An impressive canal bridge 

Our ride took us through the countryside before reaching the Briare canal bridge which was most impressive.  It was designed by Gustave Eiffel (of Eiffel Tower fame) and Dayde Pille and built between 1890 - 1894.  The canal bridge connects the Loire and Seine basins and spans the Loire to allow barges to directly connect the canal du Berry and the Canal Lateral a la Loire with the Briare canal.  

As we were admiring the bridge, we chatted to a Dutch couple who were travelling in the same direction.  It was warming up so we took off our long sleeve tops and I removed my knee warmers.  However, it was rather disconcerting to see the Dutch guy completely remove his long cycling pants and redress in a bib whilst we were chatting.

We followed the Canal Lateral a la Loire and detoured into Chatillon-sur-Loire for some morning tea treats which we enjoyed in the sun overlooking the canal.  After a while we detoured off the canal through farmland before rejoining it and stopped in Bannay at L’Etape Buissoniere for a delicious plat du jour. 

Back on the canal, it was only a few kms to the supermarket where we stocked up for dinner and breakfast before climbing up to Sancerre.  We passed a few vineyards as we climbed but the route became ridiculously steep and rough and we had to push the bikes for a few hundred meters.  Back on the road, we made our way through the town to our accommodation which was delightful.  Set back from the road, it was quiet and comfortable.  

After popping on a load of washing, we headed out to explore the town.  We visited the Maison des Sancerre, which was part museum and part wine tasting. The museum was quite fun, with a 4D cinema that we programmed to view in English.  The chairs shook, and we were subject to puffs of cold water and hot air as we experienced wine making in Sancerre.  Other exhibits brought to life the geography and the wine growers who shared their experiences.  

The entry ticket included 3 wine tastings which we activated through a card.  It was a nice way to try different wines and we ended up buying a bottle of white and one of rose.  We explored a little more of the town and the viewing platforms but the weather clouded over and it started to drizzle so we returned to our accommodation to enjoy our wine purchases and a tuna salad for dinner.

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