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Cycling France 2017

September - October 2017
A 36-day adventure by Cindy and Daryl Read more
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  • TravelerCycling France 2017
    Day 24

    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

  • TravelerCycling France 2017
    Day 25

    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

  • TravelerCycling France 2017
    Day 25

    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

  • TravelerCycling France 2017
    Day 27

    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

  • TravelerCycling France 2017
    Day 28

    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

  • TravelerCycling France 2017
    Day 28

    Amboise to Blois. 44 km.

    October 2, 2017 in France ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C

    If the worse we get from the rain is seeing more chateaus than planned... that works for us 👌. No rain today until just checking into our place in Blois...perfect timing (if you have to have rain at all 🙄). And the wind (15 - 20 km/hr) at our backs all day 🌬️...gotta love it!

    The hills out of town first thing gets the blood pumping. Might as well work off that croissant right off the bat. Then a nice ride up on the terrace. Fun checking out the burbs.

    Great variety and good paths all day today...huge corn fields, huge vineyards, farming towns, paths along the river, some thru the forest.

    Lunch beside the Loire...below Chaumont-Sur-Loire. Church bells ringing, chateau up behind (UNESCO site but we're chateau-ed out), sun comes out 😊.

    We checked that we had the plastic bottle for the rest of the wine. Yup...good. But a bit later....oops...no need of it. It was a perfect lunch spot 🙄. Nothing a short nap can't take care of 😁.

    Blois is another neat town...chateau right in the middle of things, pedestrian streets , squares.

    While things are going so well for us, at the same time, our hearts go out to those affected by the terrible attacks in Edmonton, Vegas, Marseilles.    Read more

  • TravelerCycling France 2017
    Day 30

    Blois to Beaugency. 39 km.

    October 4, 2017 in France ⋅ ⛅ 6 °C

    Some of the most beautiful scenery this morning with a good stint right beside La Loire. Headwind today...what's with that?!? Good thing the sun's shining 🌞.

    We didn't push it today (have we ever 😄?). Easy riding (but for the wind)...nice and flat (we like that), combo sun and cloud (pretty good), no rain (yippee!). Ride along the dyke, thru little towns, farmland (always), by nuclear power plant (say what?!!?... didn't see that in the guide books...).

    Usual pique-nique lunch beside La Loire...not tired of this routine yet 😊.

    Got to Beaugency and it worked like the dream. Ride into town, see a small hotel sign on the way to centre ville, walk up the stone steps beside the flower pots and yes...they have "une chambre pour deux personnes ce soir". And great bike storage to boot. Sometimes it all comes together.

    One of the nicest little towns. True they all have similar attractions...narrow cobbled streets, old ruins, winding staircases, outdoor bar/cafes, clock tower, bridges, church or abbey, and in this region...a chateau. We like the scale of Beaugency...it's probably a lot busier in the summer but it doesn't seem too touristy. Church bells are playing a tune as I write this. And we happened on an organ practice in the abbey...very nice. Canals in the street...smaller than the Netherlands but charming. We think this is our favourite town.    Read more

  • TravelerCycling France 2017
    Day 31

    Beaugency to Orleans. 48 km.

    October 5, 2017 in France ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

    Last day of Loire countryside biking...and it was very good 😊. Nice tracks along the river, lots of riding up on the dykes. Sunny but cool today, no wind. We're gonna miss all this 😮.

    Lovely, tranquil lunch spot tucked away behind playing fields. A wetlands park 🏞️ with swans , ducks (the ubiquitous mallard), and birdsong.

    We extended our riding time continuing on the south side of the river...a huge park with the path all along.

    Then we could delay no longer and headed into Orleans. A big big city (.5 m) in comparison to where we've been. Bit of a shock to the system.

    Our crummy hotel didn't help with the transition. Had to move rooms twice because of fourmis 🐜 ...not impressed 😬. Landed finally on the third floor (3 winding staircases up) goodbye to ants, hello to road noise. Only time the whole trip our digs weren't just fine, so a pretty good percentage. Ended up having a very good sleep 😴 so some redemption 🙃.

    A quick look around old Orleans on our way to dinner. Bad ass cathedral will need a look tomorrow. Can't miss Joan of Arc tributes.    Read more

  • TravelerCycling France 2017
    Day 32

    Orleans to Paris

    October 6, 2017 in France ⋅ ⛅ 7 °C

    Petit-dejeuner was pretty good for a half-ass hotel 😄. So we got going later than planned to see the town before our train at 1 pm. Turned out to be plenty of time.

    The cathedral is excellent. We continue to be impressed with these amazing structures that encompass architecture, history, culture, religion and community.

    Next is the Maison Jeanne d'Arc...not open til 2. But try to find that out. For a key site in town you'd figure tourist info might know this? We learned too late that the museum was worth a visit. OK...cafe on the square it is ☕. And a ride on the carousel 🎠.

    Train to Paris went off without a hitch. We got that down 👍. And biking to our hotel went pretty well too. Happy to say it's an improvement over Orleans...esp good since we're here for 3 nights.

    Time to wash our socks again. Our previous experience, help from other friendly customers, and biere at the nearby sports bar while waiting, got us through.

    Check out the neighbourhood, find the marche, and dinner, wrapped up a good, full day.    Read more

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