Sunday, 14 June 2009
Day 10 - to La Clayette (108km)
We got up early this morning and collected some pastries at a nearby patisserie. We then cycled under clear blue skies between the Loire river and Loire canal. Needless to say, the route was very flat and we made great progress.
By lunch, we had already covered 70km and, after getting a little lost in Digoin searching for a supermarket (you would have thought a supermarket the size of four football fields would be easier to spot!), we had a picnic by the side of the road just out of town.
We decided we could both justify a stop at a McDonalds for a McFlurry. The McDonalds was just off the a highway in the middle of nowhere - it appeared that many locals had driven miles specifically for their meal deal.
The afternoon's cycling was harder but a lot more interesting. The Burgandy hills were pretty, with wild flowers in the fields and pretty hill-top villages. Thankfully, the climbs were relatively easy and we arrived in La Clayette at about 3:30 - leaving Brittany plenty of time to do some shopping (there was a local chocolate shop) for both of us to look around the town.
There was a market around the towns small lake with all types of junk ("antiques") - the only thing that interested us was the cherry stall. We bought and almost immediately consumed a kilo of new season cherries. At the end of the market, there was a beautiful private chateau overlooking the lake.
We finished the day with a swim in our hotel's swimming pool, followed by a drink at a cafe (watching the town's youf hooning around on their mopeds and motor bikes), and a good dinner at a local restaurant (we only realised after we left that Simon should have had frog's legs, which were the restaurant's specialty).
By lunch, we had already covered 70km and, after getting a little lost in Digoin searching for a supermarket (you would have thought a supermarket the size of four football fields would be easier to spot!), we had a picnic by the side of the road just out of town.
We decided we could both justify a stop at a McDonalds for a McFlurry. The McDonalds was just off the a highway in the middle of nowhere - it appeared that many locals had driven miles specifically for their meal deal.
The afternoon's cycling was harder but a lot more interesting. The Burgandy hills were pretty, with wild flowers in the fields and pretty hill-top villages. Thankfully, the climbs were relatively easy and we arrived in La Clayette at about 3:30 - leaving Brittany plenty of time to do some shopping (there was a local chocolate shop) for both of us to look around the town.
There was a market around the towns small lake with all types of junk ("antiques") - the only thing that interested us was the cherry stall. We bought and almost immediately consumed a kilo of new season cherries. At the end of the market, there was a beautiful private chateau overlooking the lake.
We finished the day with a swim in our hotel's swimming pool, followed by a drink at a cafe (watching the town's youf hooning around on their mopeds and motor bikes), and a good dinner at a local restaurant (we only realised after we left that Simon should have had frog's legs, which were the restaurant's specialty).
Friday, 12 June 2009
Day 9 – to Decize (112 km)
We finally woke to blue sky and sun this morning. It is amazing what the weather can do to improve our moods.
The first part of the ride was a side trip up a hilly road through vineyards to the hill-top village of Sancerre. It is a beautiful old town, once surrounded by ramparts, with spectacular views of the Loire valley below.
From there, we followed the Loire river and canal to Herry and we had lunch by another “Pont Canal” at Le Guetim. We saw lots of signs to Nevers, the major regional town, but never went there – instead we cut the corner of the valley (the river curved) though the rolling hills of the Bourgogne countryside.
There were a few more château's to be seen – but most of these were showing a little more sign of their age, with crumbling towers and ramparts. One of these was near a town which we simply could not pronounce, Luthenay Uxeloup – 'Château de Rosemont'.
We stopped for the night at Decize. For once we got in before 5pm, so had plenty of time to look around. We had a beer and ice tea at a cafe by the river before a walk down the town's avenue of plan trees (some over 200 years old). It was nice to be in a town that was clearly less of a tourist trap, even if it meant there were less choices for dinner (we ended up at another pizzeria).
The first part of the ride was a side trip up a hilly road through vineyards to the hill-top village of Sancerre. It is a beautiful old town, once surrounded by ramparts, with spectacular views of the Loire valley below.
From there, we followed the Loire river and canal to Herry and we had lunch by another “Pont Canal” at Le Guetim. We saw lots of signs to Nevers, the major regional town, but never went there – instead we cut the corner of the valley (the river curved) though the rolling hills of the Bourgogne countryside.
There were a few more château's to be seen – but most of these were showing a little more sign of their age, with crumbling towers and ramparts. One of these was near a town which we simply could not pronounce, Luthenay Uxeloup – 'Château de Rosemont'.
We stopped for the night at Decize. For once we got in before 5pm, so had plenty of time to look around. We had a beer and ice tea at a cafe by the river before a walk down the town's avenue of plan trees (some over 200 years old). It was nice to be in a town that was clearly less of a tourist trap, even if it meant there were less choices for dinner (we ended up at another pizzeria).
Day 8 - to Bassay (120km)
The plan today had been to look around Orleans in the morning an to go for a shorter ride in the afternoon. We started the day by walking into the city centre for breakfast, coffee and orange juice before looking around the cathedral. In the end, we decided against a tour of the (1960/70s) reproduction of Joan of Arc's house, which was awarded to her by the city after she rescued it from the English in the 100 years war. Before checking out of our hotel, to avoid further instances of booked-out hotels, we booked the evening's accommodation further down the Loire valley.
The route today took us away from the châteaus by the river, which by now is getting quite wide and shallow, and instead follows the “Canal lat. a la Loire” - i.e. the canal built to allow the flow of boats along the path of the Loire, despite the silted up river.
The highlight of the day was the Pont Canal at Briare – a beautifully decorated bridge which carries the canal over the Loire river. We enjoyed a sorbet each as the boats passed over the river. It was already quite late in the day that we reached here – Simon had (again) underestimated distances and, despite the plan to cycle a 'half day', we actually managed 120km by the time we reached the hotel overlooking the canal at Bassay.
We had another great French dinner, entertained by the owners 1 or 2 year old son, Rafael, who danced for us in his high chair. Our main disappointment for the day was the fact that the hotel's
WiFi was not working – we were forced instead to watch a repeat of NCIS dubbed in French.
The route today took us away from the châteaus by the river, which by now is getting quite wide and shallow, and instead follows the “Canal lat. a la Loire” - i.e. the canal built to allow the flow of boats along the path of the Loire, despite the silted up river.
The highlight of the day was the Pont Canal at Briare – a beautifully decorated bridge which carries the canal over the Loire river. We enjoyed a sorbet each as the boats passed over the river. It was already quite late in the day that we reached here – Simon had (again) underestimated distances and, despite the plan to cycle a 'half day', we actually managed 120km by the time we reached the hotel overlooking the canal at Bassay.
We had another great French dinner, entertained by the owners 1 or 2 year old son, Rafael, who danced for us in his high chair. Our main disappointment for the day was the fact that the hotel's
WiFi was not working – we were forced instead to watch a repeat of NCIS dubbed in French.
Day 7 – to (old) Orleans (120km)
We were joined at breakfast by two American families on a road trip around the Loire valley. Brittany was a little disappointed with breakfast – she had taken a diary tablets expecting 'real' French hot chocolate and got hot milk and chocolate powder. By the time we were getting back onto the bike, it was raining fairly heavily – rain that continued throughout the day.
Our first stop was Château de Chenonceaux, a stunning tribute to the style (and greed and vanity) of the French aristocracy. The whole thing was built across and around the Cher river, and its owners motto was 'if we finish this, history will remember us'. We forget who they were....
We were soon back on our way past a variety of big, impressive chateaux (many still owned by the original aristocratic families), but today our hearts were not really in it and we were completely château-ed out. Simon was in a particularly bad mood, which became worse as the result of a couple of minor mechanical failures (which were fixed in the pouring rain).
Things improved slightly when we found some fruit stalls by the road selling the cherries that we have been seeing in the road-side orchards for the last few days. We eventually reached Orleans and managed to find a room in an Ibis Hotel (not our first choice) with free WiFi, a Chinese restaurant next door and a supermarket across the road.
Our first stop was Château de Chenonceaux, a stunning tribute to the style (and greed and vanity) of the French aristocracy. The whole thing was built across and around the Cher river, and its owners motto was 'if we finish this, history will remember us'. We forget who they were....
We were soon back on our way past a variety of big, impressive chateaux (many still owned by the original aristocratic families), but today our hearts were not really in it and we were completely château-ed out. Simon was in a particularly bad mood, which became worse as the result of a couple of minor mechanical failures (which were fixed in the pouring rain).
Things improved slightly when we found some fruit stalls by the road selling the cherries that we have been seeing in the road-side orchards for the last few days. We eventually reached Orleans and managed to find a room in an Ibis Hotel (not our first choice) with free WiFi, a Chinese restaurant next door and a supermarket across the road.
Wednesday, 10 June 2009
Day 6 – to Amboise (136 km)
Despite mixed weather, we truly discovered why the Loire valley is such a tourist attraction today. Cycling at high speeds down the long, flat roads, we cycled through many beautiful villages and past wineries, châteaus, churches and troglodyte dwellings (I.e caves and houses built into the hills).
The wheat fields appear to have been taken over by poppies, and Brittany was salivating all day at cherry trees full of fruit. She also liked the look of orchards being used for dried apple and pear products – some of which will undoubtedly find their way into our panniers over the next couple of days.
Our only stop for the morning was in Samur, where we decided to by a couple of inner-tubes a replacement for our replacement bike pump from the local decathlon. We gave our original 6 euro replacement pump to a passing English “traveller” who has been working and walking across France for the last 5 years.
At lunch, we stopped by the Château d'Usse. Simon had forced Brittany to cycle further and further, waiting for the 'perfect' lunch spot – by the time we reached the château we were both starving and ready to eat anything. We didn't even bother to see the château (which was big and chateau-ey), but we have a long chat with a family of 4 from Miami travelling on two tandems. They admired our tandem, our light packing and Simon's thighs (!?). They seemed to be travelling about 30 miles a day to our 80 miles – which kind of made up for those patronising b&rst%rds in England telling us were were “taking it easy” on our LEJoG trip.
On the advice of the Floridians, we decided to head straight through Tours to Amboise, which is a delightful old village (now very touristy) overlooked by its own (yes, you guessed it...) château. Leonardo Da Vinci increased its attraction (?) by dying here. We managed to find a pricey B&B in the centre of town but walked across the bridge for dinner (see photo).
The wheat fields appear to have been taken over by poppies, and Brittany was salivating all day at cherry trees full of fruit. She also liked the look of orchards being used for dried apple and pear products – some of which will undoubtedly find their way into our panniers over the next couple of days.
Our only stop for the morning was in Samur, where we decided to by a couple of inner-tubes a replacement for our replacement bike pump from the local decathlon. We gave our original 6 euro replacement pump to a passing English “traveller” who has been working and walking across France for the last 5 years.
At lunch, we stopped by the Château d'Usse. Simon had forced Brittany to cycle further and further, waiting for the 'perfect' lunch spot – by the time we reached the château we were both starving and ready to eat anything. We didn't even bother to see the château (which was big and chateau-ey), but we have a long chat with a family of 4 from Miami travelling on two tandems. They admired our tandem, our light packing and Simon's thighs (!?). They seemed to be travelling about 30 miles a day to our 80 miles – which kind of made up for those patronising b&rst%rds in England telling us were were “taking it easy” on our LEJoG trip.
On the advice of the Floridians, we decided to head straight through Tours to Amboise, which is a delightful old village (now very touristy) overlooked by its own (yes, you guessed it...) château. Leonardo Da Vinci increased its attraction (?) by dying here. We managed to find a pricey B&B in the centre of town but walked across the bridge for dinner (see photo).
Day 5 Brissac-Quince 52 km
We had planned to do the usual +100km ride today, but our plans were undone by the weather, French opening times and a longer-than-expected château tour.
When we woke up persistent rain, which continued on and off (generally more 'on') for most of the day. We forced ourselves back on the bike only because Ingrandes did not really offer many tourist attractions, and we were keen to visit the château in Brissac-Quince – the tallest in the Louire valley.
Already completely soaked, we stopped for coffee in a small village by the Loire about an hour into the ride. Unfortunately, we managed to leave behind our cycle computer and, after much angst (particularly from Simon), we cycled back to the cafe where the owner rushed out to return it to us.
By the time we reached Brissac-Quince, the château was closed for lunch so we were forced to rest at a busy little pizzeria nearby. We joined a tour when the château re-opened at 2:00pm, which was fascinating but took nearly 2 hours. We learned about the conversion of the medieval towers into a renaissance château and about the Dukes/Marquis of Bressac. The current Marquis still owns and lives in the château, two stories of which are used for a private theatre/cinema. Apparently, although they lost one Marquis to a mob in Versailles, the French revolution had minimal impact on the aristocrats in this region.
By the time we left the château it was 4pm and raining heavily, so we decided to ask the local tourist info office for help with accommodation. The B&Bs/Hotels in town and on our route were either booked out or not answering their phones – in the end we were forced to cycle in heavy rain to B&B in a rural community 15 mins away. We spent most of this trip wondering how we were going to get dinner without cycling back out into a storm.
Thankfully, our hosts were willing to make dinner. Although Brittany was rather fretful, given her picky eating habits (sorry, 'dietary requirements'), they put on a good meal with an omlette, fish, two salads, local cheese and wine, rounded off with yogurt/ice cream. We went to bed happy and full.
When we woke up persistent rain, which continued on and off (generally more 'on') for most of the day. We forced ourselves back on the bike only because Ingrandes did not really offer many tourist attractions, and we were keen to visit the château in Brissac-Quince – the tallest in the Louire valley.
Already completely soaked, we stopped for coffee in a small village by the Loire about an hour into the ride. Unfortunately, we managed to leave behind our cycle computer and, after much angst (particularly from Simon), we cycled back to the cafe where the owner rushed out to return it to us.
By the time we reached Brissac-Quince, the château was closed for lunch so we were forced to rest at a busy little pizzeria nearby. We joined a tour when the château re-opened at 2:00pm, which was fascinating but took nearly 2 hours. We learned about the conversion of the medieval towers into a renaissance château and about the Dukes/Marquis of Bressac. The current Marquis still owns and lives in the château, two stories of which are used for a private theatre/cinema. Apparently, although they lost one Marquis to a mob in Versailles, the French revolution had minimal impact on the aristocrats in this region.
By the time we left the château it was 4pm and raining heavily, so we decided to ask the local tourist info office for help with accommodation. The B&Bs/Hotels in town and on our route were either booked out or not answering their phones – in the end we were forced to cycle in heavy rain to B&B in a rural community 15 mins away. We spent most of this trip wondering how we were going to get dinner without cycling back out into a storm.
Thankfully, our hosts were willing to make dinner. Although Brittany was rather fretful, given her picky eating habits (sorry, 'dietary requirements'), they put on a good meal with an omlette, fish, two salads, local cheese and wine, rounded off with yogurt/ice cream. We went to bed happy and full.
Day 4 to Ingrandes 140 km
We woke up to a gusty wind and the smell of rain in the air. We left the empty hotel early and hit the road.
Soon we were on our way through the dockyards where a huge ocean liner was being built. The crossing over the Loire was one of the scariest experiences on the journey so far – the cross wind was terrible and the traffic was busy.
Heading east, we stopped to buy croissants and then at a bar/cafe to have a coffee/ oj and to get out of the rain. Heading out along the wide Canal Maritime de la Basse Loir we came across more and more cyclists. Eventually, as we reached the ferry crossing at Le Pellerin, we realised that the a bicycle festival. Going on. We joined the other riders and most of the journey into Nantes was on roads that were closed to car traffic for the festival or on cycle paths.
We finally found an open boulangerie about 30 minutes past Nantes and had another 'pique nique'. The Euro Velo route 6 is a mix of small roads, traffic free paths and the odd bit of busier roads (such as the bridges that take us back and forth from one bank of the Loire to the other.) We pressed on enjoying the speeds that were achievable with the strong tail wind.
After Ancenis the front tyre started loosing air and we stopped to fix it. It was near 4 pm and we decided to press on another 15-20 km before looking for accommodation. There were no B & Bs to be found so we stopped at a lovely looking hotel in St Florent le Viel - unfortunately when Brittany went in to ask they did not have a room available. Not happy and getting tired we left the route to follow a main road and find a place to stay. Exhausted, hungry and grumpy we eventually found a hotel across the river from Ingrandes and then headed into town for a gallete followed by a crepe. (Simon was disappointed - he wanted steak fritte.)
Soon we were on our way through the dockyards where a huge ocean liner was being built. The crossing over the Loire was one of the scariest experiences on the journey so far – the cross wind was terrible and the traffic was busy.
Heading east, we stopped to buy croissants and then at a bar/cafe to have a coffee/ oj and to get out of the rain. Heading out along the wide Canal Maritime de la Basse Loir we came across more and more cyclists. Eventually, as we reached the ferry crossing at Le Pellerin, we realised that the a bicycle festival. Going on. We joined the other riders and most of the journey into Nantes was on roads that were closed to car traffic for the festival or on cycle paths.
We finally found an open boulangerie about 30 minutes past Nantes and had another 'pique nique'. The Euro Velo route 6 is a mix of small roads, traffic free paths and the odd bit of busier roads (such as the bridges that take us back and forth from one bank of the Loire to the other.) We pressed on enjoying the speeds that were achievable with the strong tail wind.
After Ancenis the front tyre started loosing air and we stopped to fix it. It was near 4 pm and we decided to press on another 15-20 km before looking for accommodation. There were no B & Bs to be found so we stopped at a lovely looking hotel in St Florent le Viel - unfortunately when Brittany went in to ask they did not have a room available. Not happy and getting tired we left the route to follow a main road and find a place to stay. Exhausted, hungry and grumpy we eventually found a hotel across the river from Ingrandes and then headed into town for a gallete followed by a crepe. (Simon was disappointed - he wanted steak fritte.)
Saturday, 6 June 2009
Day 3 – to St Nazaire (120 km)
The B&B in Josselin was amazing. Not only did our room look like something out of a interior design magazine, but the continental breakfast included fresh pineapple, hot crepes, fresh bread and a bucket size mug of coffee for Simon. The Saturday market was literally on the doorstep, and we grabbed some local cheese (a “comte”) and some cherries (the French cherry season has just begun) for our picnic lunch.
The morning's ride was a leisurely trip alongside the Nantes-Brest canal along the Ouest valley. The canal, originally planned by Napoleon as a result of a British blockade of Brest, is a wonderful piece of engineering work covering over 200km of countryside. For cyclists, the main benefit are the tow-paths which are long and flat.
After a quick picnic lunch, we headed as a far as Redon where we were forced to decide whether to head to Nantes or the coast. In the end, we decided to go to St Nazaire (a) because it was closer; and (b) because we fancied fresh seafood for dinner.
With about 20km to go, we stopped at a McDonalds for free wifi (we downloaded yesterday's blog) and stopped at a humongous supermarket for supplies. We are now the only guests in an overpriced hotel, having been the only diners in its overpriced restaurant. The staff are now going home, and soon we will have the whole place to ourselves....
The morning's ride was a leisurely trip alongside the Nantes-Brest canal along the Ouest valley. The canal, originally planned by Napoleon as a result of a British blockade of Brest, is a wonderful piece of engineering work covering over 200km of countryside. For cyclists, the main benefit are the tow-paths which are long and flat.
After a quick picnic lunch, we headed as a far as Redon where we were forced to decide whether to head to Nantes or the coast. In the end, we decided to go to St Nazaire (a) because it was closer; and (b) because we fancied fresh seafood for dinner.
With about 20km to go, we stopped at a McDonalds for free wifi (we downloaded yesterday's blog) and stopped at a humongous supermarket for supplies. We are now the only guests in an overpriced hotel, having been the only diners in its overpriced restaurant. The staff are now going home, and soon we will have the whole place to ourselves....
Day 2 – to Josselin (105km)
At breakfast, we met up with a group of cyclists who were returning to St Malo after a week of cycling. One pair were on a tandem, with a blind stoker – the whole group had met through a “tandem's for the blind” organisation in Epsom. Their last stop had been Josselin (today's destination) and they thoroughly recommended it.
We had no guide for today's route, so we picked the most direct route using minor roads. Some were less minor than others and we are yet to work our how to tell which D-roads are quieter than others. Our route took us through working agricultural country and we passed through hundreds of fields of corn and wheat.
For the first time on our recent cycling journeys, we decided to grab some bread and salad for a picnic rather than eating at a café or pub. We enjoyed the French baguette, which we had strapped to our panniers.
Our final destination, Josselin, is a beautiful medieval town (oldest carved house dates from the 1500s) which has a huge, dominating Chateau overlooking the river Oust. The local tourist information office found us a wonderful B&B (“chambre d'hote”) and a stranger walked us to it while practising his English (turns out he was a close friend of the owners and got invited in for a drink). We have a huge room with a terrace overlooking a walled garden.
We had no guide for today's route, so we picked the most direct route using minor roads. Some were less minor than others and we are yet to work our how to tell which D-roads are quieter than others. Our route took us through working agricultural country and we passed through hundreds of fields of corn and wheat.
For the first time on our recent cycling journeys, we decided to grab some bread and salad for a picnic rather than eating at a café or pub. We enjoyed the French baguette, which we had strapped to our panniers.
Our final destination, Josselin, is a beautiful medieval town (oldest carved house dates from the 1500s) which has a huge, dominating Chateau overlooking the river Oust. The local tourist information office found us a wonderful B&B (“chambre d'hote”) and a stranger walked us to it while practising his English (turns out he was a close friend of the owners and got invited in for a drink). We have a huge room with a terrace overlooking a walled garden.
Day 1 – to Combourg (via Mont St Michel) (115km)
We woke up in our airless internal cabin only an hour before our arrival in St Malo. We grabbed a quick drink at one of the ferry's many cafés before finding our bike on one of the lower decks. Thanks to the helpful dockers, we were one of the first to get on the ferry and one of the first to disembark. As far as we know, were were the only ones cycling onto to ferry – although there were plenty of cars and campers with bikes on bike racks.
After grabbing a quick pain au chocolate at a bakery in St Malo, we headed towards Mont St Michel via a coastal road that was mostly traffic-free. Unlike our coastal riding in Cornwall, the coastal road was quite flat and the weather was beautiful. The otherwise perfect morning was slightly marred by an exploding inner-tube caused by over inflation mixed with hot weather – and we managed to break the pump (a torn rubber seal) while inflating our spare tube. Luckily, we have also been carrying a spare mini- gas canister for emergency inflation.
For lunch, we stopped for a gallette (ie a Breton savoury crepe) which Simon washed down with a bottle of Breton cider. By the time we reached Mont St Michel, it was 3pm and the whole place was awash with tourists (including fully uniformed American and German (?!) soldiers in Normandy for the D-day celebrations). We took a whistle-stop tour and snapped the mandatory holiday pictures (see above) before jumping back on the tandem towards Combourg.
The route took us past a working windmill (and many non-working ones) and through some beautiful forests and villages. By the end (or perhaps slightly before the end), Brittany was completely exhausted – we may have lost some cycling fitness by taking a week off. We eventually found a hotel by a pretty lake just across from Combourg's château.
Wednesday, 3 June 2009
Interlude
Brittany and Simon have taken a week off our holiday to finalise our affairs in England. We shipped 8 boxes and a bike, before later discovering we had missed an extra box worth – so we took a long trip to Park Royal (West London) to ship another box yesterday.
It took several days to clear the clutter from our apartment, but only took one day for some professional cleaners to do their thing. We used the day off to take a final trip to the Midlands to say goodbye to Simon's relatives.
Our landlord paid us back the full deposit yesterday and we closed our front door for the last time this morning. We both have mixed emotions, it was more difficult than we expected to shut the door on this chapter of our lives.
We are now back with the tandem, and after a 2-hour train ride to Portsmouth, we are now relaxing on a ferry bound for St Malo, France. It is here that we will begin the second part of our cycling adventures.
Unlike Lands End to John O'Groats, Simon's planning for this part of the trip has been haphazard/non-existent. The only maps we have for the trip are in French and German. Furthermore, we will understand the locals even less than we did in Scotland...
It took several days to clear the clutter from our apartment, but only took one day for some professional cleaners to do their thing. We used the day off to take a final trip to the Midlands to say goodbye to Simon's relatives.
Our landlord paid us back the full deposit yesterday and we closed our front door for the last time this morning. We both have mixed emotions, it was more difficult than we expected to shut the door on this chapter of our lives.
We are now back with the tandem, and after a 2-hour train ride to Portsmouth, we are now relaxing on a ferry bound for St Malo, France. It is here that we will begin the second part of our cycling adventures.
Unlike Lands End to John O'Groats, Simon's planning for this part of the trip has been haphazard/non-existent. The only maps we have for the trip are in French and German. Furthermore, we will understand the locals even less than we did in Scotland...
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