St Malo to Nice

[andrewc]

 After a long day of trains yesterday & an overnight ferry I'm now in St Malo, sheltering from the wind off the sea.   

Sandals, socks, leg warmers & a Tilley. Elegant or what ?

It's grey & cool, but the forecast for the rest of the week is good 

Pics & map will be here http://trackmytour.com/zNz64

[Pancho]

Keep us posted - I like a vicarious tour.

It's been blowing old boots all night here so I reckon the ferry must have been "fun".

Having looked at a forecast, I think you're well off following the sun and heading south.

[andrewc]

Ok, yesterday was the train slog from Liverpool to Portsmouth followed by an overnight ferry to St Malo.
My cabin was close to the kennels, and I could hear yapping dogs all night! Didn't sleep very well.

Off the ferry into a blustery wind & headed off on the coastal road, for some reason I didn't bother getting breakfast & was feeling a bit peckish by the time I got to Cancale so had omelette avec jambon et frites for lunch.

More windy coastal roads, lots of old windmills & places with "polder" in the name. Mont San Michel in the distance. I went there when I was 12 on a school trip & it was wall to wall souvenir shops then.

After a mere 60  Km I'm feeling tired, so shop for food & check into the campsite at Pontorson, €21 is a rip off but it's spotting with rain.

Tonight's meal will be pork chop, rice and courgettes & asparagus cooked with tomatoes & garlic.
I've allowed myself a 1/2 bottle of red....

[Canardly]

Have a wonderful time Andrew.

[Wowbagger]

Good luck with the weather. We spend yesterday and today driving from a Mediterranean climate to one dominated by the North Atlantic. Over 30°C in Montelimar today, apparently. 13° in Calais. I am really pleased we were on Le Shuttle and not having to brave 50mph winds in the channel.

[andrewc]

A pleasant but uneventful day.
I woke up around 7:30 to sunshine. Faffage with bacon & eggs plus reading a few chapters of my book meant I didn't get on the road until nearly 11. What the hell, I'm on holiday!

Out of Ponterson & onto quiet roads through farmland to Cogles. I'm using the France en Velo book as a guide & the step by step directions are very good.

From Cogles to Fougeres where I have lunch of sausage, cheese & tomatoes on a bench overlooking the town.

Through Fougeres and onto the D179 which I follow for the rest of the day. In Combourtille I encounter a red British Telephone Box, with a French pay phone inside!

On to Vitre where I wander around the old town for a bit. My gut feels off, so I don't sit down for a cold beer.
A quick shop (where I buy a litre of milk & drink half of it in the car park) then onto the municipal campsite, 6€, that's more like it!

Lamb steak with tomatoes & rice. A 75cl bottle of Chimay...

[Canardly]

Live yoghurt for the tum!

[Pancho]

Fried brekkies, slap up suppers. That's a proper hol! And a bit of cycling thrown in, to boot.

[mzjo]

watch out for hot weather and thunderstorms as you come south; it was 34° in the shade eating supper outside at 8pm this evening in Limoges and apart from thunderstorms this weather is supposed to stay into next week. If you are heading for the Rhone valley to go south it could be hotter/more thundery. Steady on the pinard, hydrate on water or beer.

[andrewc]

Today's route was supposed to be 103Km from Vitres to Challonrs sur Loire, I didn't make it. I've not done a ride of that length with luggage since last September.

Faffage meant I wasn't in the road until 10:30, the road from Vitre to Craon passes through lovely rolling countryside, with an emphasis on the rolling... There was a gentle headwind and not a cloud in the sky.

Lunch was sausage & cheese again, with fruit & a litre of milk from a supermarket.

I left Craon, but was feeling tired & weak afterwards. I wasn't going to finish the planned route, so checked around for alternative campsites. One at Nyoiseau wasn't open for summer yet, so I carried on through Segres & then detoured to Le Lion d'Anjou.
A quick shop then onto the campsite. No one there to take the money so will sort that in the morning.

Total liquid consumption, 2 large mugs of tea. 2 750ml bottles of water, 1L milk, 750ml pure orange juice, 750ml Gewurtztraminer.....,

[andrewc]

I didn't zip the tent last night & something(s) have been nibbling me

Still no one to pay at the campsite & no honesty box, so on the road before 10. Already 25C

10km on minor roads, then have to walk 100M of roadworks on the main route. Just had a large slice of quiche & an apple tarte from the boulangerie.

[Wowbagger]

Do you have a baguette sticking out of your pannier?

[Torslanda]

SO jealous. One day . . .

[andrewc]

Reached the Loire river about 2 and turned left along the Corniche Angevin, a local chap on a bike told me of a better route that followed the river & was flatter. This turned out to be a bumpy, rutted dirt track, good fun.  My friend had been shopping and had stuff in a wooden box on his carrier, not secure,  I was following a trail of strawberries.....

Still very hot so I stopped for a beer, then camped at les Ponts de Ce for €8

Mergers, rice, courgette & tomato and a whole small melon 

[Wowbagger]

Reached the Loire river about 2 and turned left along the Corniche Angevin, a local chap on a bike told me of a better route that followed the river & was flatter. This turned out to be a bumpy, rutted dirt track, good fun.  My friend had been shopping and had stuff in a wooden box on his carrier, not secure,  I was following a trail of strawberries.....

Still very hot so I stopped for a beer, then camped at les Ponts de Ce for €8

Mergers, rice, courgette & tomato and a whole small melon 

Mergers? Qu'est-ce que c'est?

[andrewc]

Bloody spillchucker! Merguez! Sossidges! Nom!

[Wowbagger]

Ah yes! We had those when we were in France. Delicious!

[andrewc]

Another  late start, I must get out of this habit, it wastes half the day. 

Gentle riding along the banks of the Loire, with a couple of pan au raisin to sustain me.

Pass through Saumur and on to Fontevraud l'Abbaye where I have a beer and the worlds smallest quiche. I supplement it with some peaches.

I take the straight Roman road to Loudun, annoyingly the municipal campsite * I'd planned to stay at is locked up, so it's on the road again. No sign of Ollie Reed either...

Campsite at Martaize is also closed, press on to Moncontour in the lovely evening light.

Not sure if the "camping" part of this sports complex is open either, most of the toilet block is shut, including the loos! I manage a shower, but may have to resort to wild camping tactics later. There is some sort of open air disco nearby as well.

*I'm running about 1/2 a day behind the guidebook, which means I'm not using the campsites they've recommended.

[Torslanda]

If you find yourself in the Creuse or Haute Vienne without a campsite I have a couple of friends in the Linards - St. Germain les Belles area who might be able to help.

I've PM you my mobile so you can text me if required.

[maxap]

If you  find yourself in the Limousin, Creuse, come and stay with us. Bon route

[andrewc]

Cheers folks 

Away earlier today, no one to pay as reception still closed.

Tiny French village has 2 public toilets. UK please take note.

[CrazyEnglishTriathlete]

Bloody spillchucker! Merguez! Sossidges! Nom!

Love Merguez.  I use them with lardons and beans to make a rabbit cassoulet.  Wash down with a bottle of Tavel.

Hope the rest of your trip goes well 

[mzjo]

Bloody spillchucker! Merguez! Sossidges! Nom!

Pig-free sausages!! And for carnivores, as well!

Should be OK for campsites  down here. I am following your route with interest.

[andrewc]

Another gorgeous, hot, sunny day, you know the drill.....
A bit windy though & in the wrong direction.

Pain au chocolat at the roadside for breakfast. Through St Juin de Marnes and onto the Apple-Esau village of Airvault. More country roads then I miss a turn off & end up on the main road for 30 mins rather than double back. 

Lunch is bread, cheese, tomatoes & peaches at the roadside.   Around Parthenay and through small villages to Menigoute. EVERYTHING is closed, everywhere. No chance of a quick beer, wish they had roadside vending machines like in Belgium! Cold cans of Jupiler ....

I've finished 1 bottle of water & am half way through the other.

Reach the campsite at Lusignan about 5 and sit by the pool for a couple off beers before putting the tent up.
Buy an overpriced bottle of red for later.

Tinned mackerel & rice as food.

Looks like the villages are slowly dying, despite the best efforts of government & local councils. Cheap property though, sell my flat in Liverpool & buy a cottage over here ?

[andrewc]

I iz nott ded !

2 days of lovely riding but annoyingly slow progress when measured against the guidebook.

35 miles on Monday & 37 today, not especially flat ones though, it's a bit uppy downy around here!

Monday was another late start,  I didn't get on the road before 11,  I never had this problem before mobile internet!   Gorgeous weather & countryside,  ended up at L'Isle Jourdain, steak for dinner. Campsite manager was wearing a wool beret in the heat & my pitch was Ant central.

Away by 10 today, which must count as early. Breakfast an hour later at Availles. Still sunny, but hazy clouds & gusty wind, forecast is for rain.

Lunch at the roadside , bread, sausage, cheese & fruit. 

I have to make a call back to the UK later so stop & have a couple of beers which zonk me out! My legs feel really tired & I'm walking up hills.

Shop & camp at Rochechouart.