Our next leg started at Mont St. Michel, an important Christian pilgrimage center since the year 708 AD. The abbey sits high on an island, connected to the mainland by a 2-mile causeway. Interestingly the tide here rises a scary 50 feet, 2nd highest in the world after the Bay of Fundy in Canada. Tides are listed in the parking lots so that you don’t return to a car that’s floated out to sea. As we climbed to the top we came across rescue crews watching the bay for anyone getting trapped by the rising tides. From here it was on to the Loire Valley, home to more than a thousand French castles, palaces, and chateaus. We based ourselves in Amboise, which straddles the Loire River. Home to numerous French Kings, this was also the city Leonardo da Vinci chose to retire. With only one night to spend, we focused on one big chateau to visit. Chateau de Chenonceau is a grand 16th-century Renaissance palace built over the Cher River. We chose to visit it at night for a little added ambiance. Classical music filled the gardens and we all felt right at home. 
Look close and you can see a couple in front of the tower with their shadows even bigger.
Leaving the chateau, you were left with this colorful walk out of the forest.
A couple of shots from one of the many markets we encounter.
