As we drove north through the Rhône Valley we noticed long line-ups at the gas stations. This was too widespread to be a local problem so I asked a customer what was happening and he told me starting tomorrow there will be manifestations (demonstrations) by workers blocking the refineries so there will be gas shortages or closures of stations. We decided to keep topping up at regular intervals as we had over 300 kms. to drive.
We pulled into Perouges an hour before our 5:30 check-in so parked outside the walls and explored the stone buildings, climbing cobbled streets inside the ramparts in light rain. Very few cars can stay inside the medieval town of 80 inhabitants so we unloaded the car and moved it. We are staying at Le Grenier a Sel, (salt attic) built in 1342. Salt was very valuable as a means of preserving food and it was stored and taxed heavily. Our room on the 2nd floor looks out on pastures. For a treat we sampled a local specialty, a galette, which is a thin pastry topped with sugar and butter.
May 24: Bourges
Our hostess served us the "extended" continental breakfast with fruit and yogurt as well as croissants, coffee and juice and a piece of galette. She sells framed art she has created with hand-made papers, calligraphy and drawings, so has several irons in the fire.
The gas situation continues. We are spending tonight in La Chapelle St.Ursin, a bedroom of Bourges. Our hosts, Michel and Lydie, were very welcoming and we chatted mostly in French before we drove to the city for dinner. They have a daughter who is working in Montreal.
May 25:. Two more chateaux
We're back in the Loire and had two tickets to use for Chambord and Blois. Again, lots of history and turrets, but we're definitely castled out after we spent most of the day at them. As we were leaving La Chapelle this morning Michel told us about the rotating greves (strikes) affecting trains, so that was something else to worry about as we have train tickets for Paris tomorrow.
We'd arranged to stay with JP again in Tours but I mistakenly told him Thursday so he wasn't home at 7:00 when we arrived. We also rang his neighbor's buzzer by mistake which likely saved us as she called him for us (again, a problem having no cell service) and we straightened it out. She checked our train for us and found it would be running tomorrow, a relief. We were famished as we skipped lunch so were happy to spend the time at an Asian buffet down the street until he got home at 10:00. Then I panicked thinking I'd lost my wallet but found it in the end. Some days are just too long!
Chambord
double-helixed staircase 
Blois
King's chamber at Blois
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