Biking (MTB) along the Canal between the Two Seas (France) (page 13 of 16)

Following up on the previous message (Lin cycle route)

In addition to excellent surfacing



The Greenway is very well secured

Right-of-way on the road is clearly defined

The obstacles encouraging you to slow down are aesthetic but shouldn’t have sharp right angles—rounded edges would be better

even for access to a field. A simple yield sign would suffice here

Old gatekeeper’s house

Still in a lovely setting

It’s equipped with welcoming rest areas (here with two hammocks)

bike racks, recycling bins, and dry toilets

Unfortunately locked (technical issue or vandalism?)

Too bad the kilometer markers on the section built in 2015

are different from those on the section built in 2007

Rocky areas evoke the old railway line And this "ballast" contributes to biodiversity

The 1.5 km off the Greenway near Luneray

are also well signposted

The recent 20 km section was also stenciled across its 3 m width. Too bad the sign saying Offranville 15.9 km is wrong

As confirmed by the directional sign also located in Saint-Pierre-le-Viger

The town where the Town Hall is set up in the old train station

and the Community of Communes is going to build a tourist hub with parking and restrooms at the end of this superb Greenway: 49.824283 N 0.845017 E

While the Greenway ends at Saint-Pierre-le-Viger, the rest of the railway right-of-way can't be used because the tracks are occasionally used by the sugar refinery in Fontaine-le-Dun and the Paluel EDF power plant. The Lin Cycle Route continues along small roads for 50 km to Fécamp. It first heads toward Cany-Barville.

In the middle of the countryside

cows,

wind turbines imposing ones

houses

sometimes in bloom.

In a village, I asked the bus driver if the coaches accepted bikes in the hold. She told me yes!

Rare tree-lined paths

but frequent flax fields. After mowing, the flax is turned over several times by machine

or by hand to allow for retting fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rouissage

Before rolling it into bales.

Before Cany-Barville, the route becomes temporary

and you descend into the Durdent valley.

Where you can enjoy the leisure base at Lake Caniel.

Before climbing back up toward Valmont

to arrive in Fécamp

and its port.

Then I returned via the Coastal Cycle Route. But that’s another story...

As soon as I heard about Nicolas Hulot's appointment, I sent him this letter:

Gilles ROULAND 4 rue Pierre Perret 82400 VALENCE d’AGEN

To Nicolas Hulot, Minister of Ecological and Inclusive Transition

Subject: The Role of Bicycles in Transportation

For 10 years, I used my bicycle to commute from home to work. I don’t deserve much credit for it since the trip was only 6 km under pleasant riding conditions. I also go on vacation by bike. To show how easy it is to travel hundreds of kilometers, I documented my various trips on Voyage Forum: voyageforum.com/...post=1000920#1000920 Living in Valence d’Agen, it was the towpath along the lateral canal of the Garonne that gave me a taste for bike travel. Because it’s perfectly flat and sheltered from traffic. I gradually made it all the way to Toulouse. Then I rode the Canal du Midi 5 or 6 times. Once it became a Greenway, the lateral canal of the Garonne led me to Bordeaux, then to the Arcachon Basin and its many bike paths. We’re all convinced of the canal’s tourist appeal. I’d like to add that it can also be useful for work commutes. I’ve biked to Bordeaux twice for work assignments. I never would’ve considered it without the bike path. I was lucky enough to go to Lyon for a training session in June. I rode there by bike (700 km) via the Canal du Midi and then the canal from Sète to the Rhône. I was embarrassed when, one evening at a hostel near Carcassonne, a German woman told me she’d spent the whole day riding through mud. After a week of training, I’d booked a bike spot for the return trip for 10 €. When the TGV arrived at Lyon station, it was a new double-decker train with no bike space at all. It’s shameful to push the logic of profitability (which I support when it comes to increasing passenger numbers) to the point of removing the two bike spots that existed in the train. I’m surprised that the Canal des Deux Mers, which has national and even international significance (I’ve met cyclists from Korea, Argentina, etc.), doesn’t receive state support. The development of the V80 over more than 700 km between Royan and Sète is currently stalled due to constraints linked to the Canal du Midi’s UNESCO World Heritage status and a lack of funding, for example, for the Aude department, which is crossed by 150 km of towpath. As Minister of Ecological and Inclusive Transition, you must intervene to ensure this project succeeds. It will boost the attractiveness of the regions it crosses and promote Activity and Tourism.

Above all, you must do everything in your power to make cycling easier, as it’s one of the few viable modes of transport for the future, along with trains. By mandating a bike mileage allowance for all users and creating infrastructure that truly enables a shift toward soft mobility: continuous routes, bike lanes, train access. But we also need to learn to give up our total dependence on cars. Instead of leaving municipalities to manage pseudo-extracurricular activities, we should create positions for sports instructors integrated into the school schedule. Their mission, in addition to sports activities, would be to organize walking buses and cycling buses. It’s not normal that these healthy transportation options are only rarely implemented and rely on volunteers, for example: www.scoolbus.org/ Every primary school child should, during their schooling, take part in a bike tour of their department (unless we want to abolish this democratic level). This school trip would be part of an educational project, starting with exploring their town on foot and then by bike. Discovering the environment and civic education. Respecting community living rules. It’s our duty to ensure future generations no longer live the nightmare depicted here: www.youtube.com/...ed&v=gAethD1Io_Y Example of pedagogy: www.velo.qc.ca/...-cyclists-of-tomorrow

Hoping for a favorable response from you and the announcement of a BIKE program. The word was missing from COP21, before which I cycled from Copenhagen to Paris voyageforum.com/...post=7138190#7138190. Please accept, Mr. Minister, my respectful regards.

I’ve just received a response from Sylvie Banoun, Interministerial Coordinator for the Development of Walking and Cycling:

As announced in Sylvie Banoun's letter: https://www.assisesdelamobilite.gouv.fr/ the submissions are now open. Here’s my contribution (limited to 1,000 characters):

I bike to work; I go on vacation by bike. I’ve documented all my trips here: https://voyageforum.com/v.f?post=1000920#1000920 From my home in Valence d'Agen, I’ve traveled twice for work to Bordeaux. I wouldn’t have considered covering 170 km without the Voie Verte along the Garonne lateral canal. I also went to Lyon for a training (700 km) via the Canal du Midi and the Sète-to-Rhône canal. After a week of biking around, I showed up at the station with my bike reservation (10 €). The double-decker TGV had no bike spaces (only 2 per old-style train). Every time you have to switch platforms in a station with a loaded bike, it’s a nightmare. Have you ever tried climbing the two steps of a Corail carriage while the accordion door closes on you? Please launch a major *Plan Vélo*. Bike paths, marked routes, access to buses, trams, trains, boats, planes. Bike education in schools, instructors to accompany routes...

Your turn! !

Since I couldn’t find a group to go to COP22 in Marrakech, I was thrilled when, a year ago, Francine—whom I’d met during a week of recumbent tricycle camping—told me she was cycling in Morocco with other riders. She’d advised me to join the Facebook group Solarbike 2017 to get updates on the project.

I actually got more details when she gave me the contact info for Thomas Papay, the organizer of this trek from Savoie to Morocco. He was a high-level mountain athlete before a car accident 15 years ago left him without the use of his legs, so he continued in adaptive sports. For this 4,500 km ride, he’ll be using a hand-powered tricycle with electric assist and solar panels to recharge the battery. www.tompapay.com/tom/biographie/

He’s okay with me joining him and other cyclists since this adventure is all about meeting people, helping each other, and sharing. I told him that in any case, I wouldn’t slow them down (they wouldn’t need to wait for me) and that I’d stop in Marrakech or Agadir. No way was I following those e-bikes into the Atlas Mountains!

When he sent me the route: I planned to meet them in Gruissan, where they’d pass through on September 13, and try to keep up as far as Barcelona. If that worked out, I’d join them on the ferry to Tangier; otherwise, I’d continue solo.

I must be a little crazy! During that recumbent tricycle week between the Lot and Aveyron, I’d really struggled to keep up. Out of 10 participants, 7 had electric assist: voyageforum.com/...post=7545715#7545715

Francine told me Thomas planned to ride fast. He wants to cover a huge loop in Morocco and can’t spend too many consecutive hours on his handbike. She upgraded his motor to a more powerful one and added extra solar panels to his trike. Plus, it seems all participants will have e-assist except me. I’ll try to keep up on my MTB—on my recumbent trike, it’d be impossible (heavier, more friction on three wheels, and less leg power).

I won’t get more info from Facebook. I just know from Francine, who’s looking for campsites accessible to people with reduced mobility, that they’ll sometimes sleep in tents and be hosted by acquaintances at certain stops.

A month before departure, I learned that to save time and meet certain commitments, they’d take the ferry not from Barcelona but from Sète, where I’d rejoin them to board:

No trial period! I took the plunge and asked Francine to book me a cabin spot with them, as she’d offered.

Before leaving for this adventure, I joked with my family and friends by sending them this photo:

Some thought I was bringing a trailer, others were confused. With that much gear, I wouldn’t have made it far! Actually, I was in my usual setup (MTB + 5 panniers + tent = 40 kg), with a French and a Moroccan flag added:

I’d only swapped one of my pre-VAUDE panniers for an ORTLIEB one, lent by toulouse.cyclable.com/, while waiting for the manufacturer to fix a buckle that had broken off the fabric.

Saturday, September 9, 2017, 10:45 AM – Valence d’Agen to Toulouse, 6:45 PM, 93 km I made a late start from home to avoid the showers.



I join the lateral canal to the Garonne at km 82—fun for me since I live in Tarn-et-Garonne (82). This indicates that the port of Valence d’Agen is 82 km from the twin bridges of Toulouse, where the Canal du Midi intersects and begins its route toward Bordeaux. My department chose to name the bike path that replaced the old towpath "Départementale 200" and to place a marker every kilometer. I won’t leave it until I reach Toulouse. Once in Haute-Garonne, I discover that the department has finally recognized it’s crossed by the Véloroute 80: the Canal des Deux Mers à Vélo. Stickers with the logo have been added to the information signs.

Canoes take shelter under a bridge during a heavy shower. I do the same for a few minutes, during which I’m joined by a road cyclist. Then, arriving in Toulouse, the storm hits. I decide to take shelter under one of the twin bridges—though they’re actually triplets: The third arch leads to the Canal de Brienne, which boats used to descend into the Garonne. But to pass under it, you have to go down long steps. Impossible with my gear, so I give up and get back on my bike. Good call—the rain doesn’t stop, even after I’ve covered the 11 km to my daughter’s apartment. I’m glad to spend the night there, sheltered for my first night, even though she’s away hiking in Cape Verde.

Sunday, September 10th: Toulouse 9:30 AM – Carcassonne 4:00 PM, 103 km I quickly reach the Canal du Midi, which has also received Haute-Garonne and Canal des 2 Mers à Vélo stickers on the existing signage. It’s not a logo every kilometer, but it’s better than nothing. I enjoy the 50 km of bike path leading to Port Lauraguais. The surface has been redone on some sections. I’d taken photos of the machines during my last trip: https://voyageforum.com/v.f?post=8171245#8171245 A Swiss boat, Electra, silently crosses my path. I send its photo to my future travel companions, Francine and Thomas. Like me, they left on the 9th, but from Moûtiers in Savoie. They’re not having the best weather—sunshine-wise—and are also getting soaked.

After 44 km, I arrive at the Gardouch lock just in time for lunch. I enjoy a burger at its restaurant: https://www.annuaire-lauragais.fr/restaurants/l-estanquet/ Near Avignonet-Lauragais, I decide to leave the towpath before it enters the Aude department. In this area, there’s no V80 signage or even route indications. As I’m about to follow the Canal du Midi for maybe the tenth time, I don’t risk putting my wheels in that muddy rut stretching over 100 km. The towpath is only slightly more passable near Carcassonne. Even though it’s not raining too hard today, given how much water fell yesterday, I’d only manage a few kilometers with my load before getting stuck. Even if there’s now a cycling route project from Royan to Sète: https://www.canaldes2mersavelo.com/canal-des-2-mers-velo/itineraire-presentation The Canal du Midi’s banks won’t be passable in all weather anytime soon. First, they need to cut down the plane trees affected by canker stain, uproot them, and replant: http://www.replantonslecanaldumidi.fr/fr

I take the D813 (former N113), which is well-paved. But I’m really lucky: this oceanic disturbance drenching us is pushed by a westerly wind that’ll be favorable all the way to Sète. So, I arrive at the Cité de Carcassonne campsite at 4:30 PM. It’s a far cry from the late arrivals on headwind days on the towpath, with its ruts and roots. The campsite offers shared spots for hikers (up to 3 tents). Great idea—it helps reduce the price. I set up next to two young German hikers. Then I’m the only one enjoying the pool due to the chilly temperatures. If I’d come by car, I’d never have had the courage to swim.

Afterward, the many restaurants in the Cité await me. I pair my cassoulet with a local wine that encourages me to follow up with a cheese platter.

Monday, September 11th – Carcassonne 10:30 AM to Portiragnes 5:30 PM, 96 km The morning rain makes me want to stay under the duvet. Usually, I bring an immersion heater to boil water for my tea. Even without using electricity, it’s always possible to plug it in at shared facilities. This time, though, my destination is Morocco, and since I’m not sure we’ll always have access to power, I brought my gas stove instead. It’s the Globe-trotter model from Camping Gaz International, which I bought 30 years ago. The problem is that the small GT106 cartridges that fit with the burner inside the two nested pots haven’t been sold for 15 years (now only the C206 cartridges are available, which are much taller, and since they’re also puncture-style, you can’t remove them—you need a way to keep them in place). Luckily, my friend Dominique gave me a small one he had in his garage, and I’ve kept it carefully for a trip like this. I set off with the wind at my back, taking back roads. One of them leads me through the La Grave estate, where the Minervois I drank the night before is produced. I buy a melon in Marseillette, and the grower gives me the tomato I was going to buy. When I ask if I can eat the melon on the spot, she tells me there’s a table nearby by the Canal du Midi. There, I find a bus driver changing his gas cylinder, and we chat while I cut my melon. I reach Béziers via the D11, a route I’ve often taken to avoid the winding roads caused by elevation changes. I pass tractors with trailers during the grape harvest season. Finally, I pick up the greenway that runs alongside the canal all the way to Portiragnes. With this great signpost, Béziers has clearly embraced its place on the EuroVelo 8 and the V80. The first 2 km of the bike path have been resurfaced. After that, there are plenty of cracks, but since they’re longitudinal, they’re not too bothersome. I cross paths with lots of cyclists on this section—it’s a shame it’s so short. Announcing Athens at 3,780 km and Cadiz at 1,610 km isn’t enough; Hérault really needs to develop this route. At the campsite, it’s easy to plant my tent stakes in the sand, but the wind makes it even harder to pull them out. Luckily, there are weights on-site, as this is a common issue. The tent dries quickly, and my small laundry will barely be damp by morning.

Tuesday, September 12th – Portiragnes 9:30 AM to Balaruc 4:30 PM, 53 km After this chilly night, I enjoy my tea, the butter I was able to bring because of the low temperatures, and the jam I made with figs from my garden before leaving. On the road, I stop where a fire had started. But two police officers on motorcycles turn around and alert the firefighters, whom I’ll run into a bit further down the road. I pass near the Canal du Midi.

The towpath—a narrow strip of land—is only accessible to mountain bikes. Getting through Agde is tricky because while there’s a bike path along the boulevard toward Sète, it switches sides, and when it ends, there’s no signage to continue along the old N113, which isn’t paralleled by a bike lane. But as soon as I reach Sète’s long beach, it’s amazing—where RVs used to park for kilometers, the road has been moved inland, leaving the coastline free for pedestrians and cyclists. The pavement is still in excellent condition and doesn’t show its age, and it looks like the street sweeper comes by daily in the summer. That’s a must, given how windy the beach is and how shifting the sands can be. It’s worth applauding! The path is spotless, and new, original kilometer markers have been installed. I chose to take a photo of the seventh one. After a few kilometers, I take my bike down onto the Plage de la Baleine. Feeling reassured by the 3 or 4 tricky steps I’d have to climb back up, I go for a swim without locking my bike or transferring my money and papers into my waterproof box (which would float if I tied it around my neck). Almost deserted, the beach is beautiful with a view of Mont Saint-Clair. Then I treat myself to some fried fish at a terrace. On the last kilometer of the beach, an autonomous electric shuttle is being tested. Then the bike path, which was briefly interrupted as I arrived in Sète, resumes along the eastern corniche and takes me to the port. Further on, I find Quai du Maroc where I assume the ferries depart. But the ferry terminal is further away. I head there, passing docked tuna fishing boats. Due to quotas, they’re only used a few months a year. I take the opportunity to check at the ticket counters for the next day’s 8 PM departure. You only need to arrive 2 hours early, not 4 as stated on the reservation. Then I follow the Canal de Sète au Rhône to get to the Balaruc campsite, where the organizers had planned to stay. But they warned me they wouldn’t be at the meet-up and would only arrive for the boat departure. It seems they’ve had a lot of issues, but they’re not talking about them on Facebook. I’ll find out later that Francine had to change her engine—the one delivered had a defect—Joy had several flat tires on her cargo bike, and they’ve been dealing with bad weather. So I set up at the campsite www.mas-du-padre.com/, mentioning that an Italian cyclist might arrive. Thomas had told me he’d participate and come to the meet-up.

To see the photos from these 345 km between Valence d’Agen and Sète in order, click on "Date d'ajout", choose "Nom", then ascending order: share.orange.fr/#EjgMwNJY5O10535d5ace

I decided to share my trip to Morocco in another travel journal: https://voyageforum.com/v.f?post=8640255#8640255

I was invited to take part in an event organized by Pau à Vélo and other associations.

The goal was to denounce "the world’s dumbest footbridge." The Pyrénées-Atlantiques Department is developing the Véloroute Gaves-Pyrénées-Adour, known nationally as the Véloroute du Piémont Pyrénéen (V81). As part of this project, the Pau Béarn Pyrénées Urban Community built a large footbridge for pedestrians and cyclists at the end of 2017, which also serves the V81 route, connecting Mazères-Lezons (left bank) and Bizanos (right bank). This footbridge replaces an old one that supported a water pipeline. The bridge aims to link the Parc Naturel Urbain to the famous Chemin Henri IV and will allow the Véloroute to switch banks. It will be very useful for all residents of the Pau area, providing a beautiful greenway along the Gave de Pau valley, right through the heart of Pau. Unfortunately, while the bridge is easily accessible on the right bank (Bizanos side), it’s very difficult to access on the left bank (Mazères-Lezons side). On that side, access is via a double staircase equipped with a chute for pushing bikes. This chute, which isn’t grooved, becomes slippery when wet. The steep staircase (with a slope greater than 50%) blocks access for people with reduced mobility (PRM in wheelchairs) and cyclists with very heavy bikes: tricycles, recumbent bikes, bikes with trailers, etc. It also makes access very difficult for non-athletic cyclists: beginners, cyclists with young children, touring cyclists with panniers, etc. The local cycling association Pau à Vélo and the AF3V, supported by the APF (Association des Paralysés de France), are calling for the creation of a ramp accessible to everyone, as originally planned in the project. I decided to go there with my tricycle to demonstrate the difficulty of overcoming the obstacle. Although trains serving Pau accept bikes, tandems and trailers are banned (as are tricycles). There’s even a sticker at the train car entrance to remind passengers: I didn’t want to cover the 180 km between Valence d’Agen and Pau with my gas-powered vehicle. I was able to get there in a Zoe thanks to the Gers Electrification Syndicate, which has installed charging stations. Charging is temporarily free. After covering 90 km, I recharged in Eauze in 45 minutes. The whole trip took 4 hours one way. Fortunately, Didier, with whom I’ve participated in activist rides, hosted me Saturday night. On Sunday, we headed to downtown Pau where the event started.







Then we followed the Gave



to reach the footbridge

difficult to cross by bike



or by tricycle and impossible for people with reduced mobility.

Video from the morning when the associations presented to local officials the need to build a ramp, symbolized by the blue line with a maximum 4% slope:

youtu.be/WAwA5cHuL9s

Since my boyfriend Dominique wanted to cycle in Brittany and we thought June would be ideal, three months ago I bought tickets for Lorient on Monday, May 28 (right after Mother’s Day).

SNCF, at the request of the state, canceled the Toulouse-Bordeaux-Nantes-Quimper train (the Intercité I’ve taken with my bike several times between Agen and Nantes): www.francetvinfo.fr/...s-lignes_923797.html I had to buy TGV tickets from Agen to Paris and Paris to Lorient, plus 4 x 10 € for our two bikes. It’s ridiculous to go through Paris (adding to the crowd) to get to Lorient, covering 1,300 km at great energy cost when it’s only 750 km away. But they call this progress and rationalization.

Our TGV from Agen to Paris was fully booked (mission accomplished). This makes the trip less pleasant, especially in these new double-decker TGVs where there’s no space for luggage. Impossible to store a suitcase overhead. Are we supposed to travel with just an attaché case? Or is the goal to lower the center of gravity?

In these new TGVs, no bike spaces were planned (there used to be 2 per train by removing 4 fold-down seats). Under pressure from cycling associations, it’s now possible to reserve space for 2 bikes. When we boarded our carriage, the spot was already taken by a Spanish bike and huge suitcases.

We had to leave our bicycles in the entryway, blocking access to the toilets (even more annoying since the upstairs restrooms weren’t working). The conductor couldn’t blame us since he’d allowed the Spaniard to install his bike in Toulouse for 50 € (he claimed he had no way of knowing we’d reserved the spot starting from Agen). I’d considered buying the Toulouse-Paris ticket since it was the same price as Agen-Paris and easier to resell. These Prem’s tickets aren’t refundable or exchangeable by SNCF. Except in this case, we exchanged them for free because it was the day before a planned strike, and it’s on May 30 that we’re embarking on the adventure. Lucky break—arriving in Brittany on the evening of May 28, we would’ve faced violent storms.

I’d thought about bringing my AF3V IGN map showing bike routes and greenways: www.af3v.org/-Guide-des-VVV-.html But I preferred photographing the Breton section to save weight and space. Of course, I tore out the pages from the spiral-bound road guide covering our likely route. I planned to adapt it based on the weather.

Wednesday, May 30, 2018: Valence d’Agen 7 AM → Agen 9 AM (28 km) TGV Agen-Paris (753 km) TGV Paris-Lorient (554 km) → 6 PM My new bike, loaded with 5 panniers and my tent, weighs only 37 kg (usually 40 with the old one). I don’t think it’s lighter—it has an internal gearbox: voyageforum.com/...st=8207147;a=8207147 But I brought fewer tools and spare parts since it’s new.

To get to Agen station from Valence d’Agen, we take the Voie Verte along the Canal de Garonne again: 2p2r.org/...-du-canal-de-garonne That’s my photo on the cover with two women from a Toulouse association updating this guide—I joined them on the Valence-Moissac section. We arrive at Agen station an hour before the train’s departure, having chosen to allow time for any technical issues. That doesn’t make boarding any less of a nightmare in a packed carriage with only 2 minutes to stop.

Finally, we’re settled on the Lorient Express.



At Gare Montparnasse, with 2 hours to wait, we decide to go outside to escape the crowd and get some air. Bad idea! The escalator takes us down (a little too fast) with our bikes, but we can’t take the one going up—a stainless steel bollard blocks access. I immediately head to the opposite entrance to get back to the platforms as quickly as possible. Dominique asks an employee, who says we can’t use the elevator with our bikes. But I see several cyclists coming out, so I try my luck and manage by tilting my bike. Dominique, whose bike is slightly smaller, joins me on the next trip. We settle for a café in the hall where sparrows are regulars. Dominique makes a new friend.

For Lorient, we get an older TGV with more space and comfort.

And we appreciate the amenities of a modern station.





Even though the youth hostel is only 4 km away, I manage to make us do 12 km with my GPS (first time using it on my new smartphone). When I restart it after a useless loop, it shows the same route as my friend’s. Total for the day: 42 km.

After asking the hostel staff, we arrive with our gear at 7:29 PM at the LIDL, which closes at 7:30. Just enough time to grab salads, tomatoes, ham, Roquefort, and yogurts for dinner, which we’ll eat in the shared kitchen. Afterward, we take a digestive walk along the Ter

(not the TER train)

From the very first pedal strokes, I find my new bike less stable than the old one, especially when starting to balance. I tell myself it's because the frame is larger and it's perched on 28-inch wheels, so the center of gravity must be higher. Then, in certain situations, there's a tendency to shimmy when pushing the pace or with a crosswind. Since it's the first time I'm using it loaded (for my trip to Morocco, I took the old one due to justified fears of damage on the return flight: https://voyageforum.com/v.f?post=8640255;a=8640255), I wonder about the weight distribution. Yet, I found that the more my MTB (26") was loaded, especially at the front, the more stable it was. The shimmy gradually worsens until the morning we descend into Saint-Brieuc. On the steep slope, my braking attempts cause violent shimmying. I'm forced to pick up speed to regain stability, but it's a vicious cycle— the faster I go, the more I need to brake, and the less I can control the violent oscillations. I see no way out! How do I stop? Other than crashing, I dream of never going on bike trips again if it's this dangerous. Finally, I manage to stop by carefully modulating the brakes on that steep street. Dominique, who saw me zigzagging, understands my discomfort.

I tell him I urgently need to find a bike mechanic. Luckily, it's Saturday and there's one 2 km away. He’s never seen my transmission system before but immediately realizes the stem is loose. He loosens the two clamps holding it to the handlebars, then tightens the central bolt as on classic stems. Once the handlebars are centered and the clamps tightened—for 5 minutes of labor—I have a real bike again! He tells me that if I had kept going, I would have ruined the frame’s threading.

Thursday, May 31 – Lorient 8:00 AM to Pontivy 6:30 PM – 84 km

We start by visiting the port:



Then the city center. Numerous bike routes are suggested, though it's unclear where they lead.

It’s as we leave Lorient, crossing the Scorff River on a bridge also equipped for bikes, that I finally understand the meaning of the numbers:

Since the wind is southwesterly and it's overcast on the coast, I suggest heading inland. We notice it’s not possible to follow the Blavet River from its estuary. A woman walking her dog confirms this: only hikers can use the GR trail.



She tells us how to reach the boat cemetery by road, but the plan is foiled by rain. After taking shelter under a bus stop for a while, we head straight to Hennebont, where the towpath and greenway begin: www.af3v.org/...e-VVV-.html?voie=193#



The 60 km, in more or less good condition, are rideable with a hybrid bike even in the rain. Though we encounter two "road closed" signs: The first time for a tree downed by torrential rain, and the second for ongoing construction.

Thanks to the region for funding this superb path.



Arriving in Pontivy, we head to the youth hostel, where a group of cyclists is also stopping for the night.

I won’t have time to recount this trip since I’m leaving Sunday for another activist bike trek: www.lelimousinavelo.fr/ Luckily, I found a tourist map brochure of Brittany at the Pontivy youth hostel reception desk. It shows the GR 34 in red, which follows the coast for over 1,000 km, along with all the cycling routes and Voies Vertes. It’s amazing!

Click to zoom (like all photos on this site). I’ve traced our loop in black, completed from May 31 to June 14 between Lorient and Quimper. Photos from this 830 km loop: share.orange.fr/#WT4xdhGWpB415623896e Click on the "date added," then select name and sort in ascending order with the up arrow to view them chronologically.

Friday, June 1st – Pontivy 8:30 AM to Saint-Brieuc 6:30 PM, 107 km Text and photos coming soon.

Saturday, June 2nd: St Brieuc 9:30 AM → St Quay Portrieux 5 PM, 27 km Text and photos to come.

Sunday, June 3rd - St Quay Portrieux 8:30 AM to Lézardrieux 5:00 PM, 48 km Text and photos to come.

Monday, June 4th Lézardrieux 9 AM Trégastel 4 PM 54 km Text and photos to come.

Tuesday, June 5th Trégastel 9:15 AM Lannion 4:00 PM 39 km

Text and photos to come.

Wednesday, June 6th – Lannion 9 AM to Kerven 4 PM, 47 km Text and photos to come.