geeteetravels

The ride out of Bordeaux was now familiar as we had spent a few days there already. We crossed the Garonne river right away and headed north. It is always reassuring to get riding after all the hassles of travelling across the world with a big bike, sometimes I feel like staying home, but getting going reminds me how much I enjoy cycle touring.

Our first stop was the giant Carrefour store to get groceries for the day. It takes so long to find only a few items, perhaps we should find smaller stores? Definitely good selection though. I always have to retrain myself on how to operate the produce scales in European grocery stores. Usually I stand back and watch someone else do it first then give it a go. I have learned never to show up at the cashier without the weight/price sticker on the item. Arguing with the cashier in French is not covered in Duo Lingo.

Much of the ride was on bicycle lanes or very small roads with little traffic so very pleasant riding. As expected there were many vineyards to enjoy with grapes growing abundantly. Other fields we saw were not looking so well: corn and sunflower fields were dried up. Apparently this was the first time in many years that they had to irrigate the vineyards. There has been no rain in 3 months.

Next we crossed the Dordogne river. Both the Garonne and the Dordogne are huge, wide and muddy looking rivers. We followed the shore towards our destination and eventually the river became an estuary where the 2 rivers join and then we arrived in Blaye. This lovely little city sits on the estuary where a defensive fort was built way back to protect them from British attackers. Two similar forts were built to cover the entire width of the estuary. There are also river cruise boats and ferries to take you up the river or over to the other side or to isles in the middle.

We stayed in one of these ancient townhomes that look like nothing from the outside but have beautiful gardens extending out the back. We wheeled the bike right through the house into the back garden, Our room was up a floor and quite grand. The host offered us an evening dinner in the garden as well as breakfast. He was a genuine French “foodie” and served us very good meals, mostly right out of the garden. A fun place to stay.

Tags: 2022, Aquitaine

Here we are at last, after a 9hr plane ride plus 2.5hr wait for the train, 8 minutes on the train to Euro Disney, blitzed the place in 1.5 hours (kidding, but there were a LOT of folks with mickey mouse ears hanging about the station where we changed trains), and 3 more hours on the TGV to Bordeaux, complete with unmasked woman with coughs and sniffles. Fortunately we were staying at one of possibly the best B&Bs with the loveliest hostess we have encountered. Isabel made sure we were very comfortable, turned up the AC and pointed us back to a bon restaurant to recover a bit of strength. It all went quite smooth except for a weird glitch trying to attach our phones to a local network (fixed).

I must say jet lag hit quite hard despite crashing in a timely fashion on the first night. The next two nights were not as good. We got the bike up and running also without issue and did a shakedown run all around on some of Bordeaux’s bike pathway network which goes everywhere. The city is pretty and clean, bisected by the Garonne river with several interesting bridges and one of those unprotected trams right at ground level which would never be allowed at home. There is a huge piece of the central city which is a no-car zone which we always welcome so a day was spent on foot touring the sites as well as the bike day.

Then it was time to sort what would come with us on the bike and what could stay back at the B&B while we toured for the next 24 days. We do our best but the panniers still seem to be stuffed and very heavy. Onward to Blaye in the morning.

Tags: 2022, Aquitaine