What never fails to continuously impress me about France, is how even a mundane drive from one town to the next can turn into an enchanting journey of delightful discoveries.

Such was the drive to the bustling village of Loches.  The country road was flanked by horse farms and small french farming cottages that looked like they popped right out of a french storybook.  Then, the road darkened as the drive passed through a lush green forest called "Forêt Dominale de Loches".  There were several places to pull over and park the car.  Narrow trails stretched out as far as the eye could see and invited one to stop, bring along a picnic...and literally get rather lost in the woods for a bit.

Loches was the perfect size village for me to tackle the market easily and then escape back to my little country retreat afterwards.  Pulling right into historic center of the village, the market was bubbling right along and included everything from fresh flowers, ceramics, trendy clothing, and fresh fruits, cheese, veggies, and seafood from the Touraine region of the Loire Valley.

We sampled so much variety during our stay in this region of France.  This part of the Loire Valley is known for their assortment of chevre (goat's cheese).  Being one of my favorite cheeses, and the same goes for Riley, we never tired of sampling the local varieties alongside fresh cherries and melons and little forested wild strawberries no bigger than the tip of my pinky finger.

Market days are the very best ways to absorb country life in France.  People are serious about their shopping.  Hands are flying, samples are being tasted, as chatting is in full swing. People use these outings as a chance to stock up on food for a few days but also to greet and meet one another along with an opportunity to swap a fair amount of gossip.