Located about 70 km east of Orléans, Montargis is the second largest city in the Loiret Department.

Mick and I decided we would spend two nights here on our way back to Samois-sur-Seine from Sancerre, as it would help break the 160+ km trip. We did not know much about it at all, but I had seen some images on the internet and it looked very pretty.

Mick and I were pleasantly surprised. We stayed in the hotel in Victor Hugo Square, in the left of this image, and if you look closely, there is a boat in the centre of the square bearing a sign “La Venice du Gâtinais“.

The city successfully combines modern buildings with different architecture styles, such as this large library on the left, with the many charming half-timbered medieval homes found in the centre-ville area.

The real charm of Montargis is achieved with the many canals and waterways that run through the town.  There are 131 bridges and footbridges in Montargis, and Mick and I spent a very enjoyable time discovering as many as we could.

Every footbridge, every bridge and almost every street, was beautifully decorated in floral displays. There were even floating displays on some of the canals.

Mick was worried about a very wobbly jetty that was half-attached to one of these ancient homes built over the water.

This small waterfall was used hundreds of years ago to help run a mill in the town.

Montargis is also famous for a praline-encased toasted almond which was invented in 1636. The original shop still exists and many people load up with lots of gift-wrapped boxes of the goodies. But that was not for me or Mick.

Mick was happier to find a bar selling one of his favourite beers, which he enjoyed before we dined in a very traditional, simple restaurant, which we were very lucky to find.

We enjoyed our time in Montargis, but it is time for us to head back to “work”.

We have two weeks to go at our house-sitting assignment in Samois, where the dog we are caring for needs lots of walking. I was surprised and pleased to see I had averaged 125 km per week during our stay so far. My iWatch has never recorded so much!!

We are a little worried about the weather forecast for next week – temperatures in the low 40s are predicated for much of France – as that certainly doesn’t make it pleasant to walk.

Before we left though, Mick was hoping he might find something interesting to read or draw in this free book swap location beside one of the canals in the town.