Mont St Michel to Tours

Got to Mont St Michel early and there was a little sunshine. Magnificent place, built on an 'island' with a narrow road to gain access. This road is sometimes covered by the incoming tide. Not today though, had a good look around, all built with narrow walkways and lots of steps. Plenty of tourist shops among the alleys. Originally built as a Cathedral and then surrounded down to the water level with accommodation for the religious occupants. Fascinating place with people everywhere.
Then heading south towards Tours and the Loire Valley. Lunch at La Val on the Mayene River, there is a weir over the river which is very picturesque.
Called into Angers where Louis the 14th built a fortress in the 1200's. Pretty solid structure, which I suppose it would have to be to last this long!!!
Got our first glimpse of the Loire River, very wide and deep. Lots of castles built throughout history along the Loire River Valley, many still in very good condition. They have been built of limestone and have very thick walls, giving good insulation. Some of the poorer people built their houses in caves dug into the limestone cliffs - good insulation too as well as easy to defend. These houses have now become huge wine cellars for the wineries in the region, some are kilometres long and can hold millions of barrels/bottles of wine. We've been promised a visit soon.
Finished the day in Tours - a university town of about 200,000 people with lots of students. Had tea of perch fillets with another delicious wine in the city centre then crashed in to bed at about 10pm.