France 2008
A failed tour
St Malo -- the Dordogne -- the Loire - Brittany - St Malo
Note that this is still under construction! (but hopefully finished in the next few days (29 Jan 2009)
Tour Overview
The link below shows the detailed route. I do need to make some changes but haven't yet got round to it (29 Jan 2009
www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/St-Malo-to-Bordeaux
Introduction
This 2008 tour was something of a disaster caused by foul wet weather and by my left knee ceasing to function properly.
My journal is only kept up to my arrival at friends in Gageac et Rouillac south of the Dordogne
So here it is as is and was!
Thursday 24 April. By car to Netheravon 184 miles -- arrived at 1505 hrs -- James -- home from school at 1520 hrs.
Friday 25 April. 65 miles by car to Bridgewater to SJS Cycles -- arrived 0855 and handed over my velo for a service , new chain and attention to Rohloff. Went to Burnham on Sea to pass the time. picked up the velo at 1 pm and did a successful test ride. Feels like new again! Back to Netheravon by 1500 hrs.
Saturday 26 April. A nice ride on Salisbury Plain with son Andrew, grandson James and a friend. A bit rough on the velo but a lovely warm day!
Sunday 27 April. A quick 25 kms circuit -- Everley, Upavon, and back this morning.
Monday 28 April. Into Amesbury for bits and pieces -- repair kit, clothes pegs and string!
Tuesday 29 April. Managed a 15km ride in awful rain this afternoon. Forecast for Thursday is not very good!
Wednesday 30 April. All loaded up and ready for the off tomorrow morning, I have been trying to reduce the load! Failed!
Thursday 1 May. Netheravon to Portsmouth
Set off at 0603, arrived Portsmouth ferry terminal at 1430 hrs
Av 12.3 kph, Daily Distance (DD) 90.5 kms, Total distance (TD)148.8 kms, Maximum 50.50 kph
Time taken (TT) 7hrs 21
The journey to Romsey was good and fairly fast but I stopped there to check the Satnav and then my maps of todays route blew into a river! I then got into a tizwaz and dropped the satnav and the "chip" from it flew into the middle of the road to be run over by several cars When I recovered it and reinserted it the Satnav kept saying "No Map" ----- SUGAR! It was raining heavily btw! Felt like going home!
I went to a garage and bought Portsmouth and Southampton street maps for £6 and I set off again.
The second half of the journey was hard work -- there were several long ( not steep) hills which I walked up. I ran out of water and was failing, even in bottom gear to cope. I stopped at a lay by cafe and had an injection of sugar ( 2 cherry cokes) and a doorstep cheese & Onion sandwich. Only about 6 miles to go but I toiled up another long steep hill for about 2 kms and was "chinstrapped! Really I was bonkers to do 90 kms at my state of unfitness.
The last 6 kms was downhill nearly all the way to the ferry terminal. Had a glass of cider in the facility there and then several hours wait before we were allowed on the ferry.
I am first in the dining room and have a knuckle of lamb and a bottle of Merlot. Now 2018 hrs and due to sail at 2030hrs
Off to bed!
Friday 2 May. St Malo to Tinteniac
Camp
at Tinteniac
Stats: DD 59.17 kms; TD 208.0 kms; Max 41.5 kph TT 4 hrs 55. Av 12 kph ( dreadful!)
Up at 6 am French time. No one about. had scrambled eggs for B'fast . A bit late docking but on the road for 0900 hrs.
I am overloaded for my state of fitness ( or rather lack of) and I have been walking up hills I should be cycling up. The satnav is totally knackered and has been disposed of! I stopped 6 kms short of Tinteniac for a coffee and talked in French for 10 minutes to a bod from Jersey! He thought I was French ( as I did in reverse)
Now 2030 hrs. Wined and dined. The pitch where I camped 4 years ago was free -- but awash with water! The curried black pudding for supper was surprisingly nice!
Saturday 3 May. Tinteniac to Rennes
Stats: DD 33.70 kms; TD 241.7 kms Max 35.5 kph' TT 2 hrs 45; Av 12.2
Up at 0700 hrs and I pottered about for a bit. I am just not happy about my fitness for what is a long tour with a part of the Massif Central later on! Anyway I got away at 0900 hrs and I am only going as far as Rennes today -- about 40 kms in all Followed my planned route and I didn't have to get off and push at all. I arrived early at the Parc des Gayeulles -- an excellent Municipal site which is clean and well run.. However there is some sort of drum festival going on this afternoon which I hope doesn't go on all night!!!!! Now there is also loud music which isn't quite as loud as the incessant drums being delicately out of phase!
Have the same meal as yesterday bolstered with fresh vegetables
It was an easy ride today and my Av shows how unfit I am -- but I do have lots of time.
2130hrs in bed after a very warm afternoon ( shade temp 29.2 C) and is still very humid but is now heavily overcast. If it is fine tomorrow I intend to stay and "do " Rennes which seems to be a nice city.
Sunday 4 May. Site seeing Rennes.
Stats :- DD 18 75 kms; TD 260.3 kms; Max 32.5 kph; TT 1 hr 43; Av 10.9 kph
Fairly warm all day but cooler now at 2030 hrs. I had a good day around and about in Rennes and also did a bit of a recce of my route out of the city for tomorrow. Tomorrow is a longish day for this stage of the tour but I already feel a slimming down around the waist -- but it is still hard work going uphill.
Monday 5 May.
DD 18.68 kms; TD 279 kms
It was tippling this morning and although I was completely packed up and ready to strike the tent, at 1030 hrs I decided to stay put and unpacked again. By 1120 it had stopped raining but ................
Tuesday 6 May. Rennes to Guemene Penfao
Stats:- DD 75.59 kms; TD 354.8 kms Max 49 kph; TT 5hrs 45
I don't think my alarm is working properly but anyway I was away by 0905 hrs. I was glad I had recced the exit from Rennes and it wasn't difficult following the river Villaine most of the way. I stopped for coffee and Pastis in Guichen. I nearly followed the route as planned but had an unexpected stop at about 1330 when I stopped to ask for some water and confirm I was still on route. The lady very kindly invited me in and I met her husband ( Annicke and Alaine. What marvellous people the French can be. In a tiny hamlet in the middle of nowhere and I sat and had a very light lunch and 2 glasses of PORT!!!!!!!!!!!!. I stayed for far too long but drank a lot of water.
Then onward and I made a mistake which took me up a very very steep hill ( which I toiled up) and then down the other side and I could have easily avoided it! Stopped just short of Guéméné for a "panuché" ( a shandy) and then in the Super U for victuals for tea!
Settled in camping L'Hermitage and met Nicole an extraordinary Welsh lady travelling south to Portugal by camper van thingy! Nice person and we chatted for far too long while my chicken curry was brewing!
Now 2116 hrs and very quiet. It was a very hot day and I needed all the water input I was carrying ( about 2.2 litres. I have decided to have another day off tomorrow -- just too out of condition and still pushing up hills that I should be riding up! Well time is no object and I prefer to keep my tiredness down ( and stress too). I want to enjoy my cycling days and not feel it is a chore.
Wednesday 7 May. Rest day.
Went shopping with Nicole in her mini motorhome. and then had a midday nap for 2 hours before going for a ride
1830 hrs Just had supper. Pork casserole. Feeling very low and wish I was home!!!! I shall go to Nantes tomorrow as planned but then I might change my whole route!!!! Very uptight and upset for no apparent reason!
I had a long chat with Nicole which brightened me up a bit. She drove off into the night at about 10 pm and I went to bed.
Thursday 8 May, Guéméne Penfao to Vertou.
Stats:- DD 76.41 kms; TD 434.7 kms; Max 39 kph; TT 5 hrs 41; Av13.4 kph
Up at 0600 and away by 0800.Sunny but a fair bit of cloud. I only walked up one hill -- so it was easy cycling!!! Stopped in Blaine where I stopped in 2004 on my pilgrimage and bought my breakfast from the same boulangerie!. Bread bun and Apple pasty! I am sure it kept me going for the rest of the day.
Stopped in Orvault and had had a 1/2 hour with a glass of Muscadet. I rode on into central Nantes -- no problem but I stupidly didn't use my prepared map to get to Vertou and finished up ( after bad advice) on the route Periphetique -- and got off it pretty sharply too. It was raining then and I stopped for a check of my route and bought a sticky bun. I got to the camp site at 1500 hrs but my "deviation" had cost me an extra hour. I checked in and found that it is one of those continental "holy days" and all shops are shut! So on dry rations for tonight.
Now 1700 hrs and it is raining fairly steadily but not too heavily. I have decided to stay an extra night. I hope that these "black" moods I have been having don't happen any more.
Average was better today and it included a lot of walking in Nantes and when I got on to the ring road! It was a lot cooler today and I found that I was nowhere near as tired so morale is a bit higher.
Friday 9 May. Rest day.
I wanted to see a bit of Nantes rather than just bashing on. making kilometres.. Went shopping in the Super U which was packed -- just like in UK after one days holiday and I queued for ages to get checked out. I had a coffee and pastis at midday and the weather was quite cool and overcast. A good cycling day really but I wanted to see a bit of Nantes. Still having these huge oscillations of mood and I don't understand why -- just hope that they stop!
Last night the whole town was closed down. I was fortunate in that I found a small hotel bar and had a very pleasant evening chatting with a couple of Éclusiers ( lock keepers) and an expat Leeds guy who had lived in France for27 years! We seem to have drunk several glasses of Muscadet and I slept well!
Did my touristy thing but this evening I am distinctly off colour with a dose of "trots" so I had a port and brandy and went to bed early.
Saturday 10 May. Vertou to La Boissier Montaigue
Stats:- DD 51.78 kms; TD 495.5 kms; Max 42.5 kph; TT 3 hours 49; Av 13.5 kph
Up at 0630 hrs. Fine morning with a bit of mist and the sun just rising. Away before 0800 and quite warm again -- but still a but chilly going down hill! No pushing up hill today and quite nice riding.
2008
2004
Same place -- South of Nantes -- Muscadet vines!
I eventually stopped in Treize Septiers in the same bar that I took a glass of Mucadet in 2004. Same owner but sadly he didn't remember me!!!!! ( hee hee hee!). Only another 6 kms to La Boissier. And then after setting up I had to wait for the mini market "Proxi" to open up for provisions for today and tomorrow ( Sunday). Funny old town! Curried pork ribs again tonight and Poudin Noir for tomorrow. had some melon and pate for afters! Waiting for the minimarket to open put nearly an hour on my travelling time today as I wandered round a dump of a town with not a bar in sight - the one bar was having a wedding party and wouldn't sell me a glass of wine!
Friends going back to mama
Tomorrow is going to be a long run. It is Sunday so I shall bash down the N137 all the way to Lucon where i shall stay for 2 nights if it is nice.
This tour is the slowest I have ever done but I have never been so overweight before -- but my ribs have reappeared!!!
Sunday 11 May. La Boissier Montaigue to Lucon
Stats:- DD 70.55 kms; TD 566.1 kms; Max 52.5 kph; TT 4 hrs 38 ; Av 15,6 kph
Up at 0615 and away at 0800 hrs Fine and clear morning and quite warm. Joined the N137 and it was quiet but had obviously been upgraded since my 2004 trip. But it is Sunday and so no heavy traffic on it Distinctly "lumpy " but I made good tome on it for me! Stopped in St Fulgent for bread and another apple pastie to help keep the legs working! Long straight runs with the only disadvantage being that I could see the next hill approaching -- why do the French seem to insist on building their villages and towns at the top of a hill!!!
Stopped in Chantonnay for a panuché and met Allan Brown who lives hereabouts ( 25 years?) and is a translator and linguist i think. he actually manage to stop me talking and listen to him. Then went on with nothing too steep -- but I always rapidly hit my bottom "grandad" gear -- thank goodness for the Rohloff -- I just wind down rapidly from 11 to 1 and then just pedal away with the odd swear word directed at my trailer ( never at the velo!)
Found a Casino supermarché open with about 5 minutes to spare before closed Sunday lunchtime, Got meat and a few veg for my tea/supper. Betting ready to move off I had just put the packet of meat resting on the rear rack and forgot it --- till it fell of a 100 metres later!. Stopped again in Ste Gemme la Plaine for a couple of apples and some paté -- no shops tomorrow -- another "holy day". Also had an ice cream, a coffee and a "quart de vin Blanc" -- then onward for the last few kilometres.
Now in the camping west of Lucon. It is not the one I was heading for but I couldn't find that one. This is a large site with flats, chalets, mobile homes and carvans on permanent sites and a patch for tourers and oddities like me. Private with a glitzy reception and the rest very ordinary and lacking tlc! Can't remember what it is called. There is a restaurant -- open only at w/e's ( and not Sunday evening!) Lots of unkempt open spaces!!!!!!!!!!!!!! A swimming pool as well.
Now 1711 hrs and the evening meal is nearly done. looks like a wine free day tomorrow being a holiday!
(BTW. oysters available everywhere I go but not seen any Moules yet)
Trouble A group of middle teenage boys started chasing round and apparently trying to get into some of the unoccupied mobile homes and chalets at about 9.30 pm, Mustering my best French I told them to "go away" -- guess what! They are English and obviously staying in one of the flats away from the touring area! Later a Dad and Mum came to tell me to mind my own business as the children ( sic) were only playing. Part of their play had been to rampage through the "sanitaire" leaving it fouled and stinking.
I sat up until midnight fearing for my velo and my tent. I then packed everything up that I could and reckoned that I could be up and away in 1/2 an hour. I had paid for 2 nights but this **** camping was not for me!
Monday 12 May. Lucon to St-Christophre
Stats:- DD 52.05 kms; TD 618.2 kms; Max 31 kph; TT 3 hrs 35; Av 14.5 kph
Up at 0500 hrs and I was on the road to Lucon by 0545 under lights for the first time on this trip. Very much relieved to get away from that horrible place! Once the sun was up over the trees it was a beautiful morning and I was travelling on very comfortably through a totally flat landscape laced with drainage channels. Just after Villedoux I stopped to check my route with a chap in his garden because the road I was heading for seemed to be deteriorating to a track. He said it was a bit rough in parts and full of potholes but was indeed the route shown on my map! It was in fact a very little used but it took me straight across country directly to Longéves where I stopped for "pain" and a can of delicious Liptons Peach tea drink! and a still orange ( oh yes and a beer!) Then onwards to St Christophre.
Got here before 1030 and it is a very small village. I am in a nuce little bar 9 some of these places in France are fairly grotty but this was being run but a man and wife team ant it was immaculate and they were selling take away pizzas like hotcakes. Had a coffee and a couple of pastis' and found it closes at 1 pm for the day ( Holiday!). I got set up in the camping and popped back to the bar and bought a bottle of wine to take away!
Thunderstorms this evening but it is now ( 1925 hrs) a beautiful warm evening. The chap from the "Accueil" just turned up( 5 euro for the night in a very clean and well shaded site -- trouble is -- there is no shop nearby, I was thinking of stopping an extra day because the area is so nice but I shall go on!
It really is a beautiful evening and after a walk around the very large village pond I have closed the campsite for the night ( I am in charge -- and the only one here!) and off to bed being serenaded by a few hundred frogs!
Tuesday 13 May. St Christophre to St Savinien
Stats:- DD 49.07 kms ; TD 667.2 kms ; max 35.5 kph ; TT 3hrs 42; Av 13.2 kph
Away at 0900 hrs on a fine day, Stopped in Tonnay Boutonne for a coffee and bun. Fairly easy riding with just a few bumps but for the last few days my left knee has been aching quite a bit and I am often having to unclip and just waggle my leg around to ease the ache. I have had this before at various times over the years but it is troubling me a lot more than usual. I have a stack of pills with me including some paracetamol so I might take a couple before setting off next time!
Got to St Savinien by 1300 hrs and checked in for 2 days
Wednesday 14 May. Day Off!
Good -- it rained heavily all day and my tent was sinking into the mud! I found a cyber cafe open in the afternoon and junked 87 emails sitting waiting! Just a couple of kilometres for food and internet!
Thurday 15 May. St Savinien to Pons
Stats:- 47.25 kms; TD 719.9 kms; Max 43 kph; TT 3 hrs 53; Av 12.1
Up at 0700 hrs and away before 0900. A bit lumpy at first but not too bad My left knee was playing up a lot and was only doing about 1/2 of its work! I stopped in Saintes -- large town / city -- no I didn't -- well yes I did when I got lost! A coffee and pastis and a very helpful waiter got me on a good rural road following a river for a while but there were no signs and I got a bit windy and my knee was a constant nuisance. I finished up on the N137 again with about 20 kms of dead straight Napoleonic road. No pushing but knackering!
Stopped in La Jard -- just a couple of houses and a "Les Routiers" at the top of a long hill. It was obviously a good eating place because the dining room was full but I just had a couple of Panuchés and carried on to Pons.
What a town -- 43 hills! Found the camp site "Municipal La Paradis" which is large and empty because it is out of season.. The man at reception ( with a dog behind a chain link fence wanting to savage me) was very helpful and even offered to make me a meal ( pizza and frites!) which was nice of him. I found the local Supermarché at the top of another hill and I am having a beef curry for tea/supper
I shall go through Jonzac and on to Chevanceaux tomorrow but I am worried about my knee which is just about OK now having taken my 3rd dose of paracetamol of the day So I feel a bit iffy about my intention to get over the western edge of the Massif Central to the Loire. I am heading to the Dordogne now and am visiting a very long standing friend who I first met in Oman in 1979! So the aim is now to get to Francoise's home and then see how things are then!
I must admit that I am finding this years tour more of a toil during the cycling day -- which should be the best part of the tour.
I checked at a major station in Saintes today about the possibility of travelling by train if I need to with this gammy leg. It is a no go with my trailer!
( I have deleted a general moaning session which is in my journal at this point)
Friday 16 May. Pons to Jonzac
Stats:- DD 25.82 kms; TD 745.8 kms Max 35 kph; TT 2 hrs 14; Av 11.4 kph
I rained all night and I woke up to showering rain but when I got up at 0700 hrs it was just heavily overcast, but it didn't feel like rain. I hoped to get to Chevanceaux. The road was pretty flat and I took a dose of painkillers to get me on my way. I trundled along quite nicely despite the lack of push from my left leg.
I got about halfway to Jonzac when the heavens opened and didn't stop for hours. I saw no fun in going on in such torrential rain and headed for Jonzac Centre Ville. There I found total chaos in the ceaseless rain because the whole of the centre was under major reconstruction of buildings and roads. I had a coffee and asked about camping but got ( unusually) no help. but after another wander round I found another little bar where the lady was so very helpful and told me there was a small site right in the town. She directed me to it -- the only little problem I had was that I entered the site via a little back gate and had to unhitch my trailer to get the velo through it. I found a basic site all hard standing full of caravans and motor homes. The reception was a small hut with a caravan alongside. The whole area was covered to a depth of a couple of inches with rainwater!
I was guided to a narrow strip of grass behind a small "Sanitaire" and since it didn't look as though it was going to stop raining I decided to set up anyway -- it continued raining until after 4 pm! The tent slowly dried out ( sort of) and I went shopping in the local Leclerc.
Now 1928 hrs and the sun is shining and I am sitting in a patch of it The small site is filled just with French and they all think I am a mad Englishman! I agree with them!
Tomorrow I hope to be able to get on a bit. I am beginning to formulate a "Plan B". my left knee is distinctly worse and I am just aiming to get to Gageac Rouillac ( where Francoise lives) and make my new plans from there. I am aiming for Chevanceaux and hopefully as far as Montguyon and Guitres tomorrow which will kill a lot of kms towards "F's".
Amazingly at this moment there isn't a cloud in the sky.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Saturday 17 May. Jonzac to La Motte Camping ( near Montguyon)
Stats:- DD 43.22 kms; TD 789.0 kms; Max 51 kph; TT 3 hrs 15 mins; Av 13.2 kph
Away under full ( and wet) load by 0900. When I started breaking camp this morning I found one of the 3 poles of my tent had snapped and I remember being woken in the night by what I thought was something falling on my tent. I repaired the pole with a sleeve and insulation tape. I t was a reasonable morning with a bit of sun and I made good time to Chevanceaux where I stopped for coffee and a pain chocolat. 2 Brits in a blue Ford transit van pulled up but I didn't notice their number plate or the RH drive. When the driver returned he noticed the union flag draped over the back of my trailer load as usual just as I realised it was a UK number plate. Had a short chat. As I set off again for Montguyon I could see heavy cloud building up ahead of me. By the time I got into the town there it was obviously going to tipple again and I got into a bar just as the heavens opened. I stayed there for 2 hours as the rain just sheeted down. The road outside was like a river.. Again it was a better class of bar and the young lady and her husband chatted and looked after me. I also asked if there was a camping nearby -- "oh yes just 2 minutes away" ( in a fast car!) anyway it was thought to be about 6 kms!
So I took the route D730 towards La Roche Chalais and turned off to "la Motte camping. It was raining hard again and just a tad unpleasant. I found the site and went and sheltered under the edge of the Sanitaire. Reception was closed and although it said to ring the bell I decided to wait till the rain eased a bit. After about 1/2 an hour it was still tippling so I rang the bell anyway. A guy came out of the nearby house -- his name is Chris and is a Brit, He is running the place on his own and just getting it going. In the wet it looked dismal and very very soggy! There is a huge motor home as the only other resident -- a couple of brits. with 2 big mad dogs. who are house hunting.
I eventually set up in the wet again and draped my soggy waterproofs in the sanitaire to drip dry (ish). In this sort of rain the waterproofs just give up the ghost but! When the sun came out later suddenly the place looked quite different.
Chris ( and the couple running the bar in Montguyon ) said that the weather had been like this for over 2 weeks with daily heavy downpours. He offered to take me to the supermarché in his battered Landrover which I readily accepted. It was raining again as we left but had stopped by the time we got back. The ground around my tent is already a mud bath!
Chicken curry for supper and lots of it!
Sunday 18 May. Make and mend day.
It rained most of last night and I wasn't in a hurry to get up this morning ( 0900) but when I emerged the sun was shining. I walked around the very large sire with its own lake and it is ( or will be) an excellent site when finished. By 1100 hrs the clouds were building up again and looking dark and heavy -- just ad the tent is beginning to dry out! The clouds are coming in from the South and there is quite a strong breeze.
Chris
at La Motte Aire de Camping
1430. Just got back from a very pleasant lunch with Chris. Coffee, long chat, sandwiches and soup. I also cleared the email backlog and sent messages around to sons etc at home to let them know what a wonderful holiday I was having.!! It poured down again during the lunch and then afterwards I had a quick trip out on the velo to sort out my starting route for the morrow. There is a maze of little roads around here and very lumpy too -- so I wanted to know where i was going when under full load. tomorrow.
Later-- evening meal prep all done -- pork ribs curried and served with all fresh veg and rice. It has been nice that although I am carrying an emergency pack of pasta I haven't yet had any pasta at all on this trip! The sun is trying to get out although still very cloudy. But good lighting effects!
Monday 18 May. La Motte to Montpon-Ménestérol
Stats:- DD 60.87 kms; TD 853.1 kms; Max 45.5 kph; TT 4 hrs 01; Av 15.1 kph
Away from La Motte by 0900 on a fine day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It was a bit lumpy till La Roche Chalais and my leg leg seems to have virtually given up going up hill under full load. I suppose it is doing about 25% of the work. Still, I managed without getting off and pushing!
After that it was fast and flat to Coutras following the railway line. Then on to the D10 towards Montpon. It is now 1241 and I am stopped in St Antoine sur L'Isle for a panuché! lots of workers eating here so I have decided to have lunch. I bet it is good!
I have just eaten 2 huge veal cutlets with chips, a quart de vin blanc, and a coffee. I shall not be able to pedal at all this afternoon! but there isn't far to go and amazingly it isn't raining yet!
1630 and, after an easy ride, I am now in the camping at Montpon -- right by the river! I have done my shoppingand am having a cold beer now before cooking my tea.
Another tent pole broke with a crack today just as I had finished all the pegging . It broke in exactly the same place as the other one! Repaired with a sleeve and insulating tape. -- but a real PIA.
The camping has been clearly awash with the river very recently! but I found a slightly elevated spot which was fairly firm. I noticed that many of the sites drains must be blocked because the local authority had trucks and pumps on site clearing out the mud!
Tuesday 19 May. Montpon to Gageac Rouillac
Stats:- DD 47.72 kms; TD 900.8 kms; Max 54 kph; TT 3hrs 22; Av 14.2 kph
I am faced with a trip over the hill to get from the valley of the River Isle to the valley of the River Dordogne! Once over the top it would be an easy ride to Gageac. I think it is only about 120 metres to climb up so the knee should survive the climb!
I am now sitting in St Foy La Grande having a coffee and pastis! Another dryish day so far and the sun is out at the moment and it is quite warm! There is only about 12 or so kms to get to Francoise's home. Just hope I can remember the turning to get there -- it is some 6 years since I was last here!
Now retired to bed at F's and securely upstairs and F is down stairs in her room!!!! Not quite sure what time I arrived. I had a pleasant ride without rain along to D14 but of course took the wrong turning up the hills toward Gageac. I eventually found a church which I remembered but had to ring Francoise to ask directions! Which meant that my mobile was routed from France to UK and back to France again since it has the Euro Bolt on and thinks it is in UK! I was only about 500 metres from the farm!
Needless to say I was made very welcome -- it is 4 years since I last saw her ( she found me in a campsite one evening on my 2004 pilgrimage trip somewhere south of the Gironde!)
At least the days downpour didn't start until after I had arrived! The farm is divided into two -- the private home and the villa which is available for holiday hire all year round! To be honest the very attractive grounds are looking very bedraggled and waterlogged. The well is full right to surface level and naturally with all the rain the weeds have been running rampant.
Francoise had just come out from under a long and protracted divorce -- it takes ages in France and even now the financial side isn't yet settled!
Right that is the end of my day by day journal
What happened next?
I actually arrived at Gageac with a fixed plan to continue my holiday. It was, you may think, a crazy idea but I was very reluctant to pack up and somehow fly home. So here is what actually happened in outline.
Thursday 21 May fly from Bergerac to Southampton with a sleeping bag and my washing kit. Then by train to Salisbury and bus to Netheravon.
Friday 22 May. by car to Portsmouth and overnight ferry to Roscoff ( it should have been St Malo but the French fishermen blocked the harbour there).
Saturday 23 May -- by car to well south of Lucon. Camped using my old Vango tent
Sunday 24 May following my cycling route back to Gageac.
Monday 25 May to Saturday 30 May. I became a gardener and spent time between the continuing rain downpours getting the ground and flowerbeds weeded! I also spent evenings working on a website for Francoise's villa. We went out on a couple of evenings to have a meal
Saturday 30 May I set off again but by a loaded car with my velo on the back and I followed my planned cycle route all the way back -- eventually to St Malo again and back home to UK.
I will say at this point that the abominable weather continued day by day until I reached Ambois ( near Tours on the Loire. Many times I actually had to stop the car because the rain was just too heavy. If I had been on my velo I doubt that I would have continued. Campsites I visited were closed due to flooding and just because of the lack of custom I believe.
So I shall now continue with a sort of narration of what happened but it is all from memory I saw no point in maintaining a formal daily journal any more.
The Rest of the Trip
I left Gageac on yet another very wet day. It was my intention to follow my planned cycle route and stay in camp site and then do some local ( and load free) cycling. But the weather continued quite miserably. I missed out on a couple of planned stops and then looked to stay for a couple of days at Compreignac but the camp site here appeared to be totally deserted and its facilities locked up -- although I drove around the site. I motored on a bit ore locaslly and eventually found a couple of sites in the area of Saint Parfoux which were both inhabited but were big "permanent holiday type camps -- and were vitually empty and looked very miserable.
I bashed on until quite late in the afternoon in continuing heavy rain and eventually found a camp site in goof order, clean and cared for but also fairly empty. This was at St Sulpice les Feuilles and I had covered over 200 kms! The sun came out briefly and I set up and supped early.
The next day I determined to stop at Chateauroux where I had overnighted some 8 years ago. It was a nice town and I thought it would provide me with a few days cycling.
It was only about 70 kms to Chareauroux so I had a slow start next day and manage to strike camp in the dry! It didn't stay dry however and the day continued with several prolonged showers. When I arrived at Chateauroux I found that the camp site was closed -- being under several centimetres of river water! So I pressed on hoping to find a camping a little further on. The little eventually got me to Bourges. I had a small incident on the way. it was a Sunday morning and I had stopped in a small town square to buy some bread and "stickies".. When I came out I found that someone had reversed ( presumeably) into the rear LHS of my car and pushed my bike so that it has smashed my left rear light unit! I was just a bit miffed! But worse was to come!
I checked into the Bourges camping with some relief and said I would stay a couple of days. I went off to set up and unload my velo from the rear of the car -- only to find that the rear wheel had been buckled severly enough so that I thought it would need a new wheel. Of course it was Sunday -- and the next day was a holiday so the shops wouldn't be open until Tuesday. I set up and then got some good advice from the reception about a good bike shop in the city. I did a recce in the car and found it and thenparked up and walked off to find a bar to ease my frustration. It was, naturally, tippling it down
The Cathedral in Bourges with magnificent flying buttresses -- in the wet!
Monday I was out on foot again and found a supermarché open to stock up with food for the next couple of days and then I "did" Bourges .It is a pleasant town but not startlingly exciting but the day was more dry than wet for a change.
Tuesday morning saw me waiting outside the bike shop and I was very relieved when the guy said he had a replacement wheel for me and that it would be ready the following evening!. That meant another day in Bourges on foot
Anyway I found he town library nd witha very helpful lady was given free internet acces that afternoon so I caught up with lots of mail!
I collected my velo at about 4 pm Wednesday and then took it out for a ride -- it was good to be on 2 wheels again and I did a plwasant circuit round Bourges -- calling in for a coiuple of glasses of wine on my way.
On Thursday 4 June, it my intention to only go as far as Charité sur Loire and camp there for a couple of days but when I got there the camp site was awash from a very fast flowing Loire! it was raining of course!
Bridge
over the flooding Loire at Charité sur Loire
So again I motored slowly on, now head down the valley of the Loire. I diverted a little to visit the village of Sancerre but it was a dark, wind and rainy day and the village seemed to match the weather's mood!
Looking
across the valley from high in Sancerre. It was a very dark day and this photo
has been lightened a lot !
I passed a number of camp sites but eventually finished up in Poully Lez Gien after another wet and miserable day. The camp site was again at the river side and was partially flooded But I set up on the highest spot that I could find!
The sun actually came out! As I was setting up one of the poles of the Vango TBS Spirit 300 broke again and ripped through its sleeve and the tent was finally a write off! Fortunately I had picked up my little Vango Microlite 200 when I collected my car -- so I had a spare tent.
The remnants of the Spirit 300 can be seen at the foot of the tree!
You will notice that it is raining again.
I stayed 2 nights here but the weather didn't improve but on the second day I managed a trip up the Loire to Beaulieu sur Loire which I had driven through the day before. I then crossed over to the right bank ( east side) and cycled back -- about 50 kms in all, before it poured down again. The saving grace was that the camp site had a nice little bistro style restaurant which gave very good value.
The Loire in high water Drying out temporarily Red sky at night!
Saturday 6 June saw me packing up while it was still dry and watched a herd of goats being shepherded through by a couple of efficient dogs!
I headed south and west and for the first time in goodness knows how long it didn't rain all day. In fact the weather improved slowly so by th time I got to Ambois it was positively summer again! What a change.
I had to wait a while for reception to open and had a quart du vin blanc before checking in! A German couple with very little French were assisted by this expert linguist of an Englishman who was fluent in both German and French!. It is a huge site on a large island in the middle of the river but lots of space and a clean and pleasant site!
I took advantage of the good weather to cycle into town only to find the place was full of varios bands performing. There were eveb a couple of English bands there. I enjoyed my first triple flavours ice cream for weeks!!!!!
Sunday 7 June. I was up early to find the weather warm and sunny and took I decided to get out for a ride. I headed back up to Blois on the south bank and crossed over and headed back on the north bank using bits of teh N152 for a fast ride ( it was Sunday morning and the roads were empty -- but as usual the Routes National arehave excellent hard ahoulders and in all these years I have never had any problem cycling on them. One just has to be careful if there are slip roads . But early on this lovely day i was a joy to be cycling again. i must have done about 85 kms in about 4 hours. Just as I got back into Amboise on the north bank I found a supermarché open and bought fresh fruit , veg and meat for a couple of days plus a bottle of fizz ready for the 8th June -- my 71st birthday!
Had a long chat with Barbara and Mario, the German couple, that I met on arrival barabara is a doctor .Another wander around the town and the bands were still performing made a really good day.
Monday 8 June. Up early and a washing day in more sunny weather. The line was festooned with thing and I had a really good airing of lots o damp stuff! Cycled to the supermarche and bought a kg of moules for my birthday meal. The fizz was put into cooler ( a pan of water with a cloth over works ver well and at some stage barbara and Mario came over with a bottle of wine as a pressie!
So I made an instant decision and started prepping up the moules for my Moules Provencal al fresco! And I invited Barbara and Mario over for an aperitif and lunch!
Lunch went on until about 8 pm!!!!!!!! very relaxing!!
Happy
Birthday!
Much later
Much much later
They survived!!!!
Tuesday 9 June. The weather is holding warm and sunny. Cycled into Tours and then headed back via
St martin le Beau on the D140 and La Croix en Tourraine for a pleasand day out to shake of the cobwebs of yesterday! back on my travels tomorrow!