Two of the best views:
#1 - looking down before descending from the Col de Rousset to the valley of the Drome
#2 - looking down from the Jura to the Lake of Geneva
Longest day's ride: 115k Langres - Arc et Senans
Most relaxed day's ride: along the Canal de Nivernais (in the rain)
Hardest ride: two days climbing 5,000ft through the Jura
Best combination hotel, dinner, and value: Les Clarines, Chatelard, Savoie
Worst: Novotel W of Grenoble
Best night at Crest Jazz Vocal: Friday, Chucho Valdez
Log:
Calais - Geneve 809k 503m 14days 12cycling
Geneve 2days
Geneve - Crest 354k 220m 7days 6cycling
Crest Jazz Vocal 5days 1cycling 3nights of concerts
Crest - Calais 1047k 651m 15days 14cycling
total 2210k 1373m 43days 33cycling
Left Etaples a little fragile after celebrating with 2 men from Swansea my last night of the trip and their first.
Excellent cycle track most of the way to Boulogne, then an up and downer through country lanes to Calais and the 1600 ferry.
Smooth crossing. Picked up by Will in Dover.
Viewed the 1346 Crecy battlefield.
from a tower that replaced the original windmill
giving this view looking N
and this looking S
Cruised down the Authie valley then across the coastal plain to Etaples.
Avoided most of the vacation Saturday changeover traffic until the last 5k.
Weekend cycling is popular here. Overtaken by many, on light weight racing bikes, no heavy panniers, but distinctly grey hair under the rear of the helmets, women included (different shaped saddles).
Spent a long time finding my way out of Amiens.
Most of the day's cycling in drizzle.
Relieved to find, after several phone calls, that the only hotel in Crecy is open.
Crossed the relatively flat land from the Oise to the evocative valley of the Somme.
Cycled through the 2000k mark for the trip.
Disappointed that the armistice carriage was housed in a museum where photos aren't allowed. Actually the carriage is a twin, the original having been carted off to Germany, then perished.
Flemish town hall architecture prevalent again
Lots of ups and downs crossing river valleys until the last third through the foret de Compiegne.
Decided to take a day's rest in this historic place, explore, and catch up on the washing.
Today, as planned, was different.
Having gone with the flow of the Nivernais and the Yonne, now as the Yonne veered W towards Paris I turned N to pass Paris on the E side. This meant crossing major river valleys, and their tributaries, flowing W.
Steadily climbed out of the Yonne valley, crossed the plateau, then descended and climbed out of the Seine valley, crossed the next plateau, and have descended towards the Marne valley.
Difficult finding accomodation open, but tomorrow should be the start of back to normal after the Bastille inspired one month French vacations.
Carried on gently down the Yonne valley, though on minor roads not towpaths.
Would have had lovely views but for the drizzle and rain.
Sens turns out to have an interestingly old centre - - not bombed in the wars, and not blighted by 1960's architectural vandalism.
Reached a milestone for the bike - - 10,000k since acquiring it in Aug 2009.
Cotinued down the Yonne valley on the Canal de Nivernais towpath.
The river and the canal share paths for some stages, then the canal cuts away to lower its height through locks before rejoining.
Some dramatic scenes where the river bend has cut into the hills.
Arrived with the canal in the old centre of Auxerre,
Except for short hops at bridges and locks, I've just done 200k without hills, and the old legs are feeling greatful for it. Maybe I can find a way of continuing this through to Calais.
Continued along the beautiful Canal de Nivernais with a short day's ride in the rain.
Repeated the route boated along in 1978. Recognised a few sights.
1 the flight of locks jammed for a couple of hours in 78
2 an old lunch spot
3 a typical drawbridge (+bike) and canal shading trees (+rain spot on lens)
Passed the 1000miles this trip
Started in La Loire valley, realised I'd chosen the hilly side and switched to the flat side after 14k, then to Decize. Here I branched to the Canal de Nivernais and its towpath. Canal towpath means no hills, just a few rises at locks and bridges. This canal towpath is wide, hard surfaced and smooth.
Ended the day's ride at Chatillon-en-B, the site where we started a canal holiday in July 78.
Today I enjoyed the upper Loire Valley.
It started with some mist over the river but this burned off by 0930.
No big hills, and wonderfully, for about 20% of the route a cycle track converted from a previous rail route and surfaced very smoothly. Gentle 59mile ride for which the legs were gratefull.
Evening reflections of La Loire
Started with 8k uphill, and crossed the watershed between the S flowing Rhone and the N flowing Loire. Following this effort, and after yesterday's exertions, my legs revolted. They wanted a shorter day without hills. Outvoted, I changed the plan, shortened the day by heading
for Roanne, and thus making tomorrow a gentler run along the banks of La Loire.
Great views - - here's looking at the S side of Lyons and surrounding countryside
BUT this turned out to be more than I'd bargained for.
Hilly, with many slopes too steep for me to cycle fully, and therefore slow.
So I decided that once I'd got to the Col de la Croix de Ban, I'd stop at the next hotel.
Unfortunately, the villages had none, or had only a vendre hotels, until, after a hilly 32k, a hit in Tarare.
Running short of water would not have been a problem had it not been a Monday - - most bars and local shops closed - - and supermarkets not on this cross-country route.
Lesson (again): better plan
Prior night at the festival meant a slow start, then breakfast at Atelier Carcavel, with a final departure later than usual.
Cycling N for the first time this trip, with, very occasionally, the sun on my back between light showers. Eventually entered the hills.
Lovely evening and meal with Fred and Nicole at Artelier Carcavel
then off to the last night of Crest Jazz Vocal.
Storming Latin American night at http://www.crestjazzvocal.com/
with first Diabloson performing salsa dura y caliente
and then, for me, the best of the festival Chucho Valdez & his Afro Cuban messengers
Wrapped up about 1:30
Went for a short spin in the Drome valley. Visited Saillons to get a view of les Trois Becs, a reminder of a climb with George in 1993.
Evening performances at the Crest Jazz Vocal
featuring first the Joachim Kuhn (piano) trio
then China Moses and her trio
Relaxed in Crest. Wandered about on market day. Entertained by jazz performers practising in bars and cafes. Got the bike serviced - - minor replacements. Booked a seat for Wed, Fri & Sat nights at the festival.
Easy morning's ride down the gently sloping Drome valley,
out of the Vercors mountain surrounds, to the lavender fielded foothills of Crest. In time for:
