So this whole weblog thing isn't as easy to update as we thought. Rural France doesn't have many Cybercafes you see... Anyhow, here's what we've been up to:
Day 1 - St. Malo -> Dinan (38km)
Very cute walled town. Had first stubbling conversation with old French lady eating water melon. Scarey ride over Barrage at Dinard. Sunny!!!
Day 2 - Dinan -> Forét de Montfort (68km)
Old river port town (also walled). Lots of Tudor-like timber framed buildings. Lunch stop by beautiful lake (etang de neal). Met fellow cycle tourers - Sarah and Sophie, Brits - at a supermarché. They gave us brioche! First night wild camping in the forest!
Day 3 - Forét de Montfort -> Grand Fougeray (66km)
Lunch stop in Messac where we saw moustachioed artists painting canal. Only people on campground in Grand Fougeray. We went out for dinner and had savoury pancakes, coffee and crepe.
Day 4 - Grand Fougeray -> Ancenis (71km)
Aiming for the Loire we got going early and covered the distance by 4:30! Busy campground conplete with gangs of kids on bikes and tough looking guy listening to Dire Straights. Wandered around on the riverbank at sunset. Saw first grapevine, cacti and terracotta tiles!
Old river port town (also walled). Lots of Tudor-like timber framed buildings. Lunch stop by beautiful lake (etang de neal). Met fellow cycle tourers - Sarah and Sophie, Brits - at a supermarché. They gave us brioche! First night wild camping in the forest!
Day 3 - Forét de Montfort -> Grand Fougeray (66km)
Lunch stop in Messac where we saw moustachioed artists painting canal. Only people on campground in Grand Fougeray. We went out for dinner and had savoury pancakes, coffee and crepe.
Day 4 - Grand Fougeray -> Ancenis (71km)
Aiming for the Loire we got going early and covered the distance by 4:30! Busy campground conplete with gangs of kids on bikes and tough looking guy listening to Dire Straights. Wandered around on the riverbank at sunset. Saw first grapevine, cacti and terracotta tiles!
Day 5 - Ancenis -> Clisson (53km)
Very hot day! Lots of grapevines and hills. Jody found a tic in her leg and we saw first hornet - hmm. Clisson turned out to be a really nice town.
Day 6 - Clisson -> Piquet (99km)
Wow, 60kms before lunch! Clouds of minute flies which sqaushed when you brushed them off were an unwelcome addition to the day. Passed through Chateau Fromage (no cheese though) before heading to Piquet. Campsite no longer exists there so we wild camped on the banks of the river Yon. Really nice spot!
Day 7 - Piquet -> Esnandes (58km)
Thuderstorm in the night. Started seeing fields of sunflowers today and lots of buildings with shutters and whitewashed walls. Had been looking forward to mill-pond flat marais north of La Rochelle but mean crosswinf spoiled it! Called it a day in Esnandes and met Misha and Alice - newly wed english couple who invited us to dinner of shellfish and frites. Yum!
Day 8 - Esnandes -> Les Grenettes, Ile de Ré (38km)
Lots of strange, ramshackle private piers on the coast. Crossed to Ile de Ré over 3km long bridge! Jody was worried but bikes have their own lane so all good. Ile de Ré is known as the Paris of the west coast. Loads of bikes as its mainly flat.
Day 9 - Les Grenettes, Ile de Ré -> Rivedoux-Plage, Ile de Ré (8km)
Very sunny so we stayed in the island for another day. Spent most of the day relaxing on the beach. Charlie got quite sunburnt. Bummer.
Day 10 - Rivedoux-Plage, Ile de Ré -> Marennes-Plage (108km)
Crossed bqck to mqinlqnd to pass through La Rochelle. Met Robèrt, a 65 year old french roadie with a dodgy knee. He led us to the city, avoid hills, pointing out dangerous bumps in the path and stopping traffic for us. La Rochelle was beautiful. Struggled to find campground in the evening so kept pushing south. Passed through Brouage, an old fort town, still completely within the original walls. Charlie left his water bottle on one of them.
Day 11 - Marennes-Plage -> Royan (53km)
Late start but lovely day going through the foret de la coubre. The forest has a beautiful western coastal edge. 1000s of tourists on bikes ranging from 1yrs to 100yrs old! Out of the forest in Royan was not so nice but got out to a semi-rural camp ground.
Day 12 - Royan -> Jonzac (70km)
Left Royan quickly and found ourselves in Talmont - coqstql town with 12C church. Very windy! Also looked at Roman villa remains at le Fé. Jonzac is an odd town but cheap camping and disney-esque chateau saved it. Broke 50kmph according to bike computer!!!
Day 13 - Jonzac -> Vacher, River Palais (75km)
Lots of sunflowers today. Gorgeous perfiterole treat from patisserie followed by lunch in supermaché car park - can't have it all aye. Charlie got bitten by something which brought up a baby-sized lump on his forearm.
Day 14 - Vacher, River Palais -> Flaujagues (36km)
Sooooooo many vineyards today! Unfortunately no grapes ready to eat yet. Shame. Stopped in Castillon and had our first glimpse of the Dordogne. Cycled along it for 8km before stopping.
Day 15 - Flaujagues -> Flaujagues (0km)
Restday, hooryay! Camped 20ft from Dordogne so why move?
So, we're currently in Sainte Foy sur Dordogne and continuing south. Not sure, as usual, when we'll next see an internet cafe but we will update again when we do. Heading to Courdes next if you want to try and guess our route (good luck with that, we barely know!) and hoping to tuck into a few bottles of Bordeaux wine and continue the cheese-binge.
Lots of love
Jody and Charlie.
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