Monday 27 to Thursday 30 July 2026

We cleaned the house prior to the arrival home of Sandrine and Greg and then drove to Briare, a nice little village on La Loire with a canal boat marina. We grabbed a baguette from Lidl, parked ourselves under a shady tree overlooking the canal and made a gruyere and ham roll. We then walked along the Briare Aqueduct which carries the Canal latéral à la Loire over the river Loire on its journey to the Seine. Between 1896 and 2003 it was the longest navigable aqueduct in the world (660 metres).

Then a large cold beer on the terrace of the Petit Gite, before we drove the short distance to Sancerre, home of the famous Sauvignon Blanc, often referred to as 'eau de Paris', where we are staying until Friday.

Sancerre is a medieval hilltop town and wine region in the Centre-Val de Loire region in France, with panoramic views of the Loire Valley. Our BnB is a clean, neat one bedroom studio apartment, with a good kitchen and it is smack bang in the middle of the old town, surrounded by wine caves, tasting rooms and restaurants. We will probably survive OK.

After a short recon, we cooked some local sausages and made a salad to have with a bottle of Sancerre in our apartment and planned the assault on the food and wine scene for tomorrow. This of course, can be achieved by walking the old town. So, the car is parked outside and will remain there while we enjoy a more leisurely pace for the day.

Tuesday morning (early), after a fitful sleep, Flashy walked to the patisserie for a warm baguette, croissants and an apricot Danish. Then, le petit-déjeuner in our kitchen watching the passing parade out our window.

Some more Sancerre tasting in the morning and a bottle purchased for our dinner tonight. Afternoon drinks in the Café des Artes, some shopping for our tuna Niçoise dinner and a surprise visit to a truly local artists house operating as a local bar. More Sancerre.

Wednesday is household chores and some cooking for tacos tonight. We have been wandering around the town dropping in to tasting houses, either the actual winery or a tasting house with one or two domains’ wines. They often offer six wines, reasonable size sample too, for free.

And here’s a news flash. Name the two wines Flashy dislikes. Yes, Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir. Why? Probably because NZ and Australia make a lot of shit SV and PN. However, here in Sancerre they make both wines that are actually wonderful. Passionfruit perfumed SV? Not a chance. SV vinified and aged for 12 months on oak and or a mixture of stainless steel, clay amphora and oak – yes.

So, as a result you get a Sauvignon Blanc based on three terriors, Terres Blanches, Silex and Calliottes. Tasting them in comparison gives three completely different wines – all, I might say, delicious.

Flashy asked one vigneron why they were so different to Australian and NZ Sauvignon Blancs. The chap was polite. Sancerre does not have the warm, hot, sunny conditions of Australia. What he actually meant was French terrior and winemakers were just very good. You could tell he was thinking, “We’re French afterall”.

Thursday is our last day in Sancerre and we are doing a touristy thing this afternoon before we go to dinner at La Fleur des Vignes. Supposed to be a bit special. More tomorrow.

Briare Aquaduct Bridge.
La Loire. Very shallow as the drought in parts of France continues.
Rue St Jean - our street in Sancerre.
Sancerre battlement overlooking Loire Valley.
Drinks on the artist's terrace.
7/10. Chocolate filling was very good.
Rue St. Jean just outside our window.
One of many.
Typical Sancerre public building.


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