bike!..thank you to everybody on the tour for such a good time, a speedy recovery to David and Kate, also to John & Jen, for without them there would be no tours.”
John & Sandra Shepherd, Triumph Trident 900
Always a morning briefing before we set off…Bob & Jozina Eve join us in a hire car !!
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“Here here! – very well put John/Sandra. Despite a couple of challenges the tour, food and hotels were great. As indeed was the company. For sure we wish Dave and Kate a speedy recovery…Meanwhile I have booked my next tour(s) – but hopefully on a bike next time!”
Bob and Jozina Eve – in a hire car!
The group outside the Chateau at Cheverny
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The lovely rooms inside the Chateau
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Stuart & Lynne heading for the Orangerie…it’s too hot for the hunting hounds who are enjoying a snooze!
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And then the sun came out!
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Our next stop – Sancerre – we stop to take in the view of the town
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The fabulous views over the pool & the vineyards from our hotel
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Time for a swim before dinner – Nigel & Janet relaxing by the pool
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Drinks in the hotel before dinner
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John on crutches outside with John Perry, Jan & Nick…Our long-suffering waiter at a local restaurant
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The group at dinner…Janet can’t wait until the last night to start off the jokes – “Are you in the Airforce?”!!
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Reception & breakfast areas in our hotel
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Visit the Maison des Sancerres before heading down to the Wine Festival (photo courtesy of Janet Short)
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A day off the bikes to go to the Wine Festival – take your glass and sample all the local wines
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Kate & David, Janet & Nigel, Lynne & Stuart….John & Sandra enjoying the wines
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Kate & David seek out the Sancerre wine served at their wedding…John & Rita with a plate of oysters
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Rita persuades Sandra to try an oyster…
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She’s not impressed !! Stuart is next to try one…
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A happier reaction !
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Rod, Jan & Nick knocking back the vino…John rests his ankle with Jan & Rod who’ve had enough…
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as has Nigel…(thanks to Janet for photo!)…meanwhile…
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Nick lines them up – how many bottles ???
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Stuart has a tyre pressure problem so Lynne rides pillion with Nigel on the Harley
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Bob & Jozina enjoying cream cakes…along with everyone else…
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Rain on the way to Chenonceau – Jen leading on the Street Triple…Rod Wrenn on his Triumph Explorer
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David & Kate who unfortunately were involved in an accident later on the Tour. Nigel can’t bear to look at John & Sandra’s waterproofs !
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Fortunately the rain stops for our visit…Nigel & Janet outside Chenonceau Chateau…Kate & David
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Stuart & Lynne
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The Gallery inside the Chateau…beautiful flower displays
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Head downstairs into the kitchens
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Wander round the gardens & see the old carriages
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Janet (Parkerette) gives us a rendition of “We are the Yeovil” then hides in the van !!
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Sandra enjoys a spin round the car-park on John’s crossdresser…
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Breakfast in our hotel at Amboise before we visit Le Clos Luce – can anyone explain the “Archimedes Screw” to Jen ??
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The heavens open again…Nigel & Janet….Bob & Jozina
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We take shelter in the tank!
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Our Hotel for the last night overlooking the lake & Casino
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Dinner in the Casino restaurant
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Arriving late from dealing with David & Kate at the hospital, John & Parkerette have had a great week together in the van!!
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Not wishing their accident to put a dampener on the last night David appoints John as his proxy to tell the Crocodile joke !
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Lots of laughter follows, with Lynne next to tell a joke…
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John is sent behind the screen (but still needs his crutches!) Then it’s Bob’s turn…
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Jen’s up next followed by John Perry
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John Gates with his duck feathers ! Stuart takes a turn…
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Janet knows “eggzachary” what the problem is !!
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Bob & John take another turn…
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Nick knew a caterpillar called Cyril who was “this big” !!
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Rita gives a demonstration of the various “Marker” directions !
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Lunch on the way home at Falaise…”Shifty John” opens the T-shirt shop from the back of the van !!
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Jan models the Bike Normandy Sweatshirt !
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Our “Parkerette” – huge thanks to Janet Short for driving John & all the luggage during the Tour…
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The Bike Normandy girls – Rita, Jen & Janet…And then there was one – John & Sandra – the only bike to leave from Le Havre.
Apart from:-
- Bob & Jozina’s BMW being recalled the day before the Tour and them having to follow in a hire car…
- John Shepherd’s Triumph Trident 900 falling off the sidestand…
- Lynne’s Honda CB400 breaking down after 100kms (alternator)…
- Stuart having tyre pressure problems…
- David & Kate’s accident…
- Sandra forgetting the entry code and finding herself locked out of the hotel at midnight…
The tour was pretty uneventful !
We had a great time on this tour and hope everyone else did too. Thanks to “Parkerette” for driving John and the luggage throughout the Tour. We hope to see many of you again in the future. Regards to all, John & Jen.