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The Raining (a journey Home)The Raining (a journey Home)
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The Raining (a journey Home)

September - October 2024
  • AliceAlain
Alice is travelling solo, direction UK. Despite booking nice weather it has mostly been wet and grey and cool. One might say it is sun yesterday and sun tomorrow but never sun today… Read more
  • AliceAlain

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  • England England
  • France France
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  • AliceAlainTravelerThe Raining (a journey Home)
    The morning after (col du sac)
    Col du SacFerns and feetFancy passing the winter here?Descending from the col through the old ski resortThe old tramway. The cafe is open and kindly gives me water.2View from Pont des PierresThe woods and hills of the JuraFinally I find somewhere to spend the night

    Across the Jura

    September 22, 2024 in France ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

    And she’s off! Destination UK. Time to try the trip properly and without any nasty aeroplane. This is to be a solo trip.

    The first hill will be the biggest hill of the entire journey as there is 1000m to climb to get over the Jura. Alain is tasked with accompanying me to the top. The luggage feels super heavy and my legs very off-form. Half way up I decide I should trim my load and donate it to Alain to take back. Despite the reduction, its still a struggle to the top. And after a rather tardy afternoon start, it’s practically dark when we get to the col. I give Alain the spare front light as a gesture of good will and he bravely pedals down in dark and chill. I am tucked up asleep before he is home.

     It is very sombre and heavily wooded on the col and about as pitch black as it gets. There are no views what so ever. In the morning I am awoken by the planes crossing low over the Jura en route to the airport.

    Just below the col is a tiny cabin. With a notice explaining how an employee of the electricity company was posted here. If the main lines came down with snow he would telephone the news so they could cut the power and then send help.

    Its a grey damp drizzly day. Although I have not cycled this col before, the next leg is not so far from Bellegarde and is familiar. I pass the old tramway and the impressive bridge of the rocks and then follow a lovely high route with views down to the main valley with railway and motorway - the one that links our corner to the rest of france and which I am happy to avoid. Its raining so no photos.

    I have a plan to camp at Lake Ginan… but when I get there the campsite says its full and only takes annual bookings. I call one or two hotels and they are all full, so its time to seek a discrete spot in the woods. It’s very steep and the woods have dense undergrowth. I am almost out of time and options when finally I find a small stream with benches and a walkway. Phew. I tuck in ready for a very wet evening and night.    Read more

  • AliceAlainTravelerThe Raining (a journey Home)
    Crossing the Ain
    Lunch timeLook hard and you might see the autumn crociiBlue sky in the afternoonTime to descend out of the Jura down to the plain

    Another wet day

    September 23, 2024 in France ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C

    Its another wet day. I pass a dry moment on a bench at the supermarket in Oyonnax whilst the heaviest rain passes through. Then in and out of showers as I bump my way out of the Jura. I cross the Ain (river) and climb another hill or 2 and at last its starting to ease. The sun even makes it out and the climbs are lessening and I have a descent into the plain to look forward to.

    After all that wet I have reserved myself a room for the night. Google somewhat alarmingly routes me across what is essentially a field. I concede it has a point, its a very efficient solution!    Read more

  • AliceAlainTravelerThe Raining (a journey Home)
    Tournus Abbey
    The plain brings new architectural stylesSaint- AmourThats a threatening sky...Wood framed housesThis is a Sarrasine chimney. There are several signed on the roadsBourgogne (Burghundy)TournusTournus abbeyTournus is right on the edge of many boundaries

    To Tournus

    September 24, 2024 in France ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

    This morning I will cross the countryside heading for Burgundy, the Saône river and the town of Tournus. The weather is threatening but not raining as yet.

    Saint Amour is a sleepy little town which I gently explore before getting on my way.
    The hills and woods of the Jura are replaced by rolling fields and pretty wood-framed houses. I pass through an area with road directions to various Sarrasine chimneys. Where else are chimneys signed, I ponder?Soon I roll into Tournus and am suddenly back amongst people. There are cyclists on the cycle route following the Saône, a campsite and an Abbey and tourists. Its a lovely place and its dry. I spend the late afternoon exploring the town and abbey and taking it gently.    Read more

  • AliceAlainTravelerThe Raining (a journey Home)
    EleganceSuch a nice gear lever!This is just a single chain. Different gears pedalling forward to pedalling backward.Two chains each with 3 gears makes for 6 gears.This is how you break the cycling speed record - nearly 205 km/h6There is something very wrong with this bike. I know because I rode it. I will let you figure it out

    The bike museum

    September 24, 2024 in France ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C

    It would be churlish not to visit a bike museum that falls so close to my route. There is plenty to see. So many weird and wonderful mechanical concoctions.

    And after the visit, the chance to try some novel bikes. There is a modern penny farthing of modest size and a kangaroo bike (yup, you have to jump up and down to make the wheels go around). The third I leave you to admire from the photos :-). As I had not studied the bike before trying it out I was a bit taken by surprise!Read more

  • AliceAlainTravelerThe Raining (a journey Home)
    The main square in Chalon sur Saône
    The SaôneThe tail wind silvers the treesArriving into Chalon sur SaôneNow following the Canal CentraleDinner time!

    Along the Saône

    September 25, 2024 in France ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

    I am cycling along the Saône on a cycle path. Its dry and easy with a slight tail wind. Its like a different world. There are plenty of other cyclists around and it’s gently pretty.
    By lunchtime its getting overcast once more. I pay a visit to Chalon sur Saône wandering the streets. The cathedral is closed for repair so I skip that. One more leg, this time along the canal and I make it to the campsite just as the rain starts. Luckily there is a sheltered table where I can cook tonight.Read more

  • AliceAlainTravelerThe Raining (a journey Home)
    Chateau Sully
    An old railway station on the Voie Vert (cycle route). I wonder how it got this name.Someone has been decorating the cycle route. Mile after mile of it. A linear work of artA wet castle for a wet day

    Dripping in Chateau Sully

    September 26, 2024 in France ⋅ 🌧 16 °C

    Its raining. The forecast is terrible. One of those days. I grit my teeth and get the sodden tent down and packed. This area of Burgundy has loads of cycle routes. Today I will largely be on old railway lines. Alone… its really quiet out (can’t imagine why). Pretty well just me, and a load of slugs.

    I arrive cold and sodden at Chateau Sully, arms in cormorant pose, dripping. The chateau is charmingly surrounded by a moat full of … water. The staff are very kind and find a dry spot for Maisie and a cup of tea for me. The interior tour allows me to dry off a little. Revised status: rather damp instead of dripping. The worst of the rain has passed by time I leave. I pedal on to Autun, a roman town and manage to pitch my tent between showers.    Read more

  • AliceAlainTravelerThe Raining (a journey Home)
    At least they don't leave holes. But still. Yuck.
    1Roman gate AutunRoman amphitheater in the rain in AutunThe cathedralWith magnificent doorway.Lac settonAfter ratLeaking groundsheet

    Rain, wind, slugs and the rat

    September 27, 2024 in France ⋅ ⛅ 11 °C

    There are slugs everywhere. Big yucky ones. They climb the tent, the water bottles, the pan and the panniers. I find them in my shoes and I can’t figure out how to stop it. Torch now required for inspection each time I exit the tent..

    Its wet and windy and I am fed up. I wait a while until the heavy morning shower is over and get the tent down whilst its just spitting. More showers as I visit the Autun Roman gates and amphitheatre and then the cathedral with its famous carved entrance.

    The ride is wet to damp, quiet wooded hilly and (in retrospect) a bit unmemorable. I finally make it to Lac Setton and pitch my tent in a brief moment of sunshine.

    And my companion for this evening? A small cheeky rat is poking his nose under the edge of the tent and gazing at me. I head up to a communal room with the food to cook dinner and return in the pouring rain to find a hole torn through my tent. The rat has helped himself to my emergency ration raisins. I am definitely not friends with him.

    The forecast had promised it would stop raining mid afternoon. It is still raining as I go to bed and it rains all night. The tent is now pitched in a puddle and the ground sheet declares unequivocally that it is no longer puddle-tight. I have had happier camping nights (to put it mildly)    Read more

  • AliceAlainTravelerThe Raining (a journey Home)
    Old and new bridge
    A col!Views across MorvanOne of several lakes that I passA charming chateauAlso pretty from the far sideVézelay is now visible in the distance.Morning view from the Vézelay campsite

    Morvan natural park

    September 28, 2024 in France ⋅ ⛅ 12 °C

    I am damp, as is most of everything. But it is no longer raining.

    The route is across wooded hillsides with occasional lakes. It’s gently pretty but not overwhelming. It improves as a few rays of sunshine escape. I enjoy the quietness of the rolling hills and then the villages lower down.

    My objective is the village of Vézelay, one of the “plus beaux villages” of France. It is perched along the ridge of a small hill and is visible from a long way. It does however mean I have a nice little climb to end my day.    Read more

  • AliceAlainTravelerThe Raining (a journey Home)
    The facade of Vézelay Basiilica
    InsideView from the villageThe main street in townCravant belfryCravant gateCanal du Nivernais (which runs next to the Yonne river)The noise reminds me of the Henley weirs.

    Vézelay

    September 29, 2024 in France ⋅ ☁️ 10 °C

    Vézelay is on one of the pilgrimage routes to St Jacques de Compostelo. It has a large basicilica with beautiful carvings over the entrances. The town is quiet at this time of year but has a special feel to it.

    From Vézelay I am heading to the small town of Auxerre. Part one is across the countryside and part two follows along the Yonne river and the Nivernais canal. There are several charming little villages on route. Its a dry but chilly day and a relatively easy ride.    Read more

  • AliceAlainTravelerThe Raining (a journey Home)
    Details of carving over church entrance
    Auxerre from the riverAuxerreMain squareThe clock towerDeep and intricately carved church doorThe cloisters

    Auxerre

    September 29, 2024 in France ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C

    Auxerre is a very nice town. Big enough to have most of what you could possibly need and small enough to feel accessible. It has an easy going quiet feel with many wonderful old buildings. And I am lucky enough to have a guided tour from my warm showers host.

    Auxerre is a rest day for me. I am using the warm showers scheme - a reciprocal hospitality scheme for cyclists that are on tour. I request if I can stay, they luckily say Yes. I turn up and they put me up. Its free.

    Dominque and Jacques are amazing. I have a room and bathroom for myself with nice view out over the town. The washing machine is soon on. The tent drying on the line. Water proofs, mattress and sleeping bags hung up to air. Dominique cooks all the meals.

    The next day Jacques supervises my bike adjustments and pumps my tyres. He also finds an old piece of plastic that we cut to size in the hope it will alleviate the ground sheet problem. I clean the inner tent and, later, with tips from Dominque, set about darning the rat holes. I am given a guided tour of Auxerre by Dominque and she picks up a few local delicacies to make sure I get the full experience. Its clear that despite often doing this, they do really enjoy having cyclists to stay. As well as giving me needed respite from the wet and a chance to get everything back in order, it is so heartwarming to spend time with such generous and trusting people.    Read more

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