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Published: August 30th 2008
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Le Grand Depart
We arrived in Cherbourg at 11.30 to some very uninspiring weather. Well having spent some 6 months drooling over the prospect of some quality riding and time with my father it arrived and proved to be an experience and a half. I stepped onto the bike somewhat green in and climbed off 3.5 days later feeling (and walking) like a cyclist. It will not be forgotten in a hurry, seemed a lot longer (in a nice way!) and I must say it was an excellent way of relaxing into a two week holiday. Respect to Dad for organising and for the capacity of his paniers (my golf shoe bag was somewhat inadequate in comparison). Many thanks to K and Mum for creating the space to enable us to have this adventure.
My Memorable moments:-
- Cruising along with hundreds of "Cylco Touristique" riders on the road to Doue.
- Speeding along the levee by the Loire (flat fast and beautiful).
- Soaking up the quiet French roads and some stunning countryside.
- Stopping to eat our baguettes by the river in a cute little village called Ducey. I managed to feed little bits of bread to brown trout in the river and enjoyed Dad's story
about the Aouta spiders (see photo below).
- Cafe cognac's with Dad in the Cafe De Paris in Fougeres.
- Curiously coming across a kestrel lying on its back (presumably stunned) in the middle of a country road. It took one look at me and fled. "Now you don't see that every day" later recounted the kestrel to his mate (referring to the bloke in the ridiculous bandana ...)
- Madam in the Italian in Fougeres doing what appeared to be a well rehearsed "I'm rushed off my feet" routine in a very empty restaurant.
- Being literally thrown over barriers of the Angers periphique by the french scruffers. Having done my "je sweeze anglais" act with the local gendarmerie, Dad explained to them we had been confused by the road signs. Where do we go we asked "off at the next exit?", "Non, interdit" said the scruffer who took one look over the barrier (and down a steep slope) and ordered "You go there".
- The skate wing, king prawn and poached egg salad (Day one) - first meal and an absolute cracker.
Dad's notes and stats:-
Sunday : Cherbourg - Coutances
55 miles : ave 11.2 mph Abandoned at Cherbourg Ferry Terminal. Found new way out of town avoiding the worst of the hill. Took canal towpath under major road. After some hills it started raining but nice D road into Valognes. Superb lunch in Brasserie. Then via Pont L’Abbe to Periers, good cycle but in pelting rain. Worst bit though was the 11 miles from Periers to Coutances, v hilly with headwind and driving rain. Road being invaded by slugs in places - not easy to avoid. Then downhill into Coutances and Hotel Pocatiere (OK). Crap meal in Italian Restaurant.
Monday : Coutances - Fougeres
64 miles : ave 11.1 mph Better weather, cloudy but with nice sunny intervals. Crosswind now 10 kph compared to 30 kph yesterday. Generally quite an easy run apart from some hills around Avranches. Good distant views of Mont St Michel. Lunch by the river at Duce , very attractive tourist spot with campsites, riverside hotels and lovely town centre - one to revisit. Then to St George where Simon had accident, not too serious fortunately, soon patched up. Flew the last 13/14 m into Fougeres to Hotel Balzac
(OK). Italian Restaurant for dinner. Food nice but unbelievably slow service by elderly waitress who thought her job was to hold lengthy discussions with other customers trying to eat their food - they weren’t impressed either.
Tuesday : Fougeres - Angers
87 miles : ave 11.2 mph Slight miscalculation on the mileage front. I had reckoned about 65 but it turned out to be 87. The difference is however minimal when age weighting is applied. Tough day, v hot, lots of hills and headwind most of the way. Got through nearly 3 water bottles. Nice stop at Segre (twinned with Ferndown !) where we had a proper lunch at a brasserie by the river. A very welcome break in idyllic surroundings. Then the final 30 m slog into Angers, all via minor roads except a stretch of the Angers ring road where we managed to excite the attentions of the Gendarmes ( 3 of them in one car ! ). Having failed to persuade them of the vagaries of the French signposting system we were turfed off the ring road. This meant hoiking the bikes over the barrier then down a nearly vertical slope to a trail which lead
us down to and then along the Loire, then via the Chateau to our destination, the St Julien Hotel ( v good ) in Ralliement Square. After a wander later round the pedestrianised areas we had dinner at the local Chinese which was not too bad.
Wednesday : Angers - Preuil
42 miles : ave 11.3 After the famous St Julien breakfast we got away just before 8 am. A beautiful day and by far the best cycling thus far - light wind, beautiful scenery and a chance to join the French who were out en masse on their touring bikes. Quiet and easy road out through the Angers suburbs to the raised “ levee” of the north bank of the Loire which we cruised along to les Rosiers crossing the river to Gennes, then through a forest where we joined several French pelotons all heading in the direction of Doue-la-Fontaine from where we eventually located the correct road out of town and thence to Preuil where we received a hero’s welcome from our families.
In all we covered 248 miles at an average of 11.2 mph and we spent a total of 22.1 hours in the saddle.
The Advance Party
We would be seeing these little monkeys in 3.5 days for 10 further days holiday on the Loire.
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