10 July St. Malo to Portsmouth

We enjoyed a very good meal almost next door to the hotel, another early rise in order to buy tickets for the ferry and then wait in the queue until they decide to let us on. As they have a special room/cabin/store for velos there seemed no reason to keep us on the dockside. Luckily the weather was great and St. Malo is a busy and attractive port. Although quite windy, the crossing was fairly calm. This is the only day we have not cycled for a month. I can't really count the  few hundred metres from hotel to the port.

Just to show we were both there, and they even named a place after us.

Waiting for the ferry to Portsmouth.

Leaving St. Malo

Tandem and kit in van for journey back to North Wales - circuit complete.

9 July Saint-Meen-Le-Grand to St. Malo

Left hotel and straight on route on lanes and very quiet roads for a while. Cooler than before but still good. Gained height and had lovely views over wide area of farmland and woods. Soon we were on a Voie Vert proper, ie old rail line now used for cycling. It was like being on a secret tunnel through the countryside. Often the trees were completely covering the track, and then in a break we would see a different landscape, or a small village. Then back into the tunnel. This continued for a while then we were forced to take a rougher alternative as the normal route was closed due to a landslide. We arrived in Dinan, which was busy, lots of boats, cyclists and day trippers. At this point we decided to head for St.  Malo, we had the time.magain the well signed route provided no problems and just after 5 we were in Dinard. Suddenly a lot of traffic, lots of people, the sea and the end of our trip apart from a few little things to do. Find the ferry, then take 2 heavily laden bikes and one even heavier tandem down the steep steps to the ferry across to St. Malo. All achieved, found a hotel, quick change and a great meal, book the van and hotel in Portsmouth and bed.

Ferry across to St. Malo from Dinard - after taking the tandem down some very steep steps.

Reflections on our trip to follow.
Mileage:-  49 Miles Total:- 1016 miles
Kilometres:- 1625 (for Roger, who seems to be a little confused, passed the 1000 km over a week ago)

8 July La Chapelle-Caro to Saint-Meen-Le-Grand

We had a very good meal at Le Petit Keriquel last night.
This morning was dry and we had a long sweeping descent down to the Voie Vert, our route north. A great cycle path, smooth Tarmac on a bold railway line, which meant as we climbed, very gently we had a mix of great views, and tree lined paths providing a 'tunnel' to ride through. Very quiet, we only saw a few othe cycle tourists, though did see another Uk tandem, heading north as well. We had some rain, but this cleared and we had a pleasant shortish ride to Saint-Meen-Le-Grand. We eventually found the hotel on the edge of town, unpacked, bikes locked away and watched the end of TDF.
Mileage:- 37   Total:- 967

7 July Guenrouet to La Chapelle-Caro

A very pleasant stay and meal at the local Brasserie in Guenrouet. Breakfast provided by John P in our mobile home. Crossed the river, turn left and we are back on La Velodyssee, which Ann and I did 2 years ago. The day started warm, but after Redon we had a torrential downpour, sheltered under trees for a while, then sunny again. This was the pattern for the day.
A very different canal and route compared to earlier in the trip. Very quiet and peaceful and again lots of wildlife. John P sees the kingfishers, we miss them. The paths have changed since our last trip, but the surface in the main, although flat, is rough and requires concentration, and after a while it begins to tell with aching arms and hands.

French "Tour de France Entrant"

We had a brief visit to Malestroit, an attractive old town, but in the wet we left without finding the cafe we wanted and headed for La Chapelle-Caro, and our hotel. Accommodation is limited along the route so today we booked ahead, just to make sure we had a room. We did not appreciate the small point the the hotel was up a long hill, just what we needed at the end of a long day.
Mileage:- 46. Total:-  930

We have done a "tour de France'

6 July Corsept to Guenrouet

A good nights sleep and good breakfast at the Chambre d'Hote. It was raining when we got up and still raining when we left. All togged up in waterproofs. Luckily by the time we got to St.Brevin-Le-Pins the rain had stopped, we had plenty of time for Photos at a sign for the end of the Loire a Velo. So that is the end of the big stage one. Now we have to plan a route to St. Malo, a mere 130 ish miles.

Ready for last day on Loire before we turn north.

 All the time behind us was this massive bridge, it seemed to rise very high and appeared very long. We eventually started and although the traffic noise was awful, there was almost no lorries and the traffic was not that heavy going north. The idea to choose Sunday worked well.
John P chose a route that took us up to the Nantes-Brest Canal at Guenrouet. Very little traffic and well on our way. After a long day yesterday, the excitement of finishing the Loire, a trip planned for 2 years ago and postponed, and the nerves of the St. Nazaire Bridge we decided to stop at camping St. Clair.

The end of Loire a Velo

Mileage:- 34  Total:- 884

The Yellow dot is Jenny, not much room here!

St. Nazaire Bridge

5 July Ancenis to Corsept

After a very hot and sunny day, we had a very wet night followed by a showery day. We had decided that to ride over the bridge at St. Nazaire, it would be better on Sunday, hoping for fewer lorries etc. this meant getting as close as we could by Saturday night. We set off and headed for Nantes, good clear signs and small roads to start with, then good cycle track right to the centre. This was much improved since Ann and I were here about 2 years ago.
We found the Tourist information, got some accommodation, numbers and had lunch.
We set off out of the city which was relatively easy, still following the signs to the ferry across to Le Pellerin. Here a forced stop for coffee. Then on, surprisingly to the sound of music. A Reggae festival on the Isle de Bois. We were directed around the festival, along the Canal Maritime de la Basse Loire. a very long and straight road. Towards the end of the canal there was a reserve. We first saw a coypu close to the road, then a stork on a solitary nest pole, take off. A number of cormorants in trees, and a large number of egrets. Followed by a buzzard again very close to the path.
The rain started again, very heavy, so by the time we got to Paimboeuf
 we were soaked. As we had booked into a chambre d'hote, we thought we should eat first. The only place we could find in Paimboeuf was outside the camping site and just about to open. We entered, dripping wet, but no-one batted an eye, we had duck in honey and rosemary, with chips and followed by a tarte tatin, and a beer or two. Replenished, we set off for the final few kilometres to the chambre d'hote, on the way, through the mist we could see the bridge in the distance, it looked high and very long,the directions were good, we quickly found our accommodation, bikes in garage, wet clothing drying and glad to be inside and not camping tonight.
John P met someone who was also doing our route, and mentioned that he had seen 3 ladies, ( the ladies in chiffon), a few days earlier, then later today we went past them as they were at a shop before we got the ferry. Both strange and pleasant to know of other people on the same route.
Mileage:- 55   Total:- 850

Nantes

Ferry across the Loire

Large group of Egrets

4 July Les Ponts-de-Ce to Ancenis

We had some very good Pizzas last nigh and a few beers at the campsite.
Mainly back on the Loire today, a few little offshoots including one very long and steep hill, which in this heat was a little challenging, but other cyclists had stopped on the way up, but we kept going and were probably the most heavily laden, and the oldest.
Yet again we rode through a number of lovely villages, crossed the river a couple of times and the route was mainly on small roads.
The variety of scenery is very surprising, building styles change as we progress down river, churches vary such a lot and often are the first thing you see of a village. Thee are a vast number of chateaux, many open to the public, but there are also many grand but smaller properties that appear still to be homes. Many of the gardens are immaculate, behind big gates or walls. The weather continues to be unseasonably hot, 29 here today.
A couple of days will see us at the end of the Loire, then we have to find our way to St. Malo.
Mileage:- 42   Total:- 795

Some sculptures along the river

How relaxed can one get?

3 July Saumur to Les Ponts-de-Ce

Met John & Jenny at the Tourist Information Office and set off. It was already very hot, luckily the first part of the route was often shaded, but then we got onto a riverside road with no shade, that became very hot. We passed through some beautiful small villages, lots of flowers and very expensive looking properties. At lunch time we found a great spot, down by the river, plenty of shade and a picnic bench. We did not cycle much after lunch, it was so hot, we decided to to stop at this campsite, just behind a chateau. Time for washing clothes, check and clean the bike, oil chain etc.
We have seen a number of wooden flat bottomed boats over the last few days, some seem to be refurbished to their original state, others have had a wooden cabin added, big enough to sleep in. Generally though the river is very quiet, hardly any traffic at all, a few canoes and the odd fisherman.
Mileage:- 30   Total:- 753.5

2 July Savonnieres to Saumur

Great camp site, at Savonnieres, Only Camp, had a good meal just next to the campsite.
We decided to visit the gardens at Vilandry, just a few miles along from Savonnieres.
They are stunning. Well worth the visit, there was so much variety, too much to replicate in our plot back home though.
Then off along the river Cher, and then back to the Loire. We stayed close to the river for much of the day. Quite a number of cyclists about now. We stopped for lunch in Brehement, beside the river, shade, picnic bench and views!
The route was well signed and easy to follow. A mix today, Tarmac, cobbles, ( not our favourite), packed earth, which was fine as it was dry. Part of the route took us a short way in land on small lanes which were great as they often had shade. We eventually got back to the Loire and stopped for refreshments at Candes. Then along the river to Saumur. We found a hotel on the riverside, John & Jenny went off to look for the campsite.
Mileage:- 44  Total:- 723.5

1 July Chenonceaux to Savonnieres

An excellent meal last night, some good wine, went to bed early, and we were woken by the regular trains screeching past regularly through the night not 20 metres from the tent, though at times we thought they were coming through the tent.
Spent the morning at Chenonceaux, a wonderful setting and again very different to previous chateaux. The gardens were wonderful.
Then we set off for Savonnieres, wanting to avoid Tours, our route started off well , gaining height and having extensive views. Then Mr Parkins plan of a tour of a motorway junction under construction materialised. Our first 'Route Barre', and we were told a number of times,  even for bicycles, the heavy lorries and plant only added to the atmosphere, the views of massive earthworks and enormous machines was a contrast to the rural scenes earlier in the day. Eventually even John Parkin tired of this route and found us some pleasant lanes which took us down to Savonnieres. There we went straight to 'Only Camp' , a very pleasant site next to the river. Sadly there were only 2 beers left in the fridge, something to do with a French victory in something. But we survived. Tents up, showered and ready for more beer and food.
Mileage:- 34   Total:- 679.5