Camping on the Loire

Last night we finally used our camping gear at a lovely spot on the river between Tours and Blois. There are lots of municipal and private campgrounds dotting the shores of the Loire in fantastic locations. Cycle tourists are waved in even when the designated spots are full. Camping French style, however, is not roughing it. At our spot near Mesnes we had wifi, power, hot showers and a trampoline.  No tent you say? No worries, they have everything from three bedroom manufactured homes on down to what was described as “the Canadienne,” a canvas walled tent. For breakfast there was no squatting over a shared granola bar, but a complete breakfast served to us with hot coffee, croissants, pan au chocolate, bread and jam. It was fun nibbling on our goodies watching ladies in their house coats emerging from their mobile homes to collect their own breakfasts.