
Lovely mural by Motorhome aire and Marina at Châtillon-sur-Loire organised by the Arterial Association
We spent a very quiet New Year’s Eve at this superb motorhome aire by the Marina in Châtillon-sur-Loire and we liked it so much, we decided to spend New Year’s Day here too. The aire is on gravel, with hard standing access and paved areas with picnic tables between the parking bays, all facing the canal with its charming boats and barges, some beautifully decorated for the Christmas festivities. The payment of €9 for 24 hours is at machine near the Capitainerie on entrance to Marina and it includes water and electricity, for which you first need to know your bay letter in order to activate the electricity power. There were 3 other motorhomes here last night, as well as people in some of the boats, but is was so quiet you wouldn’t have known it.

Superb motorhome aire by Marina at Châtillon-sur-Loire
Our arrival here was a bit of a labour of love, as access to the town for high vehicles over 2.7 metres is only available from the north due to a height barrier on the south side. As we were coming from the south east, we were obliged to carry on the D2007 and D952 all the way to Gien, just over 6 miles, to cross the river there and back down south on D951, adding a total of 12 miles to the journey, as well as time. Still, we were here for 1.30pm and were delighted with the location and thought the extra mileage and time were definitely worth it.

Festive boat on Marina at Châtillon-sur-Loire
We didn’t make it to Chiddes, as we had planned, simply because we needed to do our food shopping for last night and today and we didn’t see a supermarket on the outskirts of Château-Chinon after leaving Les Settons. Therefore, we continued our way west on the D978 and found an Intermarché Contact in St Benin-d’Azy, where we bought some sakate and cooked crevettes for our New Year’s Eve meal, which were absolutely delicious, and two rump stakes for tonight. I cooked the skate simply à la Romana and served it with new potatoes and we enjoyed it with a bottle of Blanquette de Limoux and a bottle of Touraine and we had a jolly good time with a game of Cribbage and an episode of Boardwalk Empire before retiring for an early end to the year at the tender hour of 9.30pm!!!

Another charming mural by Marina, Arterial Association
Today’s been a lazy day, as it is meant to be, and Adonis enjoyed a spot of fishing in the morning while I did some crocheting, read my Marie France magazine and revised a bit of German on my new app.

Depiction of Canal by Arterial Association
After siesta, we went for a stroll into town and enjoyed the lovely old houses, Christmas decorations, the stained-glass windows in the church St Maurice and St Posen, dedicated to a 6th century shepherd and hermit, and the original murals all over the town, part of a project to decorate the locality, “Decorer la ville” organised by Arterial Association in order to bring local artists together and closer to the public: all very attractive and interesting.

Quaint old houses in Châtillon-sur-Loir

Église de Saint Maurice and Saint Posen

Beautiful stained-glass window depicting the Adoration of Baby Jesus by the 3 Kings, very appropriate for the season

Street Mural by Arterial Association project ‘Décorer la Ville’

Mural of Robert Louis Stevenson, who spent some time in Châtillon-sur-Loire

Mural of Postman

Mural of St Posen outside St Maurice and St Posen churcchurchh
Tomorrow, AMBOISE!!!