Biking (MTB) along the Canal between the Two Seas (France) (page 3 of 16)

I also wanted to say that I share your vision of biking—I now only get around by bike. I’ve ditched the car and even TV for much longer. Thanks for sharing your travel stories!

hi Facteur4! 🙂 we’ve already shared a few discussions last year... anyway, time flies, and I still want to do the Canal du Midi just as much! I just wanted to tell you how much I admire the fact that you share your passion for the Canal du Midi and the Canal de Garonne with so much enthusiasm! Thanks so much!

Hi there, If you're up for some sport, you can cover the 170 km between Bordeaux and Golfech in a day since there’s no elevation and you’re more likely to have a tailwind. I assume you’re talking about 35 mm tire width. If you take the shortest route, you’ll ride on departmental roads until Castets-en-Dorthe. From there, you’ll join the greenway along the Canal de Garonne, with almost the entire route on a gorgeous paved bike path. It’s even easier to do Golfech to Toulouse in a day, with just a bit of very rideable dirt road.

Happy trails!

Thanks and looking forward to meeting up on the Voie Verte between the Two Seas!

Thanks for the quick reply! I’m definitely planning to start with the Lapébie trail, which I know well. I’m thinking of heading to Toulouse first to scope out a small group project and gauge the difficulty to figure out the minimum skill level needed.

After that, the Canal du Midi seems like a good solo ride to tackle next, but from what I’ve gathered, it’s a bit trickier—wider tires are a must, at least I’d assume so.

I was also wondering if it gets too monotonous after a while, given the limited number of turns.

Taking the Lapèbie trail is great! But it will make the route longer. After that, you’ll need to take some local roads to reach the canal. For the Canal du Midi, you’ll need a mountain bike (MTB) or a hybrid bike (VTC). The difficulty level isn’t high—you just need to be able to stay in the saddle for hours. Some find this greenway a bit monotonous. It’s true it was less so when there were ruts, but back then, it was impossible to do Bordeaux–Golfech in a day. Personally, I’ve never gotten bored along the canal. What wears me out quickly is the noise, danger, and pollution from cars on the roads.

Totally agree, personally I’m really nervous on the back roads where cars pass me at at least 90 km/h and get way too close—I’d rather take the longer route on the trail. It seemed really odd when you went through Saint-Jean-d’Illac to get to the Bassin. When I go to Andernos, I double the distance but take the bike path from Lacanau; the dual carriageway is way too dangerous and not pleasant at all.

Absolutely, the bike path that starts north of Bordeaux is really pleasant. I can't wait for the path connecting the south of Bordeaux to Arcachon to be completed—it's still in the planning stages. Don’t hesitate to contact local authorities to push for its construction. We should also support associations that work on bike paths and greenways. Here are the two I’m a member of: http://transeuropeenne.free.fr/index.html

http://www.af3v.org/index.php and the associated map: http://au5v.free.fr/carte/Voies-Vertes-France.html You can see the existing and upcoming paths in Bordeaux on it.

Sounds good for using *tu*. We could meet up when you’re in Golfech. We could explore part of your route together. Message me privately to set a date...

No worries, I’ll hit you up with the date when I get motivated. I’m putting together a loop for this summer: Bordeaux, Mimizan, Saint-Sever, Tarbes, Sainte-Marie-de-Campan, Saint-Bertrand-de-Comminges, Toulouse, then back to Bordeaux—about 8 to 10 days. Could change though. Thanks for the maps and the local orgs!

I’ve been advocating for daily bike use and long-distance cycling, intuitively feeling it’s good for health, the environment, and not harmful to society. The numbers actually exceed my expectations:

http://www.voirie-pour-tous.info/Dossier-Economie-du-velo.html

Beyond the obvious non-invasive tourism that creates local jobs, cycling can bring. According to the evaluation method recommended by the WHO, every kilometer cycled by a French person saves our nation 1.21 €. So, I wonder what we’re waiting for to build the necessary infrastructure in cities and greenways in the countryside, allowing people to cross France by bike in complete peace. I’m planning to write to the national "Monsieur Vélo" about this. Maybe a slogan or even a poem could wake people up:

Biking is vital And cars are harmful Biking is vital Can you see me? Can you hear me? In your bubble Writing it in the paper Is fundamental to me Biking is vital Along the Greenways Discovering France It’s my quest for the Grail Biking is vital Riding from Germinal To Pluviôse You can do it if you dare Biking is vital If you prefer planes It’ll be for the Earth The final bouquet

Sunday, 05/30/10 – 28 + 60 km by bike and 485 km by train

Hello friends,

Here I am again on my favorite Greenway. It's always so pleasant to ride along the former towpath of the lateral canal to the Garonne, now turned into a bike path. Maybe a bit less so when you went to bed at 2 AM (to celebrate a birthday) and got up at 6.

It's already 7:30 AM, and the 2 hours I'd planned to get from my home in Valence d'Agen to Agen train station suddenly seem a bit short. Still, 2 hours to cover 28 km, even with a loaded MTB, should've been more than enough. That was without counting on the northwesterly wind (the dominant wind that blows up the Garonne Valley). As I leave town, I almost turn back and ask my wife to drive me (which she'd offered and would've let me sleep an extra 1.5 hours, but goes against my principles) because, as usual, I overdressed and already wasted time removing a layer.

But the headwind isn't that strong, and by pedaling harder, I arrive early after leaving the canal a bit sooner to save 1 km and avoid the pedestrian bridge over the train tracks at Agen station. I even have time to drink a tea and eat a hot apple turnover at the buffet.

I ask the SNCF staff where the bike car is as the train arrives and I don't see it. The large white bike symbols have been replaced with small ones on a blue background!

It's still just as tricky to board an old Corail car (narrow door and high steps). Luckily, an agent helps me when the panniers get stuck and I struggle with the two steps.

The TER (free for bikes) takes me to Bordeaux, where my MTB boards the TGV more easily for 10 €. Is it a coincidence? The only other cyclist has the seat next to mine. This lets us chat. He's a young Belgian who just came down from Spain and is used to traveling across Europe. I feel like asking how he funds such long trips but don't dare. Maybe the language barrier? Because his French isn't perfect.

Having left Agen at 9 AM, here I am at 1:30 PM in Saint-Pierre-des-Corps (Tours) after 485 km by train.

I quickly find the Loire, which I'll follow to Blois where I've booked a night. On this early Sunday afternoon, this little road isn't too busy, and I discover Europe's last wild river. Amazing how these sandbanks form and shift with the floods, and the vegetation and birds that settle on these islands.

However, dikes called *levées* have been built along much of its course to prevent flooding in villages by channeling rising waters to strategically placed spillways on the *levée*. Here, they fear oceanic floods (long rainy periods from the west) and Mediterranean or Cévennes floods (water evaporated over the Mediterranean causing heavy rainfall on the Massif Central). But especially mixed floods (a combination of both, possible in spring or autumn). Like in 1866, when it reached 7 m on the flood gauge (a graduated rule fixed to a riverbank or bridge pier, calibrated from the normal water level, like a thermometer from zero).

Near Amboise, the first châteaux and wine cellars appear. I don't intend to buy wine (by bike) or even taste it. But I stop without hesitation before Mosnes at a cellar carved into *tuffeau* (the limestone rock the Loire has cut into to make its bed, appearing like a small cliff) that offers goat cheese. The sandwich and beer I bought at Bordeaux station are already a distant memory. I ask if they can sell me some cheese and a glass of wine.

The winemaker lets me taste two and serves me cheese without accepting payment.

Traveling by bicycle allows for such friendly encounters—this will be my first great memory.

For 9 €, I visit the Château de Chaumont-sur-Loire. What a full first day, thanks to an early start.

After 60 km, I reach Blois. That's where my EVADEO GPS (from the National Geographic Institute) in bike mode comes into play. I can hardly believe it when it tells me to take a very steep path that looks like a private road. But since it insists, I climb the *Sente aux Ânes*. A local confirms I'm close to the Regional Youth and Sports Center:

http://www.creps-crjs-centre.fr/...on.html?s=6&r=48

Since I booked by phone (without paying), I received the quote and the gate code, as well as the building access code by email, which lets me get to my room even though reception isn't open yet. Brilliant!

For 31 €, I get dinner, a room, and breakfast. Whereas at a hotel, it costs 40 or 50 € just to sleep.

The CRJS in Blois hosts groups for sports training but also for château visits.

Tonight at the canteen, there will only be three couples, like me, enjoying this pleasant center as part of the *Loire à Vélo* route. I meet them again at breakfast and tell them their two-wheeled trailer wouldn't be very practical on the paths of the Canal du Midi, which I invite them to discover, handing my map to the woman organizing their trips.

"Ah! It's you, *Facteur 4*," she says, having followed the discussions I participate in on Voyage Forum.

Monday, 31/05 Blois 9 AM – Orléans 4 PM, 76 km + 22 km on site

After breakfast at the CRJS, I cross Blois to join the Loire à Vélo routes: http://www.loireavelo.fr/...r-les-brochures.aspx

Download Loire à Vélo itineraries in Loir-et-Cher

The signs here are clear, and I just have to follow the CHAMBORD signs since I want to visit before heading to Orléans, where I’d planned to start my Loire descent but which wasn’t easy to reach by train (I’d have had to go through Montauban, which I’d considered reaching via the lateral canal to the Garonne and then the Montech canal—see page 1 of this travel journal, August 08—which would’ve meant getting up even earlier).

I offer to take a photo of a Japanese couple, and they return the favor (pun intended) in front of the signs, the Loire, and Blois in the background.

Right from the first kilometers, I feel an unpleasant wobble in the pedals (though I don’t find any play in them), but not with every rotation. I inspect my derailleur in vain. I follow the signs with the Loire à Vélo logo and end up in front of *Les Palets Solognots*. This biscuit factory offers bags of its specialties and sells by weight. After tasting a few, I’d love to get an assortment, but mixed-weight sales don’t exist. Too bad—I pick a bag of dried-fruit palets instead.

That wobble keeps coming and going while pedaling, and I realize it’s not enough to follow the little signs. You have to take the right route because there are several, each with just a number. Turns out there are multiple loops, and I could’ve gone in circles for ages. The directional signs help me reach Chambord Park, but while the car route seems to go straight to the château, the bike route sends me around the park. I ride several kilometers around it, only encountering access points for residents or staff. I can photograph the château from every angle but never get close. That’s when I discover a link in my chain is broken.

Luckily, the link is only broken on one side, so I can make it to Orléans without straining the remaining 40 km. Before activating the GPS for the shortest route avoiding major roads, I’m tempted by a sign for a *Brasserie* outside a café-grocery in a small village. But they don’t serve food. I order a draft beer and grab some applesauce from the grocery to go with my biscuits. The bar’s only other customer downs his three regulation pastis (he pours the last one himself from a bottle hanging above the bar) to recover from his morning fixing things for VEOLIA.

I let the GPS guide me through the countryside. Even the houses look like little châteaux. Here’s Ardon and its *peuple du silence* (see photos).

Arriving at Orléans’ CRJS, I enter through the stadium’s small open gate.

The youth hostel receptionist gives me a room key and I ask where the DECATHLON is. Since it’s Monday, I’m hoping they can fix my bike.

She tells me it’s near the Zénith, which I picture at Orléans’ south entrance since I’ve driven by often on the N20. She clarifies we’re in Olivet, so it’s pretty far.

Despite the map she gives me (showing Olivet and Orléans but not the route between them), I’m not sure if I should follow the N20 signs. I ask a young guy, who says following the tram will take me to the Zénith. So I do, first crossing the university district, then villages separated by countryside. I didn’t realize the tram took such a scenic route. Luckily, there are roads and sometimes bike paths alongside it. After a few confirmations and 13 km, I reach my destination. Only one other customer is at the bike stand. The mechanic, using a chain-stretch measuring tool, tells me my chain is dead and my sprockets are worn (at least the one I use most). I’m shocked—I replaced both just over a year ago. When he asks, I say I’ve ridden 4,000 km. He replies that’s normal. How, then, did I ride 25,000 km in 20 years with the original ones?

Nowadays, to save weight, the metal is super thin. I later learn that the more gears you have, the thinner the links, and the shorter the chain’s lifespan. Good thing I only have 7. I pay 42.80 € for a new chain and cassette—certainly *Made in China*, which destroys our jobs and sells us junk on top of it.

To return to the CRJS (whose address I know), my GPS only makes me do 8 km.

The facilities here are much less pleasant than in Blois, and there’s no meal option except breakfast. For 21 €, a shower and a bed are all a cyclist asks for.

I’m under the stadium stands—a paradox for someone like me, who’s against competition, sleeping under the bleachers where so much fan fervor is unleashed. Especially now, with the World Cup starting to annoy everyone. A real scandal: South Africa has plunged itself into debt for decades by spending 4 billion to prepare for the competition. Cities went overboard, each wanting the most beautiful setting for matches. Instead of building 2 stadiums as planned, the country built 5. 40,000 or 90,000 seats—it’s ridiculous when you know the South African league doesn’t exceed 8,000 spectators. FIFA will rake in 1.7 billion, while street vendors won’t be allowed near the stadiums. Not a single cent for the little people, from whom any unofficial merchandise is confiscated unless they pay their tithe to FIFA. We may not worship the same gods anymore, but we still fatten their clergy. It could’ve been Africa’s triumph, but the winner will be *Fric* (Money).

Tuesday 01/06 Orléans 8 AM - Montargis 6 PM, 94 km

Among the brochures available at the youth hostel, a tourist map of Loiret caught my eye. I discovered there’s a Canal d’Orléans. Just the thought of a towpath gives me wings. I’ve got plenty of time to start the descent of the Loire. My parents won’t arrive at the holiday center in Pornichet until Saturday. Since they live in Normandy and I rarely see them, that’s what made me decide to set off on the Loire à Vélo, a route I had saved in my favorites:

http://www.loireavelo.fr/...ut-l-itineraire.aspx

After 13 km, I reach the city center and wait until 10 AM for the Orléans tourist office to open. I offer to take photos of two young people with their cameras. They’re Quebecers who are tackling French cycle routes before enjoying Quebec’s Route Verte.

I ask if it’s possible to follow the canal, and like in similar situations in Sète (see 03/09), the hostess has no idea. They’re ready to help you find accommodation to sell you the "Loire à Vélo" experience but know little about the region or cycling routes.

I easily find the canal since it flows into the Loire, and I cross paths with a few cyclists.

I ask a woman if I can follow it. She says she does it often. And if I can go all the way to Montargis. She replies she’s never gone that far.

The Canal d’Orléans is no longer used for navigation, but its towpath has been turned into a GR (long-distance hiking trail). This almost smooth ribbon of earth is a joy to ride. I thank whoever leveled it. It’s a paradise of water, greenery, and silence, with a few historical panels about the attempt to adapt it to the Freycinet gauge and the construction of a coal-powered electricity plant to pump water between the locks.

After lunch at the restaurant "La Jeune France" for 11.50 €, I meet the only two cyclists I’ll encounter far from cities. They’re coming from Épinal (where I did my military service), have faced bad weather, and are heading to the Marais Poitevin.

I recommend they stop for lunch in Fay-aux-Loges if there are any dishes left, given its popularity.

The canal is often overgrown with vegetation, except in the area where a boat offers tourist excursions. This spring (a bit shy) has brought lots of aquatic and terrestrial flowers. Too bad that around 4 PM, after the water-sharing lock (which reminds me of the Canal du Midi), it starts raining. I take shelter in a café where they serve me a mediocre hot chocolate without much friendliness.

I gear up under the tree where I parked my MTB and decide to continue by road. These will be the only two hours of rain during my 9-day trip.

In Montargis, I stay at the Hôtel Central for 49 €, plus 7 € for a very hearty breakfast with a wide selection of fruits, cereals, etc. A new packaging for powdered sugar makes me mistake it for milk (no harm done since I don’t want to consume either).

The town is excited to host the Tour de France. While the latest cheating scandal among cyclists—a small motor hidden in the frame—has just been uncovered, it’s high time the French stopped being lulled by all these competitions.

Wednesday 02/06 Montargis 8 AM to Sully-sur-Loire 4 PM, 89 km

I had planned to head back down to the Loire by following the Briare canal, which connects with the Orléans canal north of Montargis. I came across a small dam and thought I was going the wrong way. After crossing the town while following the canal, I started doubting when I saw road signs. A moped rider, just as unsure, also thought I was heading in the wrong direction. Indeed, after retracing my steps down a slope, I found the towpath and the local offices of Voies Navigables de France. The staff confirmed I could go as far as Briare, adding that their canal is prettier than the Orléans one.

The difference is that the Briare canal is open to navigation. VNF vehicles drive on the towpath, which is sometimes paved. But most of the time, it’s a gravel path with grass and ruts competing for space. Since it had rained the day before, I gave up halfway after passing a pleasure boat. The road to Gien took me right past the Auberge d’Adon just before noon. I had time to change in the restroom and could have lunch while some traveling workers did the same.

In Gien, I found the Loire again. The bar terraces were starting to liven up under the sun.

I crossed to follow the left bank on the temporary route because the "Loire à Vélo" developments are far from finished. Yet this is also part of the EuroVelo 6, which will run from the Atlantic to the Black Sea: http://www.eurovelo6.org/

After a few kilometers, the road was closed to traffic for construction. I hesitated for a long time about following the detour like the cars. Then I took the risk, fearing I might have to turn back. After 1 km, a worker forced the cars to take a final detour. Luckily, he let me continue straight. I’d just have to wait for permission to pass at the construction site. What I discovered was grim. Beautiful plane trees had been cut down. The crew, busy shredding branches, let me through.

I asked the supervisor redirecting traffic from the other direction why this was happening (wondering if a future bike path was the reason). He told me the plane trees were being cut down because too many people crash into them (by car). Even though my son had just fractured his sternum hitting one of these trees (his friend, who was driving, had swerved to avoid a deer), I don’t think destroying this heritage of our departmental roads is the solution.

I reached Sully-sur-Loire and its magnificent château. I chose the Hôtel de la Tour for 40 € + 6 € for breakfast (nothing special). No internet access in town for someone like me without a computer—the tourist office suggested I go to a computer store in a shopping center. An hour and a half for 3.50 € got me there by closing time at 7 PM, just enough to download photos from my camera and send a few illustrated emails.

Thursday 03/06 Sully 8 AM – Blois 6 PM, 122 km

I start on a welcoming Loire à Vélo route that leaves the road in front of cherry and walnut trees, winding through the countryside while pretending to be a cycle path for a few hundred meters. Until I reach a village where the priest greets me as I admire the church steeple. I continue following signs for Châteauneuf on a small bike. These little roads through fields of poppies, market gardens, and small woods are pleasant—until a sign indicates the end of the route. Now, figure it out yourself! No more Châteauneuf or anything else. (I’ve already covered 24 km for the 18 expected by road and ended up nowhere.) Wanting to head west, I keep going right, but the road turns into a dirt track, and I hesitate to turn back. I ask a jogger who tells me he’s coming from Châteauneuf, so I continue on the dirt path along the Loire. I cross back to the right bank on a bridge that offers a view with the sun’s reflections on the river.

After 50 km, I arrive in Orléans, and it’s amusing—my odometer already shows 420 km. That’s the distance announced by the Loire à Vélo between Orléans and the estuary (my initial goal). Let’s just say this was the warm-up for now. On the quays, a restaurant barge tempts me despite the wind, but since it’s only 11:30 AM, they’re not serving yet. I take refuge in the city center, where I’m no luckier. It’s nice to be able to refuse a customer (in Quebec, for example, they’d welcome you and ask if you want *déjeuner* or *dîner*—meaning breakfast or lunch, so in this case, you’d answer *dîner* because dinner is *souper* in the evening). I buy a sandwich, a beer, and a cake, which I eat sheltered from the wind in partial shade. I hesitate to find a way to refill my water (always the trade-off between autonomy and weight)—in a restaurant, I could’ve used the restrooms or asked someone to fill my bottle.

A lovely cycle path on the Orléans quay, but does it even stretch a kilometer?

Signs invite cyclists to cross and continue the (still temporary) route on the left bank. I want to return to Blois, where I’ve booked again at the CRJS. The distance is only 50 km, but via the cycle route, I’ll do seventy. Thirst kicks in, and in Beaugency, the terrace near the château is very popular. I ask if they have orgeat syrup and order a mint syrup on top. After sending two postcards, the waitress comes to wipe my table and says, *"You mixed the two."* I reply that yes, the combination of mint’s strength and almond’s sweetness is very pleasant. It’s called a *glacial*. She says she’ll try it.

This will be my longest stage, and I’m starting to struggle. Suddenly, the cycle route turns into a billiard table—thanks to the financial fallout from the Saint-Laurent-des-Eaux nuclear plant. Coincidence or not, I encounter more cyclists on this path.

All along the Loire, you can’t miss these modern-day fortresses. Impregnable strongholds with security checks that annoy the people who work there year-round and the contractors who intervene during outages—but they won’t stop human bombs or other kamikazes.

Unfortunately, the road surface quickly deteriorates, forcing me back onto the usual small roads.

Arriving in Blois, I buy sunscreen. My tube must’ve fallen out of my handlebar bag’s net—I lost it. I take advantage of a deal with after-sun lotion, which will come in handy. This time at the CRJS, there’s a school group visiting Amboise the next day. I’ll be the only adult besides the teachers and the bus driver. Given by the director, I listen to the safety instructions and recommendations for managing the group.

Friday 06/04 Blois 8 AM – Villandry 5 PM, 92 km

To leave the CRJS this time, I take the Donkey Path. I first come across a couple of hikers. The man is pushing a cart equipped with a crossbar at hand height. What an original way to carry camping gear. I immediately regret not taking their picture. The bike route zigzags too much north to south, with even small uphills and downhills. Then I retrace part of the route I took on the first day, in the opposite direction. This time, I want to visit the Mini Châteaux Park in Amboise. I figure this way, I’ll see all the castles at once, even those far from the Loire. I also grabbed an extra roll at breakfast to visit my favorite wine merchant. It’s 10:20 AM when I reach Mosnes, and the shop is closed. A handwritten sign says it opens at 10 AM. It would be silly to leave and have it open just a few minutes later. I call the number listed, and the son answers, telling me his father was delayed and is on his way. Despite my insistence, he refuses to let me pay for the tasting. I leave with his business card.

In Amboise, a road with chicanes that only lets cars pass alternately takes me to the mini park. A passerby tells me that in the summer, this causes long traffic jams in both directions. One person even died in an ambulance that couldn’t move forward. A brilliant idea to put an end to car culture! He advises me to check out the Chinese pagoda while I’m at it.

I pay 8.50 € to enter the Pagoda of Chanteloup park and can ride my bike along the access path. I wasn’t expecting such a Chinese moment. It was built by the Duke of Choiseul in 1775. Prime Minister under Louis XV, he was disgraced and exiled to Chanteloup.

Since I’m tired from the previous day’s ride and had noted the coordinates of a reasonably priced guest room (Les Roses Trémières) in Joué-lès-Tours, only 25 km away, I decide to call since it’s already past noon. My fear was justified—it’s already booked for the weekend. The lady is very kind and gives me the number for the Tours tourist office, and even suggests one in Villandry if I want to go a bit further (she must have telepathic gifts! No, it’s just her experience talking, based on the time and where I am). I wouldn’t have settled for a short ride unless I was certain of having accommodation and a guest table.

The Villandry tourist office can’t give me availability but provides two phone numbers for guest rooms. The first owner answers. When I insist on getting the exact address (to enter into my GPS), he asks if I’m joking. Quite a change from the welcome at Les Roses Trémières. I’m relieved to have a bed for Friday but curious about his reaction.

I find the Mini Châteaux Park awful (13.50 €). It’s really only interesting for kids, and the sets are starting to look worn. Plus, this time of year, you can’t even eat there. I take advantage of a nice leafy arbor to enjoy the shade while tasting the organic chocolate-hazelnut cookies I’ve been carrying since Valence d’Agen. Luckily, there’s cold water available in the restrooms.

It’s very hot, so I cool off at the Loire House in Montlouis. The visit is free, but the lady warns me that the exhibits are a bit disrupted by school groups.

For someone born in Rouen, it’s a surprise to learn that 20 million years ago, the Loire and Seine flowed in muddy streams into the English Channel. Ten million years ago, the regions west of Orléans subsided, and a sea arm advanced as far as the Blois area. The muddy river was swallowed up...

After crossing Tours without encountering any bike paths, I finish the route through a small wooded area with a flower-lined stream. I arrive early at 2 bis Rue de la Caillarderie at the guest room:

http://www.villandry-tourisme.com/...bres_dhotes_2010.pdf

There’s no one there. I leave my bike in the garden and walk back down to Villandry. I don’t have the energy to bike back up.

In front of the gourmet grocery store/tea salon/restaurant, the menu features apple crumble and crème brûlée. I ask if they still have both and order one of each with Russian tea. I make up for lunch and consider dining here: http://www.epiceriegourmande.com/

I stop by to say hello to the tourist office hosts, who give me the owner’s mobile number in case he still isn’t there. They tell me I’ll have access to a computer with internet.

He admits he failed in his duties by not being there when I arrived and especially by being unpleasant on the phone. He’d been the victim of a fake reservation from his “friends,” who only confessed to the “joke” the next day. When I called, he feared it was happening again. In reality, he’s a very kind man who lost his wife and son. I assume he then decided to open a guest room. The house has a very large bedroom upstairs. He also offers his living room/office (with his computer) on the mezzanine to guests. There’s no real separation from the dining room/kitchen due to the open layout. I’m surprised Americans haven’t gotten stuck in the narrow spiral staircase leading to the first floor. However, he tells me they can spend three days glued to the computer without visiting the castle.

I realize I could do the same at home with the upstairs, currently occupied by our three kids. I thought our house wasn’t suited for it.

However, the job isn’t that easy. Some no-show guests admitted to booking in multiple places! So in the summer, he doesn’t take any reservations and welcomes the first cyclists who show up (there are always some). Otherwise, he doesn’t want to bother updating his availability with the tourist office (that’s why they didn’t have the info).

Surprise—the Gourmet Grocery is closed in the evening. I order a gourmet plate on the terrace of the restaurant Le Colombien and am disappointed.

Saturday 05/06 Villandry 8 AM – Angers 6 PM, 102 km

Through the countryside, I enjoy the morning pleasures. Magnificent bay horses are already gleaming under the sun. Honeysuckle intensely releases its scent, concentrated by its petals that stayed closed all night. A roe deer crosses in front of me and, panicking at my arrival, slips on the tarmac. Its hooves make an almost metallic sound.

While I try for the umpteenth time to photograph a field of poppies, my camera gets stuck (despite several on/off attempts, it only works again later).

I decided to surprise some distant family (in both senses of the word) by heading to Saint-Philbert-du-Peuple. Located near Saumur, this village evokes an old poplar grove. This makes me leave the Loire and avoid Chinon. I only catch sight of a small cloud of steam released by the cooling towers of its power plant. I pass by the Château de Gizeux and decide to support the local post office by making a withdrawal here rather than at an ATM in a big city. It’s really something we should do as a civic duty because, while I could have paid or gotten cash just with my debit card elsewhere, here I have to show my ID even though I’m a Banque Postale customer. In any case, selling books or jewelry at the counter won’t be enough to keep this public service running.

Odd for such a small village, the entrance door is equipped with an electric strike controlled by the postmistress, who saw me outside via a camera.

I continue my good deeds by ordering a hot chocolate to go with my croissant (which the B&B owner insisted I take) at the bar.

My efforts aren’t rewarded. It’s no longer raining. This is the first time I’ve had a beer with a pastry. I might regret it as the temperature rises. The bartender kindly rinses my bottle and fills it with ice-cold water.

In Longué, I’ll be the only customer at a Chinese restaurant, having a chicken salad and frog legs with lemongrass.

With some difficulty, I find the Loire à Vélo route again but quickly decide not to follow it when it indicates 30 km to Angers, while sticking to the Loire River cuts it down to 20 km. I then come across a recumbent tricycle that probably doesn’t feel safe on these narrow roads.

It’s hot, and I appreciate the bottle of cold water I’ve wrapped in my beanie.

Weekends mean fully booked hotels in Angers. I circle around for a while before ending up at the Ibis Hotel, which is less popular with tourists and luckily lowers its prices on Saturdays. For just 69.40 €, I get an impersonal room. My bike, meanwhile, will sleep in the seminar room.

I dine on a terrace in a pedestrian street, enjoying a buckwheat pancake with andouille sausage, a chocolate fondant, and a bottle of cider, a glass of which I offer to my German neighbors. At 9 PM, it’s still 32°C!

Sunday 06/06 Angers 09:00 Nantes 18:00 101 km

I got a late start because there was a light drizzle and for 7.50 € the breakfast buffet was really filling.

It stopped raining before I finished crossing the city. I decided to stay on the right bank, which makes more sense for heading to Pornichet, located north of the estuary, and to avoid having to cross the Saint-Nazaire bridge. However, I could no longer follow the bike route.

Despite all my efforts to avoid it, I ended up on the N23 due to roadworks where I would have gotten stuck in the mud (see photos). On the expressway, cars honked at me, and I responded with big waves and hellos since I hadn’t seen any signs prohibiting bikes.

On top of that, I had a headwind all day. That’s why it’s recommended to do the Loire à Vélo route against the current.

I then took the D18. I cheered myself up in Montrelais with the Sunday menu for 18.50 €: fish terrine, blood sausage skewers, and chocolate fondant. I told the waitress I probably wouldn’t be back since I’m from Agen, but I really enjoyed it.

Go figure, the temperature dropped by at least 10°C compared to yesterday.

A bike sign for Nantes once again gave me hope for a bike path. But it was just a small road along the Loire. Fortunately, it was only open to local drivers. It was the perfect spot for Sunday family walks. I passed lots of strollers and cyclists. A fake hawk, moved by the wind, protected the crops from rodents. Near the city, a man with a woman and a stroller told me I wasn’t on a bike path. That’s the problem—there’s a lack of infrastructure. I found a bike lane on the boulevard. That’s why he wasn’t happy (though I couldn’t have guessed). I also struggled to find a hotel in Nantes. As usual, the tourist office was closed on Sunday afternoon, and there was no information nearby.

I finally found a small room at the Hôtel RENOVA. Only the mosaic on the facade seemed renovated. The owner had cracked ribs and was struggling to work. I could store my bike safely and access the internet on the computer available for guests.

Thanks so much for all these great stories—they’ve really inspired me to bike from Bordeaux to Agde via the greenway. I’m setting off on August 8, 2010. Thanks again!

The goal is really to inspire. Unfortunately, it takes me longer to write about trips than to actually do them, which sometimes causes a bit of family tension.

You’re in for a treat. Safe travels!

By the Loire, I strayed a bit from my favorite Greenway. I need to finish the story soon (by heading back home via the lateral canal) and explain in the conclusion why I posted it here.

See you soon, maybe—Toulouse is just a day’s bike ride away.