Nevers to La Charitie Sur Loire

Group One has just completed the beautiful ride from Nevers to Charitie Sur Loire. I last did this ride back in 2019 and I had forgotten just how breathtaking the scenery is. The weather had cooled to a much more pleasant 20C which made the cycling so much more comfortable. Much of the day's ride would take us along the Lateral Canal of the Loire, rather than the Loire itself. This extensive canal was part of the network of canals that were built to open the area to cargo carrying vessels.
Soon after leaving Nevers, we stopped for a coffee break at the same place we had stopped in 2019. It also gave us a chance to take the obligatory group photo.
The next highlight was the elevated canal at Le Guetin. This incredible piece of engineering was constructed to allow canal boats to cross over the Allier River. The massive gate at the end was by far the highest we had seen this far and the water pressure on it must have been enormous.
Lunch took the form of a picnic by the canal, before completing the final 22km to our destination. It was great to see how quickly our new team members adapted to the bikes and they were soon all scooting along comfortably. Everyone was suitably impressed by the first glimpse of La Charitie and its impressive bridge over the Loire.
We were not so impressed when we arrived the hotel to be met by a sign informing us that it was closed till 5 pm. Fortunately they responded to a phone call, and we were soon happily in our rooms. Well, those on the first floor were probably happier than those who had to lug their cases up an extra flight of stairs. The luck of the draw I guess (and just for the record, I was on the second floor).Read more