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A Feast of French Cycling
  • The World on Two Wheels
Aug – Oct 2017

A Feast of French Cycling

In August 2017 a group of Australian cyclists travelled to Europe to complete a series of rides in Germany, France and the Channel Islands Read more
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    Beautiful St Malo

    September 15, 2017 in France ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C

    After our somewhat inglorious arrival at Mont St Michel via bus, I was really hoping that the rest of our French Cycling Adventures would be able to proceed without another problem. The third part of our trip was scheduled to start in St Malo and then take us on a week long loop around Brittany.

    I had arranged for a bus to transfer us and our bikes to St Malo, ready for the beginning of our Brittany ride. The bus arrived on time and, by mid afternoon we had safely arrived at our hotel in St Malo.

    There is no doubt that St Malo is a beautiful city, dominated by the huge fortified citadel. This stronghold had been used by the Germans as a submarine base in WW2 and was almost completely destroyed by allied bombing. What you now see is largely a replica of the original city. Replica or real, it is still a lovely location.

    Tomorrow morning we will begin stage three of our adventure when we head out to Dinan.    Read more

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    The Tables Fly in Dinan

    September 16, 2017 in France ⋅ ☁️ 12 °C

    Today turned out to be one of the best days we have had so far. The rain has abated and we were all able to ride out of St Malo in fine and sunny conditions. This area is famous for its huge tidal surges and impressive waves. The entire waterfront of St Malo is protected by a massive stone wall which extends far out along the coast. This wall provided the perfect path to begin our ride.

    We then proceeded past the massive Citadel of the "old city", made famous in the novel "All the Light we Cannot See". After the cold and wet of the past few days it was delightful to be able to savour the sunshine and ride to the accompaniment of hundreds of Atlantic seagulls. It did not take long for the spirits of our riders to soar and the recent challenges were already starting to fade into vague memories. (Actually at our age, memories of most recent occurrences quickly fade into oblivion).

    The ride followed the Rance Estuary for most of the day and we were able to see the rapid flow of water as the tide turned. There is actually a large tidal power station built here that harnesses the power of these super tides. This was built back in 1966 and at that time it was the world's first tidal power station.

    A short distance further up we stopped to examine an old building and discovered that it was a flour mill that had been powered for hundreds of years by the rides and only stopped working in the 1980s. We happened to arrive just in time for a local historian to give us a complete tour of the 4 story structure and its workings.

    The ride itself was flatter than some of our recent days but still had a fair collection of climbs that served to get the heart beating heavily. For the four ladies of the "electric peloton", this gave them repeated excuses to roar past the rest of us who were still battling our way to the top of each climb. Sometimes the thought of an ebike does seem very tempting.

    The final 10 km or so followed the bank of the Rance and was one of the most beautiful bike paths I have ever had the privilege to cycle along. This took us all the way to the amazing historical city of Dinan. This spectacularly well preserved city is packed with beautiful half timbered buildings, some dating back to the 15th century. The biggest challenge was wheeling our bikes up the rough and steep cobble stoned streets to our hotel, which turned out to be situated in the highest part of the town. Maybe what they say about pain might actually be true. And in case you don't know what they say, it goes something like this "Pain is weakness leaving the body".

    It was only much later in the day that things really started to heat up and I experienced something I had never seen before. Our restaurant for the evening was the "Fleur du Sel", only a short walk from our hotel. Our group of 13 was welcomed at the door by the tall owner with the incredibly deep voice and we were ushered to our seats in the rear room.

    Although the Ghostriders were obviously the guest of honour and had been allocated the largest table, there were also a couple of smaller groups of French speakers in the same room. Over the next hour or so the noise level and merriment in the room grew steadily, along with the temperature. The thoughtful host/owner then obliged by opening a high window to let the evening breeze in.

    This was a kind gesture but it sent the temperature of the room plummeting. One of the Frenchmen at the next table decided it was time to show his ingenuity and bravery by closing the window. Since it was too high to reach by hand he started poking at it with an iron rod. His antics were greatly egged on and cheered by us. He started to get bolder, reaching higher and higher in an attempt to close the window. The cheering grew louder. Maybe we should have realised then that this might not end well, but we didn't.

    The Frenchmen's friends upped the ante by lifting him high above the table to poke the window from a better angle. He almost succeeded, but just as we all started to clap loudly, disaster struck. The large fellow toppled over and fell right into the centre of their table. The table collapsed and the guy fell right into the middle of a confusion of broken glasses, wine, food and cutlery. The whole place immediately fell silent. The floor was strewn with broken plates and the remains of the owners finest glassware and cuisine. The broken table lay in pieces. The owner came back in, looked at the carnage and he might have said "Sacre Bleu", but I think it was more like a string of French oaths. Everyone was embarrassed. It certainly was memorable. The food was a little delayed but our desserts were excellent and the owner's fury did seem to abate a little as the night wore on. We certainly won't forget it in a hurry.    Read more

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    Claire gets Castigated

    September 17, 2017 in France ⋅ ☁️ 9 °C

    One of the things I love about France is that you never really know what will happen around the next corner. Somehow the whole country is like a marvellous giant game of theatre sports where every participant is playing out an exaggerated role. This was in evidence several times today.

    After the dreary wet weather we had been suffering it was wonderful to be able to ride out of Dinan in perfectly fine and still conditions. The early morning air was chilly as we navigated the steep descent out of the city and back to the banks of La Rance. We resumed riding the delightful Chemin De Hallage bike path, right along the river bank. The recent rain had made some sections a little muddy, but we could not have cared less. We were all having fun enjoying the flat ride and the absolutely beautiful scenery.

    As we progressed further and further upstream we passed a succession of small locks, each one accompanied by an impeccably maintained lock master's house. Early in the ride we stopped to examine the workings of the lock. Claire took the opportunity to wander to the side of the house and into the owners private garden. This was not a great idea. The lock master came immediately out of his house and strode up to Claire.

    "Stop", he shouted.

    "But I was only looking at your chickens", she answered, as it that explained everything.

    The man was not convinced and continued to shout in French, presumably telling her why she should not be on his property. He obviously did not realise that Claire is a formidable person to be reckoned with and soon she was giving as good as she had received. A couple of minutes later the lock master was retreating back into his house in tears.

    We continued on our way and continued to see many more of these locks and we were always impressed at just how well maintained every one was. At one we stopped to watch a large pleasure boat pass through.

    AFter about 20 km we finally left the riverbank and headed inland. This of course involved a climb, but no one seemed to care. The sun was shining, the sky was blue, we are much stronger than we were 3 weeks ago, and WE ARE IN FRANCE. Life really is fantastic and how lucky are we to be able to explore this amazing country using the power of our own legs. The mainstream tourists NEVER even get near these magical country places that we were savouring every day.

    A few kilometres from Combourg we were riding through a tiny farming community when an unwelcome companion started to run alongside my bike. It was a huge dog with lots and lots of teeth. I pedalled faster. The dog ran faster. I shouted in French for the dog to go away, but it only served to make it more determined to run in front of me. The owner shouted, but the dog paid no attention. Although it did not seem overly aggressive, I had to admit that it did make me nervous. It finally lost interest in me and set off after one of our other riders. I took the opportunity to pedal faster and disappear. I later found out that the dog jumped in a dam so I guess it probably had rabies. Nevertheless we all managed to survive the experience.

    When we arrived at Combourg we decided to look for a place to eat and found a wonderful pizza shop in the main street. The pizzas truly were delicious and the warm sun was like an elixir of youth. If there was any better place on earth to be, at that moment I certainly could not think of it.

    Later in the day we set off to explore the imposing Chateau de Combourg, home of the famous Chateaubriand. Anyone who knows me would be aware that I have a travel principle that states "NEVER take any organised tours". For some unknown reason Maggie and I decided to take a tour of the castle as this was the only way to get inside. I really wish we had saved the money.

    The tour was conducted only in French, the interior was dark and depressing and after a few minutes I was looking for a way to escape. Early on Carol and I did our individual bests to knock over a priceless antique lamp and, a few minutes later the entire room was thrown into darkness when I accidentally leaned on the light switch. Everyone turned to see which idiot had been so stupid. I should have looked them all in the eye and proudly stated "Cést moi", but I just looked embarrassed and looked at the next person to pretend they were the culprit. It was not my proudest moment

    The place got even more depressing as we progressed further up to the higher levels and even the 700 year old mummified remains of the cat that was found in the castle walls did little to brighten the atmosphere. We were all glad when the dreadful tour was finally over and we were able to escape back into the sunshine and make our way back to the hotel. It was 14 Euro very poorly spent. I have learnt my lesson.

    Ah France, I really do love every frustrating bit of you.    Read more

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    In Which we Perform the Fougeres Follies

    September 18, 2017 in France ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C

    Today's ride from Combourg to Fougeres was the longest of this section of the European rides. There is no doubt that riding a heavy rental bike is significantly harder than riding your own bike and therefore every kilometre seems at least 50% longer than the kilometres you ride at home. Combine this with a steady succession of rolling hills and it means that each day represents a solid effort in the saddle. The thing that has done the most to lift all our riders' spirits is that the weather has now changed. The past few days have been fine and mild with extended periods of warm sunshine. In addition the wind has dropped almost completely. The net effect of these meteorological changes is that we now have perfect conditions to enjoy our cycling in surely what is one of the prettiest regions of France.

    At the appointed start time of 8.30 am we started to unlock the bikes from the garage, only to find to our horror that Andrea's bike had suffered an overnight puncture. All punctures are a pain, but this unwelcome discovery was made all the worse due to the fact that this was the first time one of the ebikes had punctured.

    The amateur mechanics (ie the men) in the peloton set to work to try to remove the rear wheel and then remove the tyre. Although we had been supplied with a limited number of spare tubes, none of these were the correct size and valve type for the ebikes. Not a promising start to the day.

    We had no alternative other than to insert a skinny road bike tube and then over inflate it to fill the large tyre. I was expecting a big bang at any moment, however the tube did seem to accommodate the extreme stretching without detonating. About 20 mins later we were on our way, riding through the early morning mist. Overhead the sun was shining dimly through the fog and it did little to dispel the freezing early morning temperatures.

    We were actually glad that we started with a series of steady climbs as these helped to warm our frozen bodies. After a few kilometres the first of the layers were removed as the strength of the sun increased.

    This part of Brittany is dairy country and we rode along many peaceful rural lanes through dairy farms. The cows seemed pleased to see us and gave us beautiful bovine smiles as we rode past. On a couple of occasions we paused to listen to the silence. Apart from a few distant birds, there were no sounds at all. The trees stood motionless in the still air and far away a solitary fox made its way across a paddock. This is the real France that the bus tourists never get to see and we were all so glad that we were able to experience it at first hand.

    We have now been cycling almost every day for the past 4 weeks and all of us have grown stronger each day. Not only are we taking the hills more easily but all the riders are enjoying the feeling of being fitter than they have probably been for a long time. Hard work does have its rewards and this is easily evidenced in the group.

    After about 35 km we stopped at a likely spot for lunch. Sandwiches and drinks were unpacked from panniers and we sat happily in the sun for quite some time, eating, chatting and laughing. What a perfect way to enjoy a day with good friends in such a lovely place.

    The second mishap for the day occurred when Claire underestimated the strength of her disk brakes and stopped too suddenly to remain upright. Although she fell somewhat heavily to the road, the damage was not too severe and she was able to remount and continue, albeit it with a sore knee.

    A short distance later the third mishap took place when Claire suffered a rear wheel puncture - the second ebike puncture for the day. The only tube we had was another thin road bike tube, so we inserted it and hoped it would hold. No matter how much we wiggled with the tyre, it would not seat correctly on the rim. Since we were less than 10 km from Fougeres we hoped that it might hold out till we arrived and could buy some new tubes. Unfortunately it didn't.

    Claire limped along for the next few km with her misshapen wheel bouncing and the bike making loud complaints. It would have been a miracle if it lasted all the way to Fougeres and miracles are not common nowadays.

    With about 4 km to go BOTH Andrea and Claire suffered simultaneous rear wheel flats. This was starting to get serious. By this time we had no spares and the only option was to walk the bikes the rest of the way.

    When we arrived at the hotel we asked the girl at the counter if there was a bike shop nearby. Her face lit up and she said "Yes, just a few metres away". While this statement was true, she did not tell us that the bike shop (and many of the shops in the town) are closed every Monday. We tried arranging a taxi to go and collect the two riders but this process took so long that they were already in the town before transport could be arranged. It had been one of those days.

    Fougeres itself is a mid sized town with a huge fortified castle at the entrance to the city. I possibly could have had a tour of the place, but after the experience of yesterday, I would rather go to the all night dentist instead. We settled for a few photos of the huge walls and towers instead.    Read more

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    Fougeres to Pontorson

    September 19, 2017 in France ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C

    The most memorable part of today's ride occurred when we were midway through the day and began looking for a place to buy some lunch. The route skirted a small township called Saint Brice-en-Cogles, so we thought we should detour towards the town to see if there was any suitable cafes or boulangeries.

    We arrived at the main street of the town and noticed a prominent sign for a boulangerie. After parking our bikes we all crowded inside. We were met by a very shy girl at the counter who explained in very limited English that she had only opened the business three weeks ago. She was so eager to please that she literally ran back and forth with our orders, went out the back to her own kitchen to get extra chairs and smiled so widely that you would think her face would break.

    She was so thrilled that a group of Australians would choose to eat in her shop that she was almost overwhelmed. When Carol gave her a small koala she blushed deeply and said that it would be her treasured mascot. It really was a magic moment that meant so much more to us than all the tourist hoopla of Mont St Michel.

    It was a magic moment and one that we will all remember for a long time.

    Not so welcome were the punctures that continued to follow us almost every day of the ride, but the less said about them, the better.    Read more

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    To Vivier Sur Mer

    September 20, 2017 in France ⋅ ☀️ 12 °C

    Yesterday and today have provided the best cycling we have so far experienced in our 4 weeks in Europe. The scenery in this part of Brittany is absolutely captivating, much of the route is via peaceful back roads where the silence is complete, the weather has turned completely and we have been able to enjoy the genuine essence of France.

    Today we started the day with a visit to the nearby discount shoe shop to search for a pair of shoes to replace the ones I had destroyed several weeks ago in Paris. Ever since that time the soles had been progressively falling further and further off, allowing the rain and cold to reach my toes. To my relief we found a pair of the required 46 size (not easy in France where they apparently are not used to anything larger than about size 8). Since I paid the princely sum of 15 Euro for them I can assume that they should be very good quality.

    Later in the morning we all walked to the Wednesday market at Pontorson. The sky was completely blue and the relaxed atmosphere of the market gave a precious insight into life in this part of the country. We all stocked up on baguettes, cheese, ham and strawberries (so much better than the Australian rubbish), stuffing them into our panniers for a waterfront picnic lunch. Much of the ride was along a beautiful cycle path with a very good surface. This meant that the kilometres just sailed by. Along the way we could see the distinctive silhouette of Mont St Michel gradually shrinking into the distance.

    We are now spending the night in St Vivier Sur Mer. We have discovered that it is the town where nothing is open. We waited for over 30 mins outside the Patisserie because it was supposed to reopen at 3 pm after siesta. Apparently the owner must have overslept, because the shop was still closed at 3.20 pm and even the locals gave up waiting. Such is the rhythm of life in France.

    Tomorrow we return to St Malo and a well earned short break before heading across to the Channel Islands for stage 4 of our adventure.    Read more

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    Back in St Malo

    September 21, 2017 in France ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

    This afternoon we successfully completed our cycling circuit around beautiful Brittany. Although a further two punctures delayed our progress, we still successfully dodged the predicted heavy rain and managed to complete most of the day's riding in lovely sunshine.

    We chose the longer route along the coast rather than the alternate "Par Terre" route. It was certainly worth it. The views of the beautiful coastline were breathtaking and reminded me of our favourite Bunurong Coast Road from Inverloch to Cape Paterson, although I have to admit that the French coast is even more amazing.

    Our morning tea stop was at the seaside town of Cancales. This is a very popular holiday location in the European summer, but at this time of the year most of the holiday makers have returned home. The remainder of the ride to St Malo was quite hilly and sent us all looking for the good old granny gears as we worked our way up each successive climb. I kept looking over my shoulder at the growing mass of dark clouds that were starting to populate the sky. The forecast had predicted heavy rain later in the afternoon and we were determined to complete the ride before it arrived.

    We arrived on the outskirts of St Malo just as the first few spots of rain were falling. The last few hundred metres of the ride took the form of a mad sprint along the top of the sea wall to our hotel. We arrived at the hotel entrance just as the rain started to fall steadily. It was then time for heartfelt hugs and congratulations as we shared the achievement together. It really had been a group effort where everyone had contributed their own skills to help ensure a successful outcome. It was a fun way to finish an amazing adventure.

    When we first arrived here a week ago, St Malo was new to most of our riders, however it now seemed like a familiar homecoming. Over the past 4 weeks we have gained an insight into the French way of life that few tourists ever get to experience and we have all had an incredible amount of fun along the way. I really do regard France as my second country.

    We have one more full day in St Malo before we catch the early morning ferry on Saturday and head out to the Channel Islands.    Read more

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    St Malo Free Day

    September 22, 2017 in France ⋅ 🌙 11 °C

    According to John Denver "some days are diamonds and some days are stones". If that is true then there is no doubt that today would be a diamond in anyone's language. It began the previous evening when we joined together for an unforgettable dinner at one of the finest restaurants in St Malo. The Brasserie Du Sillon is situated right on the spectacular waterfront of St Malo, with huge windows that frame an amazing view of the Atlantic Ocean.

    By some fortunate fluke of planning we also managed to coordinate our evening meal with the exact time of high tide. This meant that our meal was punctuated by the regular crashing of the waves against the window panes. Each time this happened it was greeted with a big cheer from our group. With the setting sun highlighting the silhouette of the old citadel it would have been hard to imagine a more impressive setting to celebrate the successful completion of section three of our 2017 rides.

    The restaurant itself specialises in seafood and the food was extraordinarily good. A glance at the wine list showed bottles up to an eye watering 6000 Euros per bottle. Needless to say, I decided to stick to the much more reasonably priced mineral water.

    The following morning dawned completely clear and the early morning waterfront views from the breakfast room were enough to make everyone fall in love with this beautiful city. The wild high tide of the previous evening had now transformed into a low tide which had sent the waterline hundreds of metres from the seawall. Dotted across the shallow water were dozens of small islands which had risen dramatically as the water level had fallen. At such times the broad flat sands become the preferred location for walkers, joggers, lovers. It took me quite some time to cross the wide sand and reach the water's edge. From this point I could view St Malo from a completely different perspective.

    The temperature soon rose with the sun and some of us set off on a short ride for a picnic by the harbour. Equipped with baguettes, ham, cheese, tomatoes, pate and drinks we happily feasted like kings and queens while we basked in the warm sunshine. At that time none of us could have thought of anywhere else on earth where we would rather be. It was a day we will never forget.

    In the late afternoon we returned to our hotel and noticed that dozens of people had taken advantage of the warmth and sunshine to dine outdoors. In the distance I could hear the enchanting strains of someone singing so I decided to investigate. It turned out to be a blind black busker with an incredible voice that I could have listened to for hours. I felt that he thoroughly deserved the small amount of change I had left in my pockets. It was the perfect ending to a magic day.    Read more

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    Across the Channel to Jersey

    September 23, 2017 in Jersey ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C

    After our French adventures, it was time to move on to the final leg of our cycling. This morning we all boarded the large ferry for a short voyage to the nearby Channel Islands. Although these islands lie close to the coast of France, they are actually a British dependency.

    During World War II they were captured by the Germans in 1940 and remained occupied till 1945. This was a terrible time of starvation and hardship for the locals and you can still see many signs of this harsh period. The Germans heavily fortified the islands during their occupation in an attempt to create an impregnable fortress. Many of their huge fortifications are still clearly visible.

    We arrived at St Helier, the capital of Jersey and took a taxi to our hotel. The driver was quite difficult to understand as we were unused to his unfamiliar accent. He referred to this as "Jersey French".

    After checking into The Monterey Hotel we made our way to a wartime underground hospital which has now been converted to a museum. On our way back to the hotel we discovered that we had arrived in time to watch the Jersey Marathon race. Judging by the crowds and the media coverage, it must be one of the biggest sporting events on the islands.

    Of course, if we were going to complete a cycling exploration of Jersey, we needed some bikes. We had been given directions as to where to collect them from the supplier. It was only when we found the place that our concern grew. The owner explained that he had been "operating for over 40 years" and it soon became apparent that most of his bikes must have been dated from his first batch. In fact they were absolute shockers - rusty old clunkers. They were certainly nothing like the well prepared machines we had been provided in France.

    After a long time of mucking around at the old bike depot, we finally made our way out on our first ride in the Channel Islands. Judging by the amount of creaks and groans emanating from various places on my bike, I was a little worried that I might not even make it back to the hotel.    Read more

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    Cycling Jersey

    September 24, 2017 in Jersey ⋅ 🌧 16 °C

    Today was our first real chance to cycle on Jersey. We had been told that there were about 7 hills on the island and today we managed to ride up all 12 of them. We started out along the waterfront on a lovely smooth bike path, but soon turned right and began heading up a long and steady climb. Each time I put pressure on my pedals, the bike protested with an assortment of ominous noises - none of them pleasant. I soon started to hate the bike.

    Our ride continued to the far south western point of the island. This spot is called La Corbiere and the furthest tip is occupied by an impressive lighthouse. Unfortunately by the time we reached this spot the weather had turned bleak and the rain was falling steadily. We decided to head back to the hotel.

    Although the first part of the return ride was completed without incident, my ride was soon interrupted by another sudden (and fatal) crack when the rear derailleur fell apart. Obviously the corrosion that had been working away steadily for the past 40 years finally succeeded in making the bike unrideable. That was the end of my ride. While the others rode on ahead of me, I had no alternative other than wheel the bike all the way back to St Helier - a distance of about 6 km. It would not have been so bad if it had not been raining. My mood grew very dark as I began to harbour very unsavory feelings towards the owner of the bike rental company.

    I eventually made it back to the depot, where I told someone there just what I thought about their bikes. Unfortunately the person I spoke to was probably just a 14 year old kid on work experience, not the owner. I did manage to get another bike and I hoped that it would last a little longer than the first one.    Read more

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    The Jersey Zoo

    September 25, 2017 in Jersey ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C

    One of the most famous places on the island is the Jersey Zoo. This was founded back in 1959 by a somewhat eccentric naturalist called Gerald Durrell. Young Gerald had inherited a substantial fortune which allowed him never to have to work for a living. This freed him to follow his passion for caring for endangered species. The Zoo is now a world renowned centre for preservation of endangered animals.

    The ride from St Helier to the zoo took us up another succession of hills and along some fascinating narrow backroads. Although my replacement bike made a new assortment of noises, it did manage to avoid falling apart long enough to get me back to the hotel.    Read more

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    On to Guernsey

    September 26, 2017 in Jersey ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C

    The members of the Ghostriders 2017 cycling team transferred from Jersey to Guernsey this morning. Our initial impressions of St Peter Port (the main city of Guernsey) were immediately much more favourable than our impressions of St Helier in Jersey. There are a significant number of serious climbs on this island and I think that we managed to find each and every one of them in today's ride.

    At the start of the ride Dave Yates complained that his rental bike had the brakes jammed on. John, Bob and David then wasted about 20 minutes trying to adjust them before David finally spat the dummy and rode back to get a replacement bike. While he was returning to get the second bike I discovered that my bike had developed the same problem. When I investigated further I found that the cable ties that I had used to attach my GPS had jammed the brake cable. Since David had the same type of GPS mount, I suspected that I now knew what had really happened to his bike.

    When we rejoined David he complained that the replacement bike had the same problem as the first one. I had to break the news about the GPS mount. He was not impressed and ripped the cable ties from the bike. Problem solved.

    We were surprised at the level of traffic on this small island of only 60,000 people. On some of the roads the traffic was continuous and the intersections were in gridlock. This made some sections of the ride quite scary, but we all survived and were able to meander along some quieter side streets wherever possible.

    Lunch was at a lovely tea room at the top of a cliff overlooking the ocean. On a stormy day this would be a spectacular sight, but today there was barely a ripple to be seen. Tomorrow we will be taking a side trip to the little island of Sark. We will not have to worry about the traffic there as cars and trucks are not allowed on the island.    Read more

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    A Journey Back in Time

    September 27, 2017 in Guernsey ⋅ 🌧 16 °C

    When I prepared the itinerary for this trip over a year ago, there was one place that I was really intrigued by and I had been looking forward to seeing since the ride began 5 weeks ago.

    The tiny feudal island of Sark is part of the bailiwick of Guernsey and it is situated about 1 hour by ferry from St Peter Port. The entire population of the island is under 500 and the way of life here has remained largely unchanged for decades. One of the unique features of life on Sark is that cars and buses (along with most other motorised devices) are banned. The only vehicles you find on the narrow roads are horse drawn carts and tractors. Even the local policeman uses a tractor for his transport. This feature helps makes it a magical place to ride a bike.

    After the somewhat choppy ferry ride across to the island we walked up the steep walking path to the only settlement on the island (known as "The Village"). We had arranged to collect some rental bikes from a local business but we were very apprehensive as to what sort of bikes they would have waiting for us. I thought that we would probably end up with an eclectic mix of penny farthings, tricycles, velocipedes and horse drawn walking frames. The actual bikes turned out to be slightly better than this, but only slightly.

    Our riders spent some time trying to come to grips with the rusty bikes that looked like they probably dated back to the time of the German occupation. After trying to adjust seats, etc we finally just thought "what the heck" and wobbled off down the dirt road, accompanied by a cacophony of rattles, creaks, groans and numerous other noises (some of which were coming from the bikes). It was impossible not to laugh. This will certainly be a day we will remember for a long, long time.

    The next few hours were spent exploring Sark and the even smaller island of Little Sark. The rough rocky coastline is certainly spectacular and the so called "WIndow in the Rock" could have easily ushered the way to a premature death if we had taken just one more step.

    The temperamental weather that these islands is famous for was kind to us for most of the day, and only started to crack up when we returned to the wharf to catch the ferry back to Guernsey. This made for a very choppy voyage, but I did manage to catch sight of a couple of dolphins frolicking in the wake of the boat.

    We arrived safely back at St Peter Port around 6 pm and headed back to our hotel for another hearty meal. It had been a marvellous day and certainly a highlight of our trip.    Read more

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    St Peter Port Reflections

    September 28, 2017 in Guernsey ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C

    One of the things that I always like to do in my travels is to take the time to take "mind photos". In the technological age we have never taken so many images, but the sad result is that it is just too easy to press the shutter button and let the camera take the place of using our own senses. While it is great that we have the freedom to take 100s or even 1000s of images, I wonder just how many of these will be remembered and treasured in a few years time ?

    I have made a practice of taking time to store a few special "mind images" on every trip. These images cannot be stored by the press of a button, but I try to use all my senses to build a complete image in my mind. This can sometimes take up to 30 minutes while I sit, sometimes with my eyes open and sometimes with them shut. I try to store a record of each tiny sound and sensation, along with the visual image of the place I am in. Using this method I find that I can recall to mind places that I have visited many years ago.

    Our hotel in St Peter Port was originally two stately homes that have been combined and extended to form the Pandora Hotel. Behind the hotel is a series of delightful walled gardens and stone staircases than descend down the hillside. Each successive walled garden is a confusion of colour that reminded me of the famous Monet's Garden in France. The lower levels of these gardens offer beautiful views down to the harbour and out to the nearby islands of Jethu and Herm. It was on the lowest of these levels that I chose to store my latest mind image.

    With the late summer sunshine warming my face and the distant sounds of the seagulls mixing with the gentle murmur of the leaves on the trees it really seemed like the perfect way to remember this amazing adventure.Over the past five weeks we have cycled over a thousand kilometres in Germany, France, Switzerland and the Channel Islands and shared a never ending series of incredible experiences together.

    It already seems such a long time ago that we arrived in Mainz to begin our ride along the Rhine. Tomorrow we will be returning to St Malo on one of the huge Condor ferries and the following day our team will begin to disperse, with some coming back to Australia while others will be continuing their travels in Europe.

    Once again this trip has served to reinforce my opinion that there is simply no better way to explore Europe than by bicycle. Our aim has never been to set huge daily distances or get our names in the Guinness Book of Records. We came to see the real Europe that the mainstream tourists simply never get to see and I think that we have achieved this in spades.

    We will never forget those quiet backroads of France and yesterday's ride on Sark was really something unlike anything else we have ever done. Along the way we have lived together, we have sometimes cried together (more about that later) and we have often laughed ourselves senseless. I am so glad that I have had the privilege of sharing this ride with such inspiring and supportive friends. I really do love you all.

    As well as the experiences we have shared on two wheels, this trip has also been something of a culinary adventure as well. Since beginning our French ride in Rambouillet about 4 weeks ago we have been able to dine in some amazing restaurants each evening. I think that everyone was staggered at how we were able to include so many fine dining experiences in the limited budget. Some even commented that the dining each evening was as great a challenge as the cycling. We certainly never went hungry.

    In a couple of weeks I will be back in Australia and turning my attention to our next adventure. In just a few months we will be heading off to South America to trek and cycle in some of the most spectacular places on earth. It will be vastly different to Europe, but that is what life should be all about.

    Three day's ago we got our first glimpse of Guernsey and I was very interested to hear what people's first impressions were. I think I can now honestly say that we have fallen in love with this little island.

    When we left Jersey our impressions were not so positive. Much of St Helier is dirty and dilapidated, the confusing tangle of one way streets made the city feel claustrophobic and we could not help but feel that its best years were behind it. It seemed that it could not progress beyond its war time years and was happy living in the past.

    St Peter Port, on the other hand, has a much more exciting feel about it. There is a healthy buzz of activity in the city, most of the buildings are in good condition, the streets are clean, we never saw any graffiti anywhere, the people are friendly and the public transport is so very cheap. The slope of the hillsides near the harbour mean that you can get wonderful sea views from most parts of the town. In the competition between Jersey and Guernsey I would declare Guernsey the winner by a country mile. We will all fondly remember you for a long time.    Read more

  • The World on Two WheelsA Feast of French CyclingThe World on Two Wheels

    Farewell to Guernsey

    September 28, 2017 in Guernsey ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C

    Today was not only our last day in Guernsey, but the final cycling day of our entire trip. For some unknown reason Maggie thought that it would be worthwhile using the time to ride to a most unusual chapel she had read about somewhere. It was apparently the work of a local eccentric monk who had spent his lifetime constructing the chapel and then completely covering it in bits of broken glass and china. That seemed like a most creative way to waste a life to me, however somehow Maggie convinced us all to go in search of it.

    If we thought that there was no traffic on Guernsey, we would have been sorely mistaken. During the ride we must have encountered every vehicle on the island at least two or three times. It was not a very relaxing ride, and it also contained a never ending sequence of hills. When we eventually discovered the chapel, it turned out to be very underwhelming. The whole thing was not much bigger than a toilet.

    Although the rest of us were left scratching our heads as to why we had undertaken such a monumental waste of time and energy, Maggie actually said she liked the place. There is no accounting for poor taste.    Read more

  • The World on Two WheelsA Feast of French CyclingThe World on Two Wheels

    A Night in the Citadel

    September 29, 2017 in France ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

    Our short time in the Channel Islands has come to an end. It had certainly been an interesting experience and unlike any other place we had visited before. The strange mix of English and French culture was intriguing. Would we ever return to these islands ? Probably not, but who can say for certain.

    We boarded a large ferry at St Peter Port and first travelled back to Jersey, before continuing on our way to St Malo. By the time we arrived in St Malo the daylight was fading. Fortunately our hotel for the night was quite close to the ferry terminal. A group of us formed a walking peloton and dragged our luggage around the citadel wall to the first gate we could find. We then had to navigate the rough cobblestones, hoping that the wheels on our bags would not collapse.

    Although we had been to St Malo several times before, we had never stayed inside the city walls. That night marked the end of section four of our adventure. Tomorrow morning our group will begin to disperse on their own different individual travels. It will be somewhat difficult not having so many wonderful friends to share each day with.    Read more

  • The World on Two WheelsA Feast of French CyclingThe World on Two Wheels

    In Retrospect

    September 30, 2017 in France ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C

    All riders have now safely arrived back in St Malo after completing a memorable 5 week ride around Germany, France, Switzerland, Jersey, Guernsey and Sark. Now that the riding section is officially over I can report that the prior arrangements, complicated as they were, all went exactly as planned. That is always a relief when so many hotels, restaurants, bike hire companies, ferry crossings, etc are involved.

    We did have several minor crashes, but nothing of any great significance. The only major incident occurred 4 days ago in St Helier. I have refrained from mentioning the details as I wanted to respect the privacy of those who were involved.

    After breakfast on our third day in Jersey, Andrea Doherty complained of feeling unwell and her husband decided to take her to the nearest medical centre. They were concerned about her condition and she was transferred by ambulance to the General Hospital where tests later showed that she had suffered a minor heart attack. This was completely unexpected and was a huge shock to all of the team. Of course it also meant that Andrea and Greg, who had endeared themselves greatly to everyon, could take no further part in our adventure.

    Since medical facilities in Jersey are quite limited she was later transferred by air ambulance to Oxford in the UK for further treatment. The great news we received just a couple of hours ago, is that her arteries are actually in very good condition and she will not require a stent as originally thought. She is expected to now make a full recovery with medication alone.

    Yesterday we had two trips on the huge Condor ferries to travel from Guernsey back to St Malo. This place now feels like a wonderful familiar home away from home, and we were all so happy to be back in the land of the beautiful baguette. We stayed overnight at a lovely hotel, right in the middle of the old town (The Citadel) and during breakfast we were able to follow the AFL Grand Final. It was a fantastic way to complete our trip (especially for Bob Andrews) who has been a Richmond tragic for all of his extremely long life.

    I suggested that, if Richmond won, Bob should complete a streak around the old city wall to celebrate. John immediately added that Bob would win the prize for "Best Dried Arrangement" and the entire group just dissolved into fits of hysterical laughter. What an amazing group we have had on this trip and this typified the light hearted banter that accompanied every meal together.

    Our team is now disbanding and some participants will be beginning the long journey home to Australia. Six of us will be spending a few more days in St Malo to enjoy some well earned R & R.    Read more

  • The World on Two WheelsA Feast of French CyclingThe World on Two Wheels

    More Free Time in St Malo

    October 2, 2017 in France ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C

    We have had a wonderful couple of days in beautiful St Malo. This place is very easy to fall in love with and the ever changing sea vistas keep us entertained for hours every day. The tidal variations here are enormous - up to 15 metres between high and low tide. This means that the wide sandy beaches are constantly in a state of flux. At the time of the low tide the sea retreats so far that it reveals a beautiful flat sandy expanse that stretches hundreds of metres from the sea wall.

    That flat area becomes the favourite place for the locals to partake in a myriad of activities. Each day large walking groups make their way through the water's edge, getting their exercise by walking through the chest high water.

    Any historical study of St Malo shows that over 80% of the old city was destroyed during the latter stages of WW2. The "old city" that you see now is actually a recreation that was begun in 1947 and completed around 20 years later. The builders certainly did an amazing job, however it is still somewhat artificial.

    As we wondered the streets inside the towering ramparts we noticed several with rather whimsical names - such as Rue de Chat Qui Danse (the street of the dancing cat). Of particular interest to me were the places that were featured in that incredible novel "All the Light We Cannot See" by Anthony Doerr. Although the novel itself is an historical fiction, many of the places mentioned do actually exist. In the story Marie-Laure LeBlanc and her father escape from Paris to St Malo and live with their eccentric uncle at 4 Rue Vauborel. I can now tell you that the street does really exist, although number 4 looks nothing like the house described in the book.

    We spent some time retracing the paths taken by the blind Marie-Laure as she counted her steps along the cobble stoned alleys of the war time city. When I get back to Australia I plan to reread this incredible story and I would strongly recommend it to anyone who is ready for an emotional but spellbinding read.

    After another two days here we will be heading to Vannes to re-acquaint ourselves with another place we strongly wished to see again since we first visited there in 2013 .    Read more

  • The World on Two WheelsA Feast of French CyclingThe World on Two Wheels

    A Surprise Attack in Dinard

    October 3, 2017 in France ⋅ 🌙 8 °C

    October 2nd marked a rather significant day for Maggie - her 65th Birthday. She was actually thrilled to have reached such a great old age and to be able to celebrate such an event in beautiful St Malo. We can now both be officially classed as genuine "old farts".

    This week the tides are progressively working their way towards the monthly peak. By this weekend the tides will be at their maximum and all the homes and businesses along the sea wall will be closing their shutters to help protect them against the wave damage. We took the opportunity of one of the growing low tides to walk far out to sea and look for interesting sea shells. We found a few colourful small shells to keep as a souvenir of a beautiful early autumn day.

    By this time of the year the tourist season has largely ended and the towns have reverted to their normal cycles of life. The weather is mild and the deciduous trees have just started to take on the first signs of yellow, amber and red. It is the perfect time to travel in Europe. Forget the hot and crowded months of July and August !

    In the evening we joined David and Carol and Gordon and Sue to celebrate Maggie's birthday at a nearby restaurant called the "Kidy Gwen". It seemed a somewhat mysterious name so I asked the owner what it meant. She explained that it was made from the initials of all the chefs. I guess that made perfect sense.

    Somehow the staff discovered that it was a birthday and, at the end of the meal, brought out Maggie's desert decorated with a flaming firework that seemed to go on forever. The entire restaurant sang "Happy Birthday" (in French of course) and ensured that this will be a birthday she will never forget.

    Dinard is a smaller companion city to St Malo, situated across La Rance and reached by a 10 minute water taxi ride from the citadel. We chose to spend our last full day in St Malo by spending a few hours in Dinard. The weather has settled down to provide a succession of fine and sunny early autumn days and the short ferry trip was absolutely delightful.

    Earlier in the day we had farewelled David and Carol who were heading off on the long trip back to Melbourne. After sharing so much with them over the past 6 weeks we were really sad to see them leave. This meant that our team was down to just four.

    We arrived in Dinard just as the large outdoor market was packing up. These markets are a feature of many French towns and provide a fantastic insight into the French culture.
    After wandering around the quiet streets for some time we purchased a sandwich and a couple of cakes to enjoy by the seaside. After finding a lovely spot to watch the waves gently lapping the shore I felt that there could be no place on earth where I would rather be. Maggie opened her Tarte Framboise (raspberry tart) and began to enjoy her favourite French cake. All was well with the world. But it didn't stay that way for long.

    Suddenly, out of nowhere, a huge seagull swooped out of the glare of the sun and grabbed a large portion of Maggie's tart. By itself that would not have been so bad if the bird had not also taken that very moment to completely empty its bowels over the two of us. We looked down and were shocked to find that we had been covered in a huge splatter of dark green seagull poo. It was a quick way to spoil the magic of the moment, but somehow we both laughed - what else could we do ?

    Maggie sadly had to dispose of the remnants of her prized tart and we both set about trying to clean ourselves up. It is a moment that will long live in our memories. In spite of the seagull bomb, it was still a lovely day and we had so much to be thankful for. Tomorrow we will be leaving St Malo and making our way to Vannes. We are already looking forward to our next visit to St Malo in 2019.    Read more

  • The World on Two WheelsA Feast of French CyclingThe World on Two Wheels

    Onto Vannes

    October 5, 2017 in France ⋅ 🌙 11 °C

    Yesterday we somewhat sadly packed our bags and bade farewell to St Malo. We had a fabulous time there and watching the tides became an hypnotic part of each day's schedule. Unfortunately we were leaving before the tides reached their spectacular monthly maximum, so maybe we will have to take that into account in planning our dates for our possible next visit in 2019.

    Accompanied by the now familiar sound of rolling suitcase castors we walked the 1.4 km to the Gare St Malo and waited for our train to Rennes. Our tickets did not have allocated seats so we had a bit of a scramble to secure places for ourselves and our luggage. An hour later we had arrived at the impressive Rennes Station and looked for the next train that would take us the rest of the way to Vannes.

    This time we did have allocated seats, although for some reason the air conditioning in the carriage did not seem to be working. This meant that we had a somewhat uncomfortable time, but the high speed (over 200 kph) of the train and the superb scenery meant that the time went quite quickly.

    We arrived at Vannes at around 3.30 pm, the warmest time of the day. The sun had shone brightly all day and chose that moment to shine even more. Our hotel was situated about 1.5 km from the Vannes Station and we had a rather hot and bumpy walk to its front door. Fortunately we made it without losing a castor and the welcoming lady at the desk told us that our room was waiting for us. This is always a relief, especially when the booking had been made almost a year earlier.

    We had last visited Vannes back in 2013 and at that time we had been travelling with Paul and Jan Coutts. The following day was spent renewing our knowledge of the historic city and exploring many kilometres of its tiny roads and alleys. In the evening we had a pizza dinner at the same restaurant we had visited 4 years earlier. It is situated right at the top of the ramparts and gives an amazing view down to the manicured gardens below. The evening was warm and perfectly still and we even had the same friendly waiter who had served us four years ago. It was another magic end to a perfect day (and the pizzas were excellent too).

    It is also worth noting that I have noticed several Camino signs during our travels this year. These have special relevance to me now that I will be walking the Camino next year. I guess these signs have been here for a long time, but I have never looked out for them before.    Read more

  • The World on Two WheelsA Feast of French CyclingThe World on Two Wheels

    Return to Auray

    October 7, 2017 in France ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C

    I have to admit that the more we see of Brittany, the more we fall in love with it. After spending several days in Vannes we thought we had discovered a city that was just about perfect. Not too big and not too small and with a fantastic assortment of restaurants, tea houses, shops, parks, gardens and an amazing medieval city centre dating back to the 1500s. It was just the sort of place that we could imagine spending a year in if only we had the opportunity.

    Although we were sorry to finally leave Vannes, our train tickets and hotel had already been booked for our next stop. We packed our bags once again (why do they always seem to be getting heavier ?) and wheeled them the 1.3 km back to the railway station. We were both relieved that we seem to have settled in to a prolonged period of fine and sunny weather, so the walk was more of a pleasure than a chore.

    We arrived at the station just in time for a succession of announcements about train cancellations. It was just as well that our French has improved enough for us to now be able to understand quite a bit of what was being said. Dozens of passengers (most with luggage) started to file off the waiting train. This did not auger well for our trip. When we asked at the ticket office whether our train would be affected, we were met with a polite "je ne sais pas". We sat down in the station and waited.

    The same passengers that had filed past us some time ago filed back in the opposite direction, and then once again for good measure back outside again. It was obvious that no one had any idea what was going on. As I have said many times before, life in France is NEVER boring.

    When we finally boarded our train we were relieved to find that it was almost empty. We sat down with our luggage for the short trip to nearby Auray Le Loch. On arrival we caught a taxi to take us the 2.4 km to our hotel ( a little too far to walk with luggage). We were thrilled to find our hotel was situated right on the edge of town, in the middle of a forest. It was like being in a marvellous tree house. And that is one of the most delightful aspects of travel in Europe - you never know just what to expect of your next hotel until you are actually there.

    After dropping off our luggage we walked through the forest to the old port. If we loved Vannes, we quickly adored Auray. It is a beautiful town with a lovely city centre and a beautiful port. The streets are quiet and clean and the many city bells are a regular reminder that we really are in France.

    We had briefly visited here 4 years ago and had a rather traumatic experience when I accidentally drove our rental car right into the middle of the port (not knowing that I was driving the wrong way up a one way street). At that time I did not take much notice of the surroundings, I just wanted to escape with ourselves and the rental car intact. This time we have allowed 3 days to explore the town. We then catch the train back to Paris where we will be staying for 4 nights before the long flight back to Melbourne.
    C'est la vie.    Read more

  • The World on Two WheelsA Feast of French CyclingThe World on Two Wheels

    Signs of the Camino

    October 8, 2017 in France ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

    Although I have been to France many times and have ridden and driven many thousands of kilometres all around the country, I have to admit that there is one feature that I had never noticed before. Next year I will be bringing a group 16 Ghostriders (Ghostwalkers ?) to Europe to walk the famous pilgrim trail from Roncesvalles in the Pyrenees to Santiago.

    Although this route (the so called "Spanish Camino") is the most well known version of the walk, there are in fact dozens of different routes scattered all over Europe. The word Camino simply means "The Way" and the true pilgrims started their pilgrimage from their own front door and then walked all the way to Santiago. The cathedral there is supposed to contain the body of St James and this is the reason why tens of thousands of people still complete this pilgrimage every year.

    The symbol of the Camino is the scallop shell. The radiating lines of the shell indicate that there are many possible starting points but only one destination. Scattered all over France are numerous camino paths and these are most commonly marked with brass scallop shells on the footpaths. Sometimes the way is marked with a green arrow or some other symbol.

    Because we will be completing our own "Camino" in 2018 I have been more alert to these symbols and have been amazed at how often they appear, especially near the locations of famous cathedrals or abbeys. I have attached some images as well as a map showing some of the versions of the French Camino    Read more

  • The World on Two WheelsA Feast of French CyclingThe World on Two Wheels

    Market Day in Auray

    October 9, 2017 in France ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

    According to Trip Advisor, the top 2 things to enjoy in Auray are (1) The Port and (2) The Weekly Market. Since we arrived here two days ago we have made regular walks from our hotel to the Port and have become quite familiar with the sights along the way.

    This morning we began the day with a walk through the quiet forest that adjoins our hotel. The paths were covered with a thick layer of brightly coloured autumn leaves that crunched loudly as we walked. This is another reminder that winter is rapidly approaching, although we will be long gone by the time it really arrives.

    We emerged from the forest and followed a new route into the centre of town and were thrilled to see all the little streets and laneways were filled with traders. It was obviously market day and we had a wonderful time wandering up and down the long lines of merchants. Markets are an integral part of life in most French towns and they give a wonderful insight into the French passion with food and fresh produce.

    Near our hotel we have noticed an "A Vendre" (To Sell) sign on a lovely small home. Each time we have passed by we have stopped to daydream about what it would be like to buy such a place. Sure it would be impulsive, but just about everything else worthwhile we have ever done has been the result of an impulse. We have never been ones to spend months deliberating over all the details. It certainly would be a beautiful place of the world to live in.

    When we got back to the hotel we searched out the property on the internet and it looks like our plans will have to go on hold for a little while. With a price tag of close to a million Australian dollars, it would be a tad high to justify as a holiday home (or even our main home for that matter). We will have to keep on dreaming.

    Tomorrow we will be catching the high speed train to Paris and we will be departing Auray with our luggage a little bit heavier after our purchases from the market. Our minds will also be loaded with happy memories of the short time we have spent here. It really is one of the many treasures of Brittany.    Read more

  • The World on Two WheelsA Feast of French CyclingThe World on Two Wheels

    Paris, Nous t' Aimerons Pour Toujours

    October 11, 2017 in France ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C

    Someone once coined the famous saying that "all good things must come to an end". While I do not agree with the saying itself, it is nevertheless true that our 2017 European Adventures are now rapidly drawing to a close. Within 4 days we will begin the long journey back to our parallel universe in Australia.

    Although the trip is coming to an end, the memories will last for a lifetime. I recently read the results of a research investigation into the sorts of things that bring lasting happiness. The results were very interesting. They showed that, while the "happiness" that comes from the acquisition of material things (fancy houses, cars, clothes and money) is very fleeting, the happiness that comes from travel lasts for many years. Even more surprising is the finding that the pleasure from travel actually increases, rather than decreases, with the passage of time. Over the past years I have certainly found this to be the case.

    Yesterday we sadly bade a final farewell to Auray and caught the SNCF train to Paris Montparnasse. The train was "slow" until it reached Rennes (only between 150 - 180 kph), but then we joined the brand new Grand Vitesse (High Speed) line to Paris. For the next hour the train seldom dropped below 290 kph and was express all the way from Rennes to Paris. The total distance from Rennes to Paris was covered in less than an hour. Why oh why can't we build trains like that in Australia ?

    After leaving Montparnasse Station we caught a taxi to take us to our hotel in the region of the Sorbonne and the Pantheon. The driver started chatting in very good English and told us that he had lived in Paris for the past 29 years, but would soon be going home to Portugal to work in his brother's restaurant in Porto. He was obviously very excited to be going home and more excited when I told him that I would be bringing a team of bike riders to ride in his country next year.

    When I made the booking at The Hotel St Jacques I had requested that we have a "quiet, non smoking room with a nice outlook". They must have taken this request quite literally. When we arrived at the hotel we were informed that our room was on the 6th floor. We would have to take the tiny elevator to the 5th floor and then navigate a narrow, spiral staircase into the roof space. It only took a few return trips in the lift to get us and our luggage to advanced base camp on the 5th floor and then I set about manhandling our bags up the staircase. About halfway up I almost dislocated my shoulder when I bashed it straight into the sloping roof.

    By the time we reached le chambre trente, it made for an interesting discovery. Although the room was small (although larger than many other rooms we have stayed in in Paris) it did have a panoramic view over the surroundings. And what was that in the distance ??? It was the distinctive shape of Sacre Coeur Cathedral standing proudly on the Butte Montmartre. That almost made the climb worthwhile.

    In the middle of the night I awoke and decided to stand on the balcony and see what was happening so many floors below. Although it was the wee small hours of the morning, there were quite a few people wandering about the streets. Some of the shops were still open. People were happily chatting and a few motor scooters were zooming their owners home. In the apartments opposite some of the lights were still on. As I have said many times before, Paris is NEVER boring (not even in the middle of the night).

    Now that the ride is over I thought it might be time for a few rough statistics:
    Total Number of Riders - 22
    Number of Riders doing all 4 sections - 7
    Total number of km ridden - well over 20,000 km
    Places visited - Germany, Switzerland, France, Jersey, Guernsey and Sark
    Number of different bikes used (in 4 sections) - 5
    Type of Bikes - All were European Touring Bikes (quite heavy but well adapted for this type of riding), In sections 2 and 3 we had very good Specialised Brand bikes, many equipped with solid puncture proof tyres. In the Channel Islands the bikes were basically rubbish bikes that had not been serviced for decades (but this contributed much to the laughter)
    Number of Injuries - 3 minor crashes, 2 falls into stinging nettles and one heart attack (and that was a first)
    Number of different hotels stayed in - 27
    Number of baguettes eaten - impossible to determine
    Favourite cake - tarte citron avec meringue
    Favourite place - St Malo
    Favourite region of France - Brittany
    Overall enjoyment rating - Excellent

    Our next French ride is planned for 2019 and already I can't wait to start all over again.    Read more

  • The World on Two WheelsA Feast of French CyclingThe World on Two Wheels

    The House of Victor Hugo

    October 11, 2017 in France ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

    The last time Maggie and I were in Paris five weeks ago I literally walked the soles off my shoes. We had decided to forego the Metro and do all our travels on foot instead. Not only is that better for your health, but it is also the best way to begin to come to grips with the tangle of streets that can be so confusing for the first time visitor.

    I had to battle with those shoes for most of the cycling sections, with the soles progressively parting company a little bit more with every passing day. It was not until I discovered a Mountain Warehouse store in St Peter Port that I was able to find a decent pair of walking shoes in my own size. At the time I bought them I thought that they could be useful for my upcoming walks along the Inca Trail and The Spanish Camino next year

    The problem with the new shoes is that they are just too comfortable, so much so that I have worn them every day since. Since today was our first full day since arriving back in Paris, I thought it would be a great chance to see how my feet felt after a full day of walking.

    We began by walking up the hill to the nearby Pantheon. This huge distinctive building was originally constructed as a church in 1755, but has been converted to a mausoleum to house the remains of distinguished French citizens. Among those who are buried here are Victor Hugo and Alexandre Dumas.

    We then headed north across the Seine and along the right bank to the Place Des Vogues. This place is one of the most sought after addresses in Paris and contains a large number of opulent apartments that all face inwards into a central garden. One of these apartments was the residence of Victor Hugo from 1832 to 1848. It is now maintained as a museum and is one of the few museums in Paris where the entry is free. It was certainly worth every cent that we didn't pay.

    By age 30 Victor Hugo was already a famous (and quite wealthy) poet, writer and artist. His apartment gives a fascinating insight into Hugo's incredible intellect and creativity. We spent over an hour here exploring the exhibits. I was particularly interested to see that he did much of his writing standing up at an elevated desk. In this he was obviously over a hundred years ahead of the latest research.

    After our time in Victor's house we purchased some beautiful fresh strawberries and raspberries and feasted on them on the banks of the Seine. The next couple of hours were spent exploring unfamiliar backstreets and the myriad of unusual shops that a feature of the left bank. We have both been consciously working hard to improve our French vocabulary. I have found that a good way to do this is to wander through the many book shops and translate the title of each book. It certainly keeps the mind busy.

    In 1848 Hugo was forced into exile due to his republican ideals. He ended up in St Peter Port, Guernsey in the Channel Islands and purchased the impressive building that he renamed as Hauteville House. This is where he stayed until the end of his exile in 1870. Hauteville House was actually right next door to our hotel in Guernsey and we passed by it every day we were there.

    Later in the day we worked our way back along the left bank in the upstream direction. Some might be dismayed to hear that we dined at the famous French restaurant "Le McDonalds", before finally walking (staggering) back to our hotel. I am pleased to state that, after walking many kilometres around Paris, the soles are still firmly attached to my new shoes and that they are now well and truly worn in. And me ? I am worn out.    Read more

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