Saumur - Sau what?

Even the Loire seemed depleted
and the buildings defeated by age

Sau disappointing
Sau we left
Sau there!

But down the road we found
liveliness, bonhomie and
an excellent lunch:

where the Vienne meets the Loire
in Montsoreau
we drowned our soreaux.

However, what Saumur lacked in ambience, it made up for in odd corners - too many to include here! And it gave me my blip of the Loire - which had to happen on a visit to the Loire valley, even if where we're staying lies on the Vienne.

Extra 1: A montage of some of the insects I've seen this week in the Loire region, including two different kinds of fire beetle (Pyrophorus) - one taken earlier this week but included for comparison purposes - and the praying mantis (Mantodea) and a tiger moth (Arctia caja), whose flash of red as it flew off confirmed its identity.

Spotting an insect on the wall
by the church door in Saumur,
I can't be sure, but have a feeling
that the mantis with only one antenna
was praying for healing.

Extra 2: Saumur church

Extra 3: The confluence of the rivers Loire and Vienne (the Loire curving to the left).

PS Have to admit, I am downing a glass of sparkling Saumur even as I blip ... and am then switching off my laptop again! Thanks for looking - will catch up anon.