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Cycling France 2017
  • Cindy and Daryl Brown

Cycling France 2017

A 36-day adventure by Cindy and Daryl Read more
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  • Trip start
    September 5, 2017
    Cindy and Daryl BrownCycling France 2017Traveler

    Getting ready. Richmond-Steveston 65 km

    September 5, 2017 in Canada ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C

    Hello friends and family. We're trying a travel blog for the first time. You're welcome to follow along as we wind our way through Normandy and the Loire.

    This is a test post. We're about to cycle around Richmond today and make final preps to fly out tomorrow. Wish us LUCK!Read more

  • Cindy and Daryl BrownCycling France 2017Traveler

    Premiere jour en France

    September 7, 2017 in France ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

    A long travel day but we made it to Paris and then Versailles.

    We learned a few things in the bike bagging process that will streamline it for next time but the bikes arrived pretty much unscathed.

    A train derailment (detour right off the bat!) added a few hours getting to Versailles, with long lineups for the bus. Good news is we weren't on that train 2 hours before 😯.

    Enjoyed our first French meal ... tres bon!

    Will shrug off the jetlag and set off to find the Veloscenie tomorrow....    Read more

  • Cindy and Daryl BrownCycling France 2017Traveler
    The Veloscenie sign1

    Versailles to Rambouillet. 65 km

    September 8, 2017 in France ⋅ 🌧 14 °C

    A big riding day to start us off...65 km. Way up there for us. We'll have to fix that 😉. Jet lagged and getting organized got us away not until 11.30!

    Cindy fell off her bike right out of the gate...well, not even. Caught her tire in a rut inside the parking garage and down she went. Gracefully tho with no injury or bike damage 🙃.

    Super lucky with the weather today that was threatening to rain the whole time. We got away with a few quick squalls. Wind was something else tho...we got up to 30 as promised - that's fun. Rain started with a vengeance about half hour after checking in to our hotel in Rambouillet 😊.

    Trail today was changeable. We managed to stay pretty much on course thanks to online maps and tracks. We'd still be out there wandering if we had to do it the old paper maps way 🤤. Had some nice riding thru the forests but also some steep hills up and down. The riding that was on road had bike paths except for only a small bit. Drivers have been very courteous so that's all good. The little French towns are quaint, tho not much wandering around yet.

    Another great French dinner ...good thing we're using up calories during the day!    Read more

  • Cindy and Daryl BrownCycling France 2017Traveler
    Aqueduct at Maintenon
    1Picnic lunch1

    Rambouillet to Chartres. 56 km.

    September 10, 2017 in France ⋅ ☁️ 12 °C

    Why pack that raingear if you never use it?? And we confirmed we don't melt when we get wet 🌧️😄🌦️.

    Woke up to a Saturday market right outside our hotel so got lunch food for later. Another late start..not quite caught up to the time zone yet. Much nicer riding track today thru farmland, more tree lined lanes, country roads. The veloscenie leads us thru back lanes we'd never find ourselves. The little towns are one after another ...no more than 100 m apart.

    Lunch in Epernon in a small churchyard ... In the sunshine at that point. We had 🥖 🧀, ham, olives, grapes and 🍷.

    Not long after we took shelter under an overhanging tree beside someone's front gate. Bit of hail and big wind. On our way again in 25 minutes but needed shelter again in Maintenon by the Chateau, beside the aqueduct. Gave in to the rain clothes at this point and had a mix of everything after that. Then Daryl can't shift into his lowest gear so the hills are more ominous tho not bad at all today thank goodness.

    Lovely ride into Chartres along the Greenway. Very cool town. Staying at a chambres-hotes (B&B). Bike friendly and people friendly! Sylvie offered to do our laundry - perfect timing! We'll stay 2 nights and tour the town today - haven't been doing enough of this yet. We'll get DB's bike seen to tomorrow before we head out.

    So far so good 😊.    Read more

  • Cindy and Daryl BrownCycling France 2017Traveler
    1Classic ChartresNo room for the Subaru!Can't fit the cathedral into one pictureInside Chartres cathedral; organ pipesFabulous stained glass. Note the 'Chartres blue'.Cathedral at night (just small circle of light)Chartres Luminieres!Chartres Luminieres on a bridge

    Chartres

    September 11, 2017 in France ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C

    A lovely relaxing day wandering around Chartres. No rain but the wind isn't letting up 🌬️🍃.

    The cathedral is awe-inspiring 🕍.  (Yes...the first one on a Europe trip usually is, I know. Check in with us in a couple of weeks 😉).  This one is known for its stained glass windows, statues and the veil Mary was to have worn at Jesus's birth.

    Cool art museum, many public squares, other churches, old stone walls and roadways, old ramparts.

    Chartres Luminieres at night - spectacular. Hard to catch on camera but you can see how the cathedral and bridges are transformed. The animation was excellent. Worth putting on your list next time you're dans le quartier    Read more

  • Cindy and Daryl BrownCycling France 2017Traveler
    1Biking through fields outside Chartres
    Wind swept cornEspresso shotsReinforcements for the truckersEglise Saint-Jacques, Illiers-Combray1The old well won't work in Jardin de Marcel ProustPilgrimmage route signCracking the creme brulee

    Chambres to Illiers-Combray - 37 km.

    September 11, 2017 in France ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C

    Can you say 'vent'? Vent implacable?? That was our ride today. The wind was coming from the southwest 35+ kph. And we were biking towards...you guessed it...the southwest! I know... first world problem. Out in the middle of huge fields of stubble (some corn still to be harvested) with no wind break, it can be a slog 😣. And it was at times.

    But ... we're cycling in France 🍷😍. Good bike paths the whole way (37 km that was more like 70); espresso at a truck stop where the truckers were lined up at the bar for their shot of alcohol before heading back out on the road; gourmet picnic lunch at the requisite church yard (cut a bit short by a few raindrops that never amounted to anything wet); get to Illiers-Combray by 3 pm (the perfect time to stop when you're slackers like us) and take just less than an hour to find our hotel within a 500 metre radius 😜.

    Illiers-Combray is no metropolis (3400 ppl) but we enjoyed a bit of down time before checking out the church (quite nice for a place this size), touring the Jardin de Marcel Proust (French author who stayed here and used this town in his writings), and walking a bit (a very tiny bit) of the pilgrim trail that runs through here. Finished the evening with another 'repas delicieux' complete with creme brulee...tough to take.

    Checking the weather forecast here for the days ahead. Looks pretty nice at home 🤔.    Read more

  • Cindy and Daryl BrownCycling France 2017Traveler
    1Arc de triomphe
    2Cindy coming out of her Lamborghini......to join the lineup for Louis Vuitton 😉Crowds on Champs-ElyseesBut it's ok for now.This is them....And this is us... 😊Worried about the rusting tower 😯

    Adapting on the fly...

    September 12, 2017 in France ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C

    When the going gets tough, the tough get going...out of Dodge 😂.

    After 3 days of cycling we really aren't very far from the big city so we left our bikes and panniers behind and headed to Paris 🗼! Another day...or 3... battling the wind and rain didn't sound quite as good as sipping wine in a roadside cafe.

    We still got our distance in ... walking 17 km around the city. Les Invalides monument, Eiffel tower (of course - but just from the ground), Champs-Elysees, Arc de Triomphe. Got lucky twice finding ourselves watching a rain burst while enjoying a beverage. (That either says something about our luck or time spent in cafes 😄).

    Weather is supposed to improve closer to the weekend so we'll spend another day or so here. Hmmm...wonder if we can find enough to fill our time.    Read more

  • Cindy and Daryl BrownCycling France 2017Traveler
    French Senate amidst huge gardens
    Jardin du Luxembourg - wonderful walking2nd largest RC eglise - St. SulpiceThats an old church! St. Germain des PresMetro musiciansCity rental bikes double as students' lunch spotMusee D'Orsay...more than a refuge from the rain1Scandalous art (at the time) by Manet1Hmmmm 🤑Feeling at home on the Seine

    How you gonna keep 'em down on the farm

    September 14, 2017 in France ⋅ 🌙 10 °C

    ...after they've seen Paree!

    Fabulous few days in the city d'amour 😍

    Our decision panned out. The wind and rain continued and we could take the metro, sip wine in cafes and enjoy the work of famous artists ... rather than getting wet and blown around for hours on end.

    Paris didn't disappoint. The Musee D'Orsay was our refuge on the rainy day - Manet, Monet, G'day 😄.

    Saw a bit of everything on our walk today... second largest Catholic church in Paris, oldest church, oldest cafe, Place St Michel - where a mass worker demonstration brought down DeGaulle, the original Odeon theatre, Jardin de Luxembourg around the Senate. Used a great walking app - gpsmycity.com. The must-have Paris fashion accessory is the scarf...on 80% of women and at least half of all men.

    Sailed through the metro like old pros - pas de problem ☺️. Rode the train back to the town where we left our bikes, along with throngs of students commuting to Chartres each day from the country. Teenagers are the same everywhere!

    Plan B est fini. Demain, nous allons faire du velo. Nous esperons le bon temps.    Read more

  • Cindy and Daryl BrownCycling France 2017Traveler
    Rolling French countryside
    Eiffel tower paint!Scenic bywaysPain du chocolat 🤑Lunch by Thiron-Gardais abbeyCan take this all day long15th century accommodation Nogent-le-RotrouAntiques3Door to our roomOur patron is the author

    Illiers-Combray - Nogent-le-Retrou 59 km

    September 16, 2017 in France ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C

    Our detour behind us, we got back to business. Our hotel patron Olivier saw us off. He had renovated his hotel and got some paint from an 88 year old friend who had painted the Eiffel Tower 🗼 (well...not all by himself 🤣). So he still has it - maybe it'll help with the rust!

    A beautiful day. Some wind (and yes...coming right toward us) but not bad. Met a Dutch couple cycling the other direction because "we're from Amsterdam and we know the wind comes from the west". Gotta love that local knowledge.

    An unseasonably cool 8 degrees to start the morning, but sunny. Rolling countryside. Just enough hill to get the heart rate up but not enough to discourage. Big farms. French Charlais cattle. Expansive countryside views.

    Coffee stop at Fraze. Finally seeing other cyclists and flower-filled bicycles marking the Veloscenie. Pain du chocolat et pain du pommes...just reward for a two hour leisurely ride 😋.

    Lunch by the abbey at Thiron-Garais. Sausage from an award winning charcuterie, cheese, bread, olives, wine. Haven't tired of this menu yet! Then....il pleut 🌦️. Waited it out, got the rain clothes on, but off they came within a half hour and rode into Nogent-le-Rotrou in the sunshine.

    Quite the accommodation tonite. 15th century manor 🏰 ...that's old! Gated courtyard, large common room with a suit-of-armour boot and many other antiques. Our patron is a former antiques dealer and a well-known (in those circles) key expert. Winding stone staircase to our room, wood shuttered windows. Very cool. (But they do have running water 😉).    Read more

  • Cindy and Daryl BrownCycling France 2017Traveler
    Le Voie Vert
    Great signageMorning fogSun dappled...The views dont quit!Ample warning...Uh-ohHotel Tribunal, Mortagne-au-PercheSome of the localsWho go there?

    Nogent-le-Retrou;Mortagne-au-Perche 44 k

    September 17, 2017 in France ⋅ ☁️ 9 °C

    Amazing bike path today for 3/4 of the ride. Converted railway line ... like ours at home but on steroids 😃. So hills were just getting into and out of the towns. We needed the hills in the morning to try and warm up. 7 degrees to start out...Brrrrr!
    But the good news...no wind, no rain 😀. Now that's supposed to change today so stay tuned. (You sure do talk a lot about the weather when you're on a bike!).

    Very agricultural around here 🚜...with big field views, odours 😝, and four-legged friends to go with it. Very pleasant!

    The path made navigation super easy today. Until we ignored the 'deviation' sign so we could keep off the roads longer. Soon saw they were serious as the path turned skinny, wet and rutted. Then (and I called it!) a tree down across the path. Daryl's braun came to the rescue and I scooted the bikes along the side while he held the tree back. Voila! On the other side. But we'll follow the signs next time I figure.

    Great hotel in Mortagne-au-Perche. Super bike friendly with supplies for oiling and cleaning at the ready. And then a fabulous French dinner. Cool town. Tho tough to capture in photos...they all start looking the same 😄.

    On the bike maintenance file now my new bike has a problem. A piece of the front fork broke and my fender support brace came loose. Daryl taped it up and there's not really a permanent fix so we'll hope that does the trick. Ya figure ya should be good to go with new bikes!

    Off for petit-dejeuner. Can guarantee there'll be fresh baguette and croissants. Good thing we're using calories during the day...tho not sure the balance will fall on the right side 😮.    Read more

  • Cindy and Daryl BrownCycling France 2017Traveler
    Lunch timeThis was available for a good price 😄I think I can...Lemme see here...Alencon City HallDaryl's new friendUgliest car ever...Could be Bowker Creek...back in the dayA good omen

    Mortagne-au-Perche to Alencon. 43 km

    September 17, 2017, Alençon Railway Station ⋅ ⛅ 10 °C

    Voir Verte ride, on the dedicated path, the whole way today - not too shabby. Only 43 km but enough for these bikers. Picnic lunch in a community park this time, but church steeple still in view 🤑.

    Good call to stop early in a slightly larger town, as 5 km out we get our first flat tire. Cindy's tire. Back one...of course. Good news is it isn't raining. And we patch it up pronto. (A bit of the Royal 'we' in there but I certainly helped and took good notes for next time 🙃).

    Alencon on a Sunday - locked down, shuttered up. Walked for half an hour to find no open restaurants and only one open bar - which we tried with good success 🍻. Did finally happen on to a car show - Ferraris and the like.

    Nice town. Government offices get all the old heritage buildings.    Read more

  • Cindy and Daryl BrownCycling France 2017Traveler
    Cycling thru the foret de la Motte
    Down hill. You know what's next !!Views are the rewardLunch companyThose hills tucker you out 😴Lots of theseThrough the guard houseView from our hotel windowKids at heart 😄

    Alencon to Bagnoles-de-L'Orne. 56 km

    September 18, 2017 in France ⋅ 🌙 9 °C

    Today we found the hills!!! 56 km and it was up and down virtually the whole way. Good for what ails ya! But not so good for the knees 😲. We think that'll be the worst of it 🤞.

    Lovely sunshine all morning 🌞 and tho it cooled, the rain never materialized. We stopped to put on, and take off layers 26 times (or so it seemed). Lots of riding thru forests today...very nice.

    A flock of small sheep joined us for lunch.
    Chateau Carrouges very impressive tho we didn't go inside. Lots of those on the Loire later ☺️.

    Staying in Bagnoles de La"Orne. Thermal baths are its claim to fame...a French Baden-Baden but doesn't hold a candle. Pretty phoney really. Totally different from anywhere else we've been. Happy with our hotel tho... not so much with our dinner. Had the house specialty...smoked sausage on a spit (more like smoked s**t on a stick) 😛. So not all French food gets a 👍.    Read more

  • Cindy and Daryl BrownCycling France 2017Traveler
    1Breathtaking forest ride
    A welcome rest spotRemote picture taking my new trickDomfrontCafe stop, Domfront1Lighting candles thru France for MomHarvest time1Almost looks fake...I see you!Maison des Isles, St. Hilaire du Harcouet

    Bagnoles - St Hilaire du Harcouet. 66 km

    September 19, 2017 in France ⋅ 🌙 24 °C

    Best day yet. Tout parfait!

    Weather was sunny, riding was easy - flat and off road, beautiful area, quintessentially French towns, fellow cyclists to talk to and quaint gite to stay in. Dinner much better too 😄.

    Finally some company on the veloscenie... as we get closer to Le Mont St Michel abbey. We kept leap-frogging a group of six cyclists from France. Three had electric bikes and were looking for a place to recharge. By the time we get ours the technology should be better 😁.

    A break at Domfront was ideal...cafe in the square in front of the church. Medieval buildings, crooked laneways. Lunch at one of many picnic tables along the way. Rich, rich agriculture. Loaded fruit trees. Cattle every 5 minutes - felt like buddies along the path 😃. The forest ride awesome.

    A bit challenging finding our gite without a specific address but a warm welcome when we got here. Accommodation has worked out great. Only once called to find no room available. Might be different on the Loire....

    A demain 😘.    Read more

  • Cindy and Daryl BrownCycling France 2017Traveler
    Harvested field
    1Our gite owner was an antique collectorLeftover baguette...they dont eat the crusts!Flower bouquet outside Ducey chateauThe elusive baguette....No wonder there's so much cheese hereThis isn't 'family' riding 😒Just a little breakBest Western, PontorsonGarden view from our room

    Veloscenie..✔️St Hilaire-Pontorson 51 km

    September 21, 2017 in France ⋅ ⛅ 10 °C

    477 km and 9 days of riding and we conquered the Veloscenie 🚴🚴‍♀️. The first leg of our bike tour. Feel especially proud of the 'expert' section with all the hills but most enjoyed the 'family' portions 😄.

    We had a leisurely ride today, taking time to stop and tour Ducey. Not a lot to write home about there but their little walk tried hard to convince us otherwise 🤔. Bit of lipstick on a pig but the flower beds and baskets were great and the 'cafe long' delicious as always.

    Now to find a baguette for lunch. As usual, most of the stores are closed up tight...don't know how these places make it! And everything closes between 12:30 and 2, so it's a race to find the boulangerie. Have to be a detective 🕵️...see someone walking down the street with a baguette 🥖 then figure out where they're coming from. Success! So we have our usual lunch, today beside the local chateau which is...closed 😛.

    Here in Pontorson now, just outside Le Mont St. Michel which we'll visit tomorrow. Staying at the best western (a popular chain here too). An impressive building from the 1600's.

    A few days off the bike now as we tour Le Mont St Michel and take a side trip north (no spoiler alerts... stay tuned) 😃.    Read more

  • Cindy and Daryl BrownCycling France 2017Traveler
    Le Mont Saint Michel
    Mud flats around Mont St. Michel; dam in the distanceAmazing architectureThe Guests' Hall...one of many HUGE roomsBeaucoip de escaliersLe Roue GrandMass at the AbbeyPilgrims make the trekNeighbourhood boules'I love this bar'. 🎶🎶

    Pontorson to Mont st Michel rtn. 21 km

    September 22, 2017 in France ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C

    ...if you haven't yet been to Le Mont Saint Michel. C'est magnifique!

    Quite mind-boggling how they managed to build a whole little town on a piece of granite in the middle of the bay. Monks on top in the abbey, then the knights, then workers and pilgrims on the bottom. And they did a good job because the mont was never conquered during the 100 years war, despite a 30 year siege!

    We wondered how they got all the equipment and materials up here until we came to 'le roue grand' Six prisoners would walk inside this big wheel and supplies got hoisted up by a pulley. I wouldn't have minded a ride up that way...the old stairs got pretty steep near the top 😄.

    We arrived at the abbey just as mass was beginning and were treated to the nuns' angelic singing - wonderful. Intricate architecture and amazing engineering at every turn. Although they're set up to handle 3 million tourists a year with a dyke walkway and bridge, some still make the traditional pilgrim's trek across the flats at low tide.

    Over the years the bay began to silt up from human interference, so they quite recently installed a dam at the mouth of the river. They release the dammed water regularly to help flush the sediments out to sea, thus keeping Le Mont an island!

    Capped the evening with the local Normandie brandy (made from apples) - called Calvados. En Sante!    Read more

  • Cindy and Daryl BrownCycling France 2017Traveler
    Bayeux tapestry...Harold got it in the eye!
    Welcome to BayeuxJust around the corner from our chambres-hotesRivals Chartres maybe...Cool cathedral doorsCathedral at nightStone path worn by countless footsteps...Daryl can't get enough of those cathedral shots 😄

    Friday... must be Bayeux

    September 23, 2017 in France ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C

    A little train trip north, putting bicycles on and off with ease, and we're in the cute town of Bayeux near the D-day beaches.

    You know you're in tourist zone when everyone's French accent is as bad as yours. Quite a difference from the little French villages we've been in so far.

    Home of the Bayeux tapestry. Another incredible feat. Almost 70 m long chronicling the battle of Hastings in 1066 when William the Conqueror became King of England. Daryl remembers learning in school that Harold (who broke his oath to William and crowned himself king) got an arrow in the eye. Sweet justice. Because of that lesson Daryl has never appointed himself King of Englsnd. 👑

    Walk of the town also on the agenda. The cathedral here is amazing. Ok...it's not on a granite island... but it's right up there with Mont St Michel and Chartres. Who knew we'd still be impressed with cathedrals 2-1/2 weeks in?    Read more

  • Cindy and Daryl BrownCycling France 2017Traveler
    Canadian Cemetery D Day battles
    Why did D Day happen?Cindy storming Juno beachRace to the seawall for protectionBunker-broadDinner at 'home'Bicycles...weapons of mass destructionRan into these 3 amigos at the beach.Nancy Ryan... childhood reminiscingWilliam the Conqueror. RIP.

    D-Day

    September 24, 2017 in France ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C

    A full day tour of Juno Beach and surrounding area focused on Canadian involvement in D-Day...the beginning of the end of WW II.

    Was a beautiful day, so hard to imagine the ships, bombardments, artillery, equipment, troops, killing, confusion on the beaches 73 years ago. Quite the strategy and coordinated effort among the Allies. Saw Juno beach (where the Canadians landed), German bunkers, Abbatiale St. Etienne in Caen where William the conqueror is buried, Canadian cemetery (very beautiful and well-kept), museum...all very good. The Canadians and the Brits brought bicycles with them to cover ground quickly and quietly once on shore!

    Back in Bayeux we wandered thru a little market, people-watched while we had a biere at a cafe, then picked up stuff for supper. For the first time we had dinner at our chambres-hotes that had a common kitchen area. Nice to have a break from going out.

    And a very cool coincidence today. Got talking to a woman on the tour. Her husband was in the forces... so was my Dad.

    Woman: Were you ever in Centralia?
    Me: Yes, for 2 years.
    Woman: I went to Exeter for high school.
    Me: I was in elementary school at the time.
    Woman: We lived in Mt. Carmel.
    Me: Really? Us too!

    (Mt. Carmel is a farming hamlet with just 13 houses on the main street).

    Woman: What's your name?
    Me: Majocha
    Woman: My sister used to babysit you! You had twins in the family.

    Unbelievable!! It was sooooo cool talking to her about the village and the people there...she knew them all. Including the 'spooky' house we used to run past 😯. Her father farmed and also drove machinery on the base and Dad remembers him too! Such a small world!    Read more

  • Cindy and Daryl BrownCycling France 2017Traveler
    Charles de Gaulle park, Bayeux
    Random street, BayeuxIt's not all medieval 😜Le Castel chambres-hotes, BayeuxMicky as a 19 yr old artillery guy? Except in GermanyGot this train thing figured out...The way the French chien roll...Nantes Chateau...won't be the last...

    Bayeux to Nantes

    September 24, 2017 in France ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

    Bayeux - what a cute town. Very walkable, medieval buildings, lots of history, lots of services. One of the few places in Normandie to escape ruin during the war. Enjoyed a leisurely morning checking it out some more. Battle of Normandie museum, Charles de Gaulle park (every town in France has some memorial to de Gaulle), old buildings, winding streets.

    Train to Nantes, with a change in Rennes. We're getting good at this...finding our platform, the little elevators that barely fit one bike and panniers, getting on and off the trains before they take off.

    Big pedestrian centre ville with countless restaurants and shops. Bustling on a Sunday night.. quite the change from a week ago in little Alencon.

    Nantes chateau just up the street. Loire Valley...here we come!    Read more

  • Cindy and Daryl BrownCycling France 2017Traveler
    Our Loire adventure begins
    Old historic bridgeIl pleut dans la LoireDang that rainWet ridingGoegeous back channel ridingThe Duke in his manorCobblestone nastiness...good thing not much of this1Only guests at the manorView of La Loire from our room

    Nantes to Montjean sur Loire. 69 km

    September 25, 2017 in France ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C

    A bit of everything for our first day on the Loire. A hopeful start with a nice pathway right beside the mighty River as we cycled out of Nantes. Then...il pleut 🌧️. We took refuge under trees 🌳 a couple of times to wait for the lighter rain. But the worst was the path . Narrow, muddy, bumpy, below the train tracks. Grit in my brakes and gears...not happy about that. I jumped each time the train whistle blew thinking I was in the way 🤤.

    After that we enjoyed lunch at a restaurant that was in the right place at the right time. So after the worst bit of riding yet, we had the best value beer and lunch. There you go...it all works out.

    Much better riding in the afternoon. Especially an idyllic piece along a back channel. The Loire itself is pretty brown looking. Think the best is yet to come.

    Stayed in a small town - Montjean Sur Loire. Very small. Church, grocery store and not a lot else. Booked a chambres-hotes thru booking.com that turned out to be at the very top of the town. Once we made it up up up (pushing our bikes of course!) it's a very cool old manor with super views. Actually written up in the guide books with a history of being a castle then a monastery back in the day.

    69 km today despite the rain delays, so will sleep well.    Read more

  • Cindy and Daryl BrownCycling France 2017Traveler
    La velo Loire
    Manoir a Montjean sur LoireFirst vineyard glimpseDyke ridingCool little townsThe odd good view...Sun at our backsManoir la BoussiniereBird's eye viewThere was a view here yesterday...

    Montjean-sur-Loire to Boussiere. 70 km.

    September 27, 2017 in France ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C

    Another 70 km. Another manoir. Ho-hum..😏. Tho with a little bit of adventure.

    Great variety on our ride today and all good paths. Still lots of farmland, forest patches. The Euro-velo took us thru lots of small towns today... very cool riding thru their narrow winding streets. Riding up along the dykes for a good part of the time. And of course along la Loire or a side channel.

    Late getaway after chatting to our hostess Mlyne who's an artist. She wants to spend more time in her craft but the manor keeps her pretty busy. And we think there's always stuff to do around our place! It's for sale...I have her card if you're interested 😊.

    Late coffee with a sampling of the local fromage. It's lunchtime for the workers...their usual 2-1/2 hours for une biere (ou deux), dejeuner-midi, et le nap. A different pace of life.

    Picnic lunch - with wine and more cheese - beside la Loire. Then...what's this?...Get out the lunettes de soleil 🌞! Sun at the back feels great! Pass through the town of Savonnieres, that produces some of the best dry white wine in the world. Duly noted 🤔.

    All going according to plan. Reach the town of St Mathurin Sur Loire at 4:30 pm, stock up at the epicerie and find a chambre. Well...not so fast. Only 2 (small) places right in the town and both full. Phone from the tourist info to others in the area...tout complet or get an answering machine which of course I can't understand. Uh-oh...here it comes 😯. The biker's fear come true!

    Now 5:30 pm and still time to get to the larger town of Saumur - 35 km away - but need to boot it to arrive before dark. So boot it we do, keeping our eyes open for chambres-d'hotes along the way.

    See a sign and take the road a la droite. Can't see any place, so why not ask the locals? Oh yah...we don't speak their language 🙄. (A bit surprised at how little English is spoken in what is a pretty major tourist area). Back to the main road. See another sign a ways ahead and turn a la droite aussi. But just how far up this road is this chambre....no idea. Back to the main road. A little more time wasted 😯.

    45 minutes later - Voila! La Boussiniere chambres-d'hotes. In the middle of nowhere (tho not much is too far around here...just lots farther on a bike!). Another very cool manor up on the hill, built in 1626. Just one other set of guests...c'est tout. So lots of places to stay...you just have to know where to find them 🙄. We now have places booked for the next 4 nights 🤣.    Read more

  • Cindy and Daryl BrownCycling France 2017Traveler
    Gennes
    This manoir also for saleSomething we need...Bike hospitalScenic ridingFrench forestCathedral in SaumurDefinitely in wine country nowTroglodyte cavesCastle above our square in Chinon

    Boussiere to Chinon. 55 km

    September 28, 2017 in France ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C

    Lesson for today...just because it says 'Euro Velo' doesn't mean it's the best way forward.

    We took our time again this morning, enjoyed the fresh (always) croissants and bread, fresh preserves, fruit, coffee and juice. (heard Monsieur drive in from the boulangerie before we were up).

    One km down the road to Gennes and we follow the 'velo reparation' sign. Daryl's make-do gears have been complaining. A great bike shop with a guy who knew the ropes did the trick. Out he comes with a new shifter installed...firing on all cylinders again🤸🤸! So even tho it's already noon and we've gone 1 km.... we stop for coffee ☕.

    Okay now, let's get rolling. But first we must stop to get bread and wine for lunch. And Daryl needs new sunglasses - having sat on one pair and breaking another up on his head. Significant avoidance behaviour today.

    Okay now, let's get rolling...really! But speed isn't happening on the rolling (aka hilly) countryside. The bike route takes us off the river...just a bit, but... Lovely views for sure but we study the map hard over lunch in a park just outside Saumur, beside La Loire channel.

    Finally get some clics under our belt. Saumur is a totally cute medieval town. We have to keep going however since we have a place booked in Chinon 30+ km away yet (playing it safe after yesterday 😄). Taking the road less traveled keeps us right beside the Loire and thru some great parks, forests, and outskirts of towns...real living. Past troglodyte caves and wineries. One particularly bumpy route to avoid a hill into town... not sure we saved any time but very scenic.

    We'll hang our hat in Chinon for 2 nights. Back to the best western, Hotel de France. Castle just above us, room right on the square...the better to find a rejuvenating biere after our 55 km 😋.    Read more

  • Cindy and Daryl BrownCycling France 2017Traveler
    Chinon Castle
    Crossing the bridge to ChinonVienne River and areaChateau de ChinonCustom made for crossbowsChinon town seen from the fortressStreets of ChinonSock washing spot 😁Victoria's not the only place that can do hanging basketsRelaxing after dinner

    A Day Off...

    September 29, 2017 in France ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C

    Ok...so it's all relative. But cycling can be hard work you know 🤑.

    First, we had to wash our socks. A wonderful lady showed us the drill at the laverie. The money goes in here...soap pops out on the opposite wall over there. Who knew??

    Next, a walk instead of a bike ride. Did the town of Chinon up right. Cool medieval buildings, worn cobble roads, Vienne River walkway. Noticeable number of empty shops but Wilfrid is waiting to cut your hair 💇‍♂️.

    Then up to the castle fortress 🏰. The real deal here. Huge thick rock walls, catapults and crossbows, moats, towers, narrow firing windows. Joan of Arc presented to King Charles VII here.

    Back in the town a sidewalk biere is in order since the wine tasting places we looked for are closed. Leffe est tres bon. Buy lunch at the epicerie to have at our rooftop terrace (all to ourselves) with rose wine of the region.

    Now a nap is in order 😴 Been a tough day and you don't know when we'll get the chance again....

    Dinner reservation at Restaurant Cote Jardin. - a Rick Steves recommend. It was choc-a-bloc last night and almost empty tonite. Go figure. Fantastic meal in a cool old building.

    Finish with a nightcap in the sitting area outside our room. Up and at 'em tomorrow...back in the saddle first thing 🙃.

    PS. Haven't talked about the weather today. That's because it's gorgeous and not an issue 😄. 26 degrees and sunny.    Read more

  • Cindy and Daryl BrownCycling France 2017Traveler
    Garden excess at Villandry
    Crazy good gardensWho knew vegetables could look so good!Crazy topiary at VilandryCorn anyone? 🌽Ready for lunch...Great lunch stopObligatory napFunky B&BCooking the old style

    Chinon to Villandry. 40 km

    September 29, 2017 in France ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

    The stars aligned today.

    Sunshine, flat riding along la Loire, easy pace, easy distance (40 km), what wind there was..at our back, great scenery. Cafe in Huisme showed up at the perfect time for cafe avec pain du chocolate. Same for the lunch spot at Brehemont with the epicerie open to buy du vin. Finish riding at 2:30, funky / wabi-sabi B&B, outstanding gardens at the chateaux, interesting dinner companion.

    Three weeks in and we finally got the pace just right 😃😀!

    Villandry chateau was good but the gardens spectacular! Unimaginable. The pics don't do justice...as usual. It takes 3 full-time gardeners 4 months to prune the 1084 lime trees each year.

    Little adventure trying to get stamps. We stop at a litte town for lunch. Church bells ring noon. I walk over to the post office but they've just closed...less than 2 minutes...and won't sell me a stamp. They open again on Tuesday! Later at the chateau gift shop I ask if they sell stamps. Yes, but you have to buy a postcard. OK...if I buy a postcard can I get more stamps? Nope....and I quote: "One postcard, one stamp". 🤤    Read more

  • Cindy and Daryl BrownCycling France 2017Traveler
    Beautiful morning in Savonnieres
    Morning cycling 😊Tours cathedralCycling among the vineyardsA wee break from riding...Guy thinks he's Ricky Fowler 😄Bikers alert! Church cycling group?Amboise churchAmboise Chateau. (They're everywhere here!)Love these doors

    Villandry to Amboise. 52 km

    October 1, 2017 in France ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C

    Our funky B&B was fine but the dinner and brekky just so-so...aren't we getting picky 😜. Think I'd get tired of ducking under beams pretty quickly too (not to mention Daryl!). Nice lady tho.

    Gorgeous ride in the morning...neat towns, nice track and views. Bit of a slog thru Tours mid-day but the bike route well marked and the cathedral jaw-dropping.

    Then into wine country with a vengeance...very tasty in fact 😋. Hanging our hat in Amboise for a couple nites. Balcony off our room is nice. Chateau right around the corner; oozing history. Definite tourist destination with usual tradeoffs...people watching always fun 👬👩‍🚒💩.    Read more

  • Cindy and Daryl BrownCycling France 2017Traveler
    Chenonceau over the Rive Cher
    Entry to ChenonceauAt ChambordFamous double staircase at ChambordLooks comfy enoughIntrixate wood workChambord gardens..not too shabbyCheverny...a more manageable size?Monogrammed houndsLego creations at Cheverny

    Chateau Central!

    October 2, 2017 in France ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C

    We had every intention of riding to one of the best chateaus in La Loire (according to Rick Steves), then Mother Nature got in the way. We got lucky to get 2 seats in a tour van going to three chateaus. Two more than we were planning to visit, but a better option than being out in miserable weather.

    The tour got us discount entry fees and head of the line. LOTS of people want to see chateaus 🎎🎎🎎.

    Each one different but all had incredible stone work, thickness of the walls, tapestries (needed to keep these places warm somehow), classic furniture, artwork and portraits, copper pot collections in the kitchens, huge firelogs, four poster beds...in every one.

    Chambord is the great grand-daddy of them all. Largest wall enclosed park in Europe (13450 ac) still with wild boar and deer. Awesome architecture laid out in shape of a Greek cross and a double-helix staircase in the middle. Six times the size of the average Loire chateau.

    Chenonceau...most visited chateau. Impeccable gardens, amazing treed entry, fancy furniture. Housed the mistress of Henry II until he died and his wife kicked her out. Oh the drama 😮. The wife and the mistress each have their own garden. It was used as a military hospital in WWI.

    Cheverny...a more manageable scale and the owners still live on the top floor. Been in the same family for 600 years. Where the Mona Lisa and other Louvre art was hidden from the Nazis during WWII. The owner still hunts on the huge property and keeps 90+ hounds to do this. Lego creations throughout. Not sure where they came from but quite cool.

    Topped the day off with a fancy dinner at a private chateau around the corner...Chateau de Pray. Every dish exquisite. Ended up being an epic meal (3-1/2 hrs...no hurrying you out of this place!). Healthy price tag ...but it evens out by the minute 😄.    Read more

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