Tuesday 25/5/2010 Mulhouse to Basel

Tuesday 25/5/2010 Mulhouse to Basel 45km
This was our last day in France but before we give the description of today I need to rewind to last night.  We had pitched the tent a bit hot from the days ride and it became apparent that Sandy was not her usual self.  We had our showers, ate some snacks but then Sandy wasnt hungry which is very unusual for a cycle tourist.  She had a lie down while I posted the blog and then I cooked myself some very boring cous cous.  It was about 9pm by this stage and Sandy still didnt want to eat.   Luckily she had taken one of our cooking bowls in the tent with her when we went to bed as she very urgently needed to use it.  She was sick, quite ill and we think from the boiled eggs we had rolling around one of our panniers for a couple of days.  It's all OK to carry eggs and butter and the like when it's 10degC but it was 29degC today and in a black pannier in the sun it was probably a bit warmer.  Anyway we're blaming the egg she had on her baguette for lunch as she felt a bit better this morning after a thorough purging and like the stoic trooper she is rode on to Basel today.  She is now tucked up in bed relaxing.  We have booked into a very nice B&B and are having two days off the bikes.

Apart from the health drama todays ride was all flat beside the canal to Basel.

Once in the city we plugged the address of the B&B into the GPS and followed it's directions.  It's a pity a factory had been built over the road that the GPS thought still existed :)  We backtracked and had a bit of a laugh.

UPDATE.....  Turns out the egg was unduly blamed as Gary has also succumbed to the illness, so now we are both tucked up in bed feeling sorry for ourselves. Thankfully we have en-suite facilities.

The French statistics:
We rode 1600km, averaged 61km per day, no flat tyres and ate a lot of baguettes and pastries.

Monday 24 May 2010 L'Isle-s-le-Doubs to Mulhouse

Monday 24 May 2010 L'Isle-s-le-Doubs to Mulhouse 85km
The cycle touring gods have smiled upon us for the last couple of days but today they were positivly cheering. Warm, clear and a tail wind, those three ingredients make for a wonderful days riding. Combine that with the wonderful company of Kevin and Mary from Plymouth (well very near Plymouth) and we had a top day.

Kevin and Mary are on their way to Basel

There is one terrible downside to all this warm weather, no more butter!!! We have become quite accustomed to butter and honey on our baguettes at lunch time and we will need to find a replacement that can handle a bit of warmth as it was 29degC when we arrived in Camp today. Also despite conscientious applications of sunscreen I also have an impressive bike tan coming on.

We sometimes have to be careful not to get complacent with our surroundings, it is so beautiful here and not just in bits and pieces but all the time that we find ourselves at times just riding along and starting to take it for granted.

Even better, tailwind, warm and downhill!!!!

The cycling culture here is amazing, on the canal path today we were forced to ride single file as there was so much cycle traffic that two abreast (love riding) was not an option. It also makes finding wee stops a bit tricky

Sunday 23 May 2010 Chalezeule to L'Isle-s-le-Doubs

Sunday 23 May 2010  Chalezeule to L'Isle-s-le-Doubs 65km

Absolutely stunning weather today (and yesterday for that matter).  You can feel summer is just around the corner.  If ever there was a day you felt like skipping through a flower filled meadow then this would be it, or at least riding by the river.

Not much to say today apart from wonderful cycling, albeit with a head wind.

Saturday 22 May 2010 St Jean de Losne to Chalezeule

Saturday 22 May 2010  St Jean de Losne to Chalezeule 98km

Historical towns visited - two
Churches with mosaic tiled roofs - three
Snake on path - one
Cycle tourist wearing ski goggles while on bike - one
Walking in on naked man in showers - one (this ones Sandy's)


In St Jean as we were buying our daily bread we bumped into this English chap and got chatting.  Turns out he is retired and rebuilt a 93ft barge as a home and has lived on it with his wife since 2001 just cruising the European canals.

This is their boat

After been humilated by these two old guys on roadies we saw them again a couple of hours later on their way back.  They must have done about 100km!!!!



Dole was absolutely stunning.  We arrived and just couldn't believe how beautiful it was.  We went into the Centré Ville and up these alleys past apartments in very old buildings.

One could imagine a very bohemian existence here.  I could grow my hair long and play in bands......I guess that would be Plan 36B on our list of cunning plans we have come up with since this trip started.  Next we saw a market and walked around in awe of the food that is available in the country.  It was almost lunch time so we bought some tapenade, bread, cheese and some cooked chicken and sat outside and ate .

At that time we heard a brass band and a small parade appeared.  There were people everywhere and such a happy atmosphere.  Turns out that it was some festival.   Very tempting to stay the night here and spend the afternoon just hanging out but we both felt we should get some miles under our tyres so we left.

We pulled into Orchamps (a little village by the canal) and there was a bar/cafe that looked inviting and we felt like a Coke to give us a lift.  It was perfect, the bar was pretty good too :)

As Besancon was a bit too far we thought we'd stop at the next closest campground but when we got there we felt pretty good and it was only another 28km to Besancon so we kept going.

The canal going through a tunnel

And through a curtain of water out the other side

As we got closer to Besancon we noticed the countryside changing, there were now hills surrounding the river.  We had been on pretty flat ground all the way from Roscoff but now we noticed a real change.  We assume it is a taste of what's to come.

In Basancon the trail led us through the canal tunnel, it was probably 200m long.  All very exciting.

Once in the campground we were pretty pleased with ourselves.  We smashed out 98km and felt pretty damn good.  Not only did we get to Bescancon we had to ride an extra 7km to get to the campground.

Well earnt beers

As for the naked guy..... in France for the most part the abultions blocks are mix ie while you make your way to the loo you pass the urinals on the way, this includes showers.  Chalezeule campground, we're staying, the ablutions (showers, toilets, dish washing sinks) are sort of segregated but not really for instance to get to the dish washing sinks you go through the male showers.  It just so happened when we went to wash our pots so too was a guy getting dressed outside of his shower cubicle.

Friday 21 May 2010 Chalon to St Jean de Losne

Friday 21 May 2010 Chalon to St Jean de Losne 69km

Mosaic tiled roof

It was a hard day at the office today. The headwind was a killer but we still managed to pull 69km which surprised us.

We started on the Saone river today. From the brochure we got from the tourist office that showed the cycle routes we knew we needed to be on the north side of the river and that was all. Getting out of Chalon took a bit of GPS work and guessing. You see the Eurovelo route 6 is not finished, it's a grand idea and there has been a lot of money put towards it and the other routes through Europe and there is still work going on but it's not finished. What this means to us is that there is intermittent signage especially through the towns. Anyway we found our way to Gergy where the brochure had said there was a completed section of the route and we found our first Eurovelo 6 sign.......we were very excited!. 500M down the track there was a 'Road Closed' (actually it said 'Route Barrée') so naturally we rode around the barricade and moseyed down the track to then be confronted with a landslide that took out a section of the track with no way past. So it was a quick u-turn and back out to the main road a bit sad that we couldnt ride on the route (it's traffic free). 1Km down the road we see a side road that headed toward the river so we took a punt that it would meet up with the Eurovelo on the other side of the landslide and it did. Yah!! Casual cycling where the only thing we had to worry about was the head wind.

The Eurovelo track finished again not too much further on so we guessed we would have a day of finding sections of the track we could ride on. It turned out OK and we thought we might try to get to Dole but the headwind was starting to get us down. For the first time of the trip we broke out the iPods and listened to some music, not very sociable but it took our minds off the wind. We just swapped turns on the front and slogged it out. After having some lunch at Pagny-le-Ville at a beautiful spot by the river we stumbled upon the next section of Eurovelo track. We ate our yummy baguette and then found ourselves on a section of canal that bypassed a portion of the river for reasons unknown to us. We were riding OK although a little tired when we came to St Jean-de-Losne and as we rode from the town we saw on the opposite bank of the river a campground with a restaurant and tables by the water in an idyllic setting so we had a quick chat and decided that that would be a very nice place to hang out for the afternoon out of the wind. So it was back to the town, across the bridge and into the campground. 10 Euro well spent.

After pitching the tent and having showers we rode back into the town and found a perfect brasserie with tables outside under big trees on the banks of the river and surrounded by classic old buildings. We had a couple of beers and life was good. As we approach the end of our French story we are already feeling the pangs of indecision, “should we spend longer in France?” but I'm sure when we get to Switzerland we will love that just as much.

French sausage and fried onion....yummy

Wednesday 19 May 2010 Montchanin to Chalon-sur-Saone

Wednesday 19 May 2010 Montchanin to Chalon-sur-Saone 57km
We ate ourselves stupid at the Novotel for breakfast, it was all-you-can-eat so we did.  Because of our indulgence we declined our traditional morning patisserie yuumy and just bought two baguettes for lunch and afternnon tea.

The first leg of this leg saw us leave the canal to follow the trail signs and sure we got to see some lovely villages but we had to ride some hills to do it.  Canal path flat, non-canal path not flat.  It was OK though, we enjoyed the workout.

At the Novotel Sandy noticed some posters from the local region in the hotel that featured coloured tiled roofs on the houses in the area.  So we set out hoping to see some.  Not 10km into the ride we saw a gourp of houses on the canal with mosaic tiled roofs....very cool.

In one of the little villages the road went right through the middle of a farm, very charming and rustic.  We had a laugh as around the corner of one of the buildings a sheep was been shorn.

Hey Norm, it takes three people to shear a sheep in France :)

The off-canal part of the ride was very nice and for the first time since England we saw hedge rows.  It actually looked a bit like England.

Once back on the canal a boat flying the Australian flag was spotted and I called out, “It's an Aussie flag!” to which I was greeted with an enthusiastic nondescript yet typically Aussie call from the boat.



Not long after that we heard a couple coming up behind us while we were stopped at an intersection and not only did they speak English but we detected an Aussie accent.  Sure enough it was a couple from Melbourne who had hired a car in Italy and were driving around Europe and while they stopped at each major place they would hire bikes and ride around to see the sights.  We chatted for ages as I think both couples enjoyed the use of the English language :)



We rode into Chalon-sur-Saone and let the GPS find our way to the campground as it's a pretty big place.  The GPS certainly didnt give us the tourist route as we saw some dodgy parts and we were both a bit let down as we need a day off the bikes and we like to do it in a nice place.  Once we got to the campground we pitched the tent and then rode back into the centre of town and were very pleasantly surprised to find a beautiful town filled with very nice old buildings and shops.

That clinched it we will have a day off this bikes tomorrow and hang out here letting our legs recover.


Today also marks the end of another leg of the French chapter.  We have completed the Canal du Centre and now follow the river Saone up to Dole

Some pictures from our day off:

Very cool murals

The gardens in town

Lunch :)

Tuesday 18 May 2010 Digoin to Montchanin

Tuesday 18 May 2010 Digoin to Montchanin 72km

A magnificent morning's riding.  We had traffic free canal paths made of hotmix bitumen, gorgeous scenery and we had a yummy morning tea.  OK the morning tea thing happens every morning :)

That bridge raised vertically, I was impressed.

We saw lots of 'Camping' and Gîtes in the first two hours riding so we were happy that there would be somewhere to stay.  We rode past lots of fancy canal boats and initially thought that we'd like to do that [hire a canal boat] but then realised that we'd have to seriously curb our eating as sitting on the 'poop deck' sipping tea and eating biscuits and croissants may cause some waistline expansion.

Most people are content to bring their bicycles???  And it was British flagged, does that mean they crossed the channel in it???

As we rode we lost our traffic free sanctuary and had to ride on the road albeit a very quiet one.  The wind changed to be in our faces and the towns became a little urban.  By the time we had lunch we hadn't seen a 'Camping' sign for awhile and a Gîte sign had become an endangered species.  Four hours into our ride we had had enough and we seriously starting to look for somewhere to pitch our tent or lay our head and there was nothing on the trail.  We headed West slightly off the canal into Montchanin hoping to see a tourist information centre but alas this was an industrial town and there was nothing.  Sandy went into a Post Office to ask where the Information centre was but the town didnt have one and they didnt know of any Gîtes.  I resorted to using the search facility on the GPS to find 'Lodging' and it came up with a Novotel.  We were tired, hungry and prepared to pay for a flash hotel so we did.  2.5km later we wheeled into your typical Novotel.  Once inside we could be in any Novotel in the World, apart from the obvious use of the French language.  We were a little miffed at having to spend so much on a nights sleep but that was set aside once we realised we could get a hamburger and chips from room service and have a Gin & Tonic at the bar.  We had been riding for five days straight and we were tired.

Sandy and I (over a G&T) discussed some of the downsides of cycle touring.  The two big ones for us are:  you dont really get a choice where you stay, at the end of the day you take what you can get or keep riding and sometimes you just cant keep riding.  The other thing is even though it is a cheap way to travel the pace is very slow and this can sometimes get just a little frustrating.

Monday 17 May 2010 Decize to Digion

Monday 17 May 2010 Decize to Digion 69km

Now that we are riding on the road we seem to have fallen into the just-get-there mode.  We dont stop to take pictures and we just ride.  The weather gods are starting to smile thought as we had a tailwind today and again averaged near 20kph.  The sun though, is still struggling to show it's head.

Now here's an interesting fact.  In England we thought we ate heaps and we both left that country a little slimmer than when we arrived.  Since arriving in France we have become partial to our morning patisserie visit and then let me tell you about baguettes with butter and honey or salami or salami with cheese or just cheese or just butter.  So today we've made a pact to eat a little less as we both seem to be starting to tub up a bit.  I just didnt think it was possible to eat enough to gain weight when your pushing a 45kg bicycle for 60-70km a day but there you go, it is.

We stopped and chatted to a couple from Austria who have cycled the whole way on two folding bikes (Bromptons) and they told us that once we hit the Canal du Centré it is all bitumen towpath and wonderful cycling.  We start on the Canal du Centré tomorrow morning.  The  Canal du Centré joins the Loire river with the Soané.  It will be good to ride on a path rather than the road for a change.  We are now on the Euroveló 6 which we will follow all the way until we get to the Danube.  From there we decide how and we get to Italy and then Croatia after that.

Sunday 16 May 2010 Gimouille to Decize

Sunday 16 May 2010 Gimouille to Decize 45km

We left our fabulous one star hotel after a very ordinary breakfast of yesterdays bread and a croissant although the cup of tea was perfect.

Our one-star hotel with the best Internet connection yet.

We saddled up with determination as it was Sunday and French shops usually arent open in the afternoon, if at all, on a Sunday.

Another bridge for the canal

The next town of any significance was Decize and it was 45km away and we had to get there by 12 o'clock if we were to have any chance of finding a supermarket that was open.  It wasn't life threatening, just comfort stuff like chocolate, biscuits, baguette, butter but we set ourselves the challenge anyway.  We had a smidge over two hours to get there and we did it.  We set a new speed record today with our average just over 20kph for the day.  Funny thing was that sure we made it by 12 o'clock but the supermarket was closed on Sundays anyway.......ah well it was a fun ride but we were feeling it. There was a fruit and vegie stand and a patisserie open so at least we were not going to starve.  We were knackered and according to our camping guide there was a four star campground  and not another one for another 40km so we decided to call it a day.  Bought the last two of the French maps we'll need and we already have the Swiss and Germany ones.

We rode to the campground and booked in.  I dont know who gave this joint four stars but I think they might have gifted two of them.  The hot water in the showers was just a smidge over cold and there was only one toilet open and no Internet.  The dodgy one star joint we stayed at last night at least had great Internet, we bought a movie on iTunes and downloaded it.

Tonights camp

The especially good news of the day was that it was a bit warmer and we rode in shorts and t-shirts for the first time in a week and a half.  It has been pretty chilly here but we're hoping the season is turning.  It better as it's supposed to be summer in two weeks.

Saturday 15 May 2010 Cosne-sur-Loire to Nevers

Saturday 15 May 2010  Cosne-Cours-sur-Loire to Nevers 70km

Cosne-sur-Loire

Bannay

Well we're not quite at Nevers but close enough to call it the end of the Loire á Veló.  The Loire trail has been great and it'll be a shame to leave it as we most likely now have to navigate for ourselves for the next leg of our journey which is to get to the Rhein River in Switzerland.

Today saw us ride some very nice traffic free trail and then we took a small shortcut for the last 20km on the D45 which was not too busy.

We took the shortcut because the trail signage pretty much stopped so it was easier to just use the road map and get to where we wanted to go.

We were stopped by a lady who was asking users of the Loire á Veló to complete a survey.  These French folk take their cycle tourists seriously.  It was fun chatting to her and we were the tenth group of cyclists to go past her in her first hour and a half of counting.  Each night at campgrounds we see cyclists camping.  Last night there were four cyclists tent including ours.

At Sancerre we did the usual patisserie this morning and at first Sandy was a little disappointed as they didnt have heaps of yummy sweet things.

After we stopped for morning tea we tried the baguette and it was the best yet so we forgave them for their lack of sweet pastries as the baguette was fantastic on it's own.  It was here that we met the Canal la Loire which runs parallel to the river but provides a navigable path for boats as the river is shallow and quite fast flowing.  It was nice to be near a canal again.

Friday 14 May 2010 Sully-sur-Loire to Cosne-Cours-sur-Loir

Friday 14 May 2010  Sully-sur-Loire to Cosne-Cours-sur-Loire 73km

We left Sully after going back up the road to the supermarket we missed yesterday and then to the patisserie for the obligatory yummies.  This meant a bit of a late start to the day but at least we didnt have to stop on the way as we had all of our supplies.

It was not quite as cold today but still cool enough to need vests, arm and leg warmers.  Best of all though the wind had died, at times it almost felt like it was a tailwind, albeit a little one.  Whether that gave us a psychological lift or we just felt good after a day off, we smashed out 73km with our fastest average speed of the trip so far.

Couldnt help but sing "The Simpsons" as we passed a nuclear power station

On the way we visited Gien, which was a planned stop as Gien is home to some of France's finest china ware.  One thing we wanted to take home from this trip was a nice china teapot and we looked while we were in England but didnt see anything that stood out as special.

Gien

We saw the Gien catalogue weeks ago and they had some very nice pieces so we made sure that we stopped off on our way along the river.  We found the shop and walked in attired in our best (slightly smelly) cycle wear.  We would have looked like two tramps in a fine china shop.  I can only imagine what the lady behind the counter was thinking as we started discussing teapot and cups.  We wont tell you how much we spent but lets just say we wont be staying in any B&Bs for awhile.

Normally it's puppy dogs in the cars here???

The town of Briare was home to a cool site today, we got to ride along the canal that went over the river.  Sounds weird but they built a bridge for the canal to go over the river.

A random shot

All day today there have been very few trail signs which make it a bit tricky to follow the route without a lot of guessing and map reading.  No biggie but for the last leg we decided to get on a main road to ride into Cosne-Cours-sur-Loire but it turned out to be quite a highway with not much of a shoulder to ride on.  Nothing to do but get through it as fast as we could which we did and we arrived at the campground a little shaken but not stirred. (we watched a James Bond movie the other night on the laptop).  Had a beer, cooked dinner and now settled into the tent to read.