An annual ritual (disturbed)

Satisfied, yes even delighted, with what we had bought at the market, we made our way back to the car where we put the fresh food items in the cool box B. and J.L. had brought. Next stop, like it has been for the last 14 years (except in 2011 when I spent my annual summer vacation in Deal – UK), was the sidewalk terrace of ‘le Château’, the café at the foot the castle, for a refreshing aperitif. Food shopping can make you very thirsty!

Amboise: Le Café du Château with the red marquis.

But first I wanted to buy some postcards and stamps, while my friends went to get fresh cash from the ATM terminal. Just when I was about to enter the souvenir shop to pay for the postcards, an odd looking man came out of the café next door. He was wearing a semi-military outfit and big marching boots. Under his arm he was carrying a ‘vintage’ steel helmet. He was the kind of guy ‘one wouldn’t want to meet in a dark alley’ (as we tend to say here). While I was in the shop, I heard the sound of an engine being fired. The noise was overwhelming, even inside. The man behind the counter rolled his eyes, as if to say: ‘Here we go again.’

A nice seat in the sun.

Back outside, I saw the man in semi-military outfit, his helmet still under his arm, standing across the road repeatedly handling the throttle of a weird contraption – a heavy motorbike with an oversized rear wheel. Conversations on the sidewalk terraces had died down, and people where watching the scene, annoyed. The man was clearly doing this to attract attention: making a hellish noise and sending combustion fumes in the direction of the terraces where people were eating and drinking. I joined my friends who were watching the ‘spectacle’ too. We settled down at ‘Le Château’ hoping the show would soon be over. After two or three more infernal minutes, ‘Lucifer’ finally decided to put on his helmet and to climb on his bike. A couple more ‘vrrmmm-vrmmm’s and off he rode, on ‘the highway to hell’!

You could almost hear the sigh of relieve that surged from the crowd on the terraces. By then we had found a comfortable seat in the sun. B. and J.L. both ordered a white wine and I had a beer. While we discussed the plans for the rest of the day, another group of bikers came driving up the road. They stopped and parked their bikes next to the long line of bikes that was already there. These people were more ‘civilized’ though. They were wearing the traditional protective leather clothing and had the decency to cut the engines immediately after parking their machines.

The  long line of bikes, belonging to the 'respectful' bikers.

Despite this group’s correct and respectful behaviour I felt sorry for the ‘Loire River’s darling little girl’. It was as if Amboise had lost its innocence. The 21^st century had clearly found its way to this Renaissance town. And it wasn’t in a positive way! I wonder how long it will take before the town council will ban motorbikes from the Place beneath the castle. However! On the one hand I can’t imagine that the local shop and bar keepers are happy with this new phenomenon, as it will probably scare tourists away. On the other hand, the bikers need to shop, eat and drink too. So maybe the local tradesmen will tolerate these new comers. I hope that it’s just a trend, and that the bikers will soon lose interest when they find another or better place to rendezvous.

We stayed at the café till it was close to one o’clock and time for lunch at the Lion d’Or… Which means that I will be posting food photos soon … Time to prepare your napkins!

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P.S. Just for the record, I don't have anything against bikers in general or the way in which they like to travel! I just don't like these 'outlaws' (like the biker driving the weird contraption) who find pleasure in annoying people on purpose by making a spectacle of themselves.