http://www.newfreebooters.com/the-troglodyte-tour-hobbit-holes-in-saumur-loire-valley boats, events, people & equipment - through the eyes of Mike K-H Wed, 10 Mar 2010 11:03:29 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7.1 hourly 1 http://www.newfreebooters.com/the-troglodyte-tour-hobbit-holes-in-saumur-loire-valley/comment-page-1#comment-496 Cave Dwelling « Fahrusha’s Weblog Wed, 17 Dec 2008 16:43:43 +0000 http://www.newfreebooters.com/?p=11#comment-496 [...] http://www.newfreebooters.com/?p=11 [...] [...] http://www.newfreebooters.com/?p=11 [...]

]]> http://www.newfreebooters.com/the-troglodyte-tour-hobbit-holes-in-saumur-loire-valley/comment-page-1#comment-465 admin Sat, 06 Dec 2008 12:57:04 +0000 http://www.newfreebooters.com/?p=11#comment-465 As you can see from the pingback above, Viv has now revisited the are and taken a look at the zoo. Read the post on <a href="http://viviennemackie.wordpress.com/2008/12/05/saumurs-doue-la-fontaine-zoo-loire-valley-france/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">her blog </a> As you can see from the pingback above, Viv has now revisited the are and taken a look at the zoo. Read the post on
her blog

]]> http://www.newfreebooters.com/the-troglodyte-tour-hobbit-holes-in-saumur-loire-valley/comment-page-1#comment-463 Saumur’s Doue la Fontaine Zoo, Loire Valley, France « Around and About with Viv Fri, 05 Dec 2008 23:38:15 +0000 http://www.newfreebooters.com/?p=11#comment-463 [...] visit the Doue la Fontaine Zoo, a fact that I mentioned in an article published in Newfreebooters (http://www.newfreebooters.com/?p=11). The ads seemed to show the zoo as a type of spectacle and I quote what I said: “The zoo, for [...] [...] visit the Doue la Fontaine Zoo, a fact that I mentioned in an article published in Newfreebooters (http://www.newfreebooters.com/?p=11). The ads seemed to show the zoo as a type of spectacle and I quote what I said: “The zoo, for [...]

]]> http://www.newfreebooters.com/the-troglodyte-tour-hobbit-holes-in-saumur-loire-valley/comment-page-1#comment-246 Nick Thu, 18 Sep 2008 10:08:30 +0000 http://www.newfreebooters.com/?p=11#comment-246 We visited the Mushroom museum in August this year and have to say we were most disappointed. I had checked their website for prices and to see what there was to see, as having two sons to consider I wanted to ensure there was no long guided tour to endure. I would like to point out that we have explored many underground sites throughout France over some 25 years, so are perhaps a little more demanding than most! Our first shock was that the entry fee had gone up considerably from the advertised tariff on the website, checked just before our departure and for two adults and two children it came to just under 30 Euros, rather than the 20 we had been expecting. Though we note since our return, that the website no longer seems to display the tariff! We also noted that it seemed rather quiet, though we did arrive just after 2.00 pm, but we thought that was probably a plus! As you say the botanical specimens were superb and certainly extensive! However the other displays we felt were a little less impressive. The first display was composed of plaster models of mushrooms – we did not touch, but realised this from the number of broken and knocked over ones visible! The recreated troglodyte dwelling was nowhere to be seen and the display of quarrying techniques was good but very small & almost looked to be an afterthought. The actual mushroom cultivation area was confusing and poorly thought out – we had been expecting to see proper commercial production areas, rather than a few token trays and an awful lot of similar looking “experimental cultures” – perhaps they had only just been placed there as little seemed to be happening – There were a few good display boards showing photographs of actual commercial production though. Outside there was a rather poorly stocked gift shop and behind this and not signposted, was the collection of “related antiques and implements” which looked even more like a souvenir shop than the actual shop! The only “antique” was the very well worn mushroom chair, the rest was a couple of cases of tacky modern souvenirs that were vaguely mushroom related. There was no tasting available and no fresh mushrooms for sale at all – only a few very poor looking overpriced dried specimens. The restaurant was closed and looked as though it had been for the whole season – with no notice of apology or explanation forthcoming from the staff. On the plus side, the loos were clean! Disappointed we went on to the Tank Museum (Musée des Blindés) at Saumur – a world class collection, well laid out, a few you can enter and all with informative accompanying displays - if you like tanks!!!! Fortunately we do, though even for us it proved daunting, there are hundreds! Entry for the whole family was only 20 Euros :-) We visited the Mushroom museum in August this year and have to say we were most disappointed. I had checked their website for prices and to see what there was to see, as having two sons to consider I wanted to ensure there was no long guided tour to endure. I would like to point out that we have explored many underground sites throughout France over some 25 years, so are perhaps a little more demanding than most! Our first shock was that the entry fee had gone up considerably from the advertised tariff on the website, checked just before our departure and for two adults and two children it came to just under 30 Euros, rather than the 20 we had been expecting. Though we note since our return, that the website no longer seems to display the tariff! We also noted that it seemed rather quiet, though we did arrive just after 2.00 pm, but we thought that was probably a plus! As you say the botanical specimens were superb and certainly extensive! However the other displays we felt were a little less impressive. The first display was composed of plaster models of mushrooms – we did not touch, but realised this from the number of broken and knocked over ones visible! The recreated troglodyte dwelling was nowhere to be seen and the display of quarrying techniques was good but very small & almost looked to be an afterthought. The actual mushroom cultivation area was confusing and poorly thought out – we had been expecting to see proper commercial production areas, rather than a few token trays and an awful lot of similar looking “experimental cultures” – perhaps they had only just been placed there as little seemed to be happening – There were a few good display boards showing photographs of actual commercial production though. Outside there was a rather poorly stocked gift shop and behind this and not signposted, was the collection of “related antiques and implements” which looked even more like a souvenir shop than the actual shop! The only “antique” was the very well worn mushroom chair, the rest was a couple of cases of tacky modern souvenirs that were vaguely mushroom related. There was no tasting available and no fresh mushrooms for sale at all – only a few very poor looking overpriced dried specimens. The restaurant was closed and looked as though it had been for the whole season – with no notice of apology or explanation forthcoming from the staff. On the plus side, the loos were clean! Disappointed we went on to the Tank Museum (Musée des Blindés) at Saumur – a world class collection, well laid out, a few you can enter and all with informative accompanying displays - if you like tanks!!!! Fortunately we do, though even for us it proved daunting, there are hundreds! Entry for the whole family was only 20 Euros

]]> http://www.newfreebooters.com/the-troglodyte-tour-hobbit-holes-in-saumur-loire-valley/comment-page-1#comment-131 admin Tue, 22 Jul 2008 06:15:30 +0000 http://www.newfreebooters.com/?p=11#comment-131 Sorry, the zoo site English language version doesn't seem to be ready yet, but there are some very good photos - including a running rhino with all feet off the ground. (Running across the field of view, not towards the photographer...) Sorry, the zoo site English language version doesn’t seem to be ready yet, but there are some very good photos - including a running rhino with all feet off the ground. (Running across the field of view, not towards the photographer…)

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