Bicycle ride : Vendôme, Marcilly-en-Beauce, Thoré-la-Rochette, Naveil

Vendôme > Marcilly-en-Beauce

We leave from Vendôme, from the tourist information centre situated in the old Bellay Hotel, known as “Le Saillant”. Honoré de Balzac, student in the Oratorians secondary school situated just behind, has spent some, let’s say, unpleasant times in there, locked in a closet of the turret, traditionnaly.
For more informations follow this website : www.bude-orleans.org

A few meters further, we cross the Saint-Michel bridge which spans the Loir, once natural ramparts of the city and we go towards Montoire-sur-le-Loir along the watercourse, bordered with fisheries.
Once in Montrieux, we go on towards Prépatour where we make a stop to take a picture of the underground living caves facing up the fields.

Underground living caves in Prépatour

Barn and fields in Prépatour

We continue a little bit further by taking a stony path and arrive at Riotte pond but here, we’re doubtful because it doesn’t look it is our planned route. What if the Chatmouettes got it wrong ? It would not be the first time it happens … hum

Riotte pond

Anyway, we decide to retrace our steps …
Back in Prépatour, we take the right way, by following Varennes then we take the secondary road D917 until the next roundabout where we go towards Marcilly-en-Beauce close to Bordebeurre, just what we need to give us an appetite !

Bordebeurre, town council of Marcilly-en-Beauce

Church of Marcilly-en-Beauce

Marcilly-en-Beauce > Thoré-la-Rochette

We continue our ride towards Thoré-la-Rochette, vineyard land, by making a detour to the south west in an area more wooded, to discover the surroundings and the mill of Fontaine.

Mill of Fontaine near Thoré-la-Rochette

Back towards Thoré-la-Rochette, we take this opportunity to make a last stop, at the old train station which is still open but in a more touristic way.
Indeed, this is here that you have the possibility to take the Touristic train of the Vallée du Loir which makes you discover the Loir’s valley.

Station of the touristic train of Thoré-la-Rochette

We enter in the village and continue on the hills of the town council, a little bit exposed to wind as in this area, there are only fields.

Thoré-la-Rochette > Naveil

A little bit further, we go down by following the road passing by the castle which used to belong to Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur de Rochambeau, better known as Marshal de Rochambeau. He became famous during the American Revolutionary War, the famous battle of Yorktown in 1781, in particular. Today, he lies at the cemetery of Thoré-la-Rochette.

After this historical moment,  we continue along the Loir for about a hundred meters and go back on our adventure towards Villiers-sur-Loir, where we pass by the village pond, which is also a leisure centre offering various activities.

Further, we pass by Prépatour and get in Naveil, last stopover before getting back to Vendôme.

Church and Town Hall of Naveil