Briare to Puilly

Another very hot day forecast so we got an early start. We got chatting to a German couple out the front of the hotel. They were two months into a three month cycle tour from their home in northern Germany, and had done about 4,800km. They were heading the same way as us, but after yesterday's incident we were traveling pretty slowly so they quickly left us behind.

We did a small detour and climb to have a look at Chatillon, then continued on the route which today was generally very good. Quite a few shady sections through forest, and no clouds of sticky insects. Near Belleville we rode past our third nuclear power station. At the boulangerie/patisserie (below par) we ran into a group doing a barge and bike tour. There were five Aussies in the group. They were suffering in the heatwave on the barge at night.

Due to the extreme heat and our fairly slow rate of progress, we decided not to climb up to Sancerre. After a very pleasant stop for a drink at a riverside restaurant at Saint Thibault we rode on to cross the river at Puilly, arriving at our very nice airconditioned(!!) hotel at about 1:30.

Tomorrow we head for Nevers, a rest day with two nights in an airconditioned hotel (not easy to find).

67km today, good effort in the heat for the injured one (who is currently asleep). About 630km so far.Read more