Day 7 - Saturday 2 October

Montalivet-les-Bains to Lège-Cap-Ferret (51 miles)

A bright sunrise but then just after they started cycling at 9 a few spots of rain turned briefly heavier whilst they continued for some 18 miles until approaching the small town of Carcans when the sun suddenly broke through and the day turned magical and warm with a maximum in the afternoon of a hot 86F. The early cycling had again been on flat roads through forests with occasional glimpses of groups of locals clearly hunting and mindful of the ever present rain (or perhaps the locals) they cycled faster than Alberto Contador on steroids.

Having enjoyed a coffee at a bar in Carcans they cycled for another 32 odd miles in increasing heat until reaching the town of Lège-Cap-Ferret when the roads became too busy with locals making for the dunes and sea at Cap Ferret. This is pretty special so I am loading photos of this separately.

Now I understand there are some who do not believe the lads should be enjoying a “holiday” but doing more cycling. However I think all must bear in mind that it’s my holiday too and they had to keep me company on the beach in case I got lost. I would understand if people back home considered it inappropriate to include pictures of warm sunny weather in October but ………………….tough.

Half six in the evening and it’s still in the mid 80’s and the lads have gone to the pool for a dip.

Cap Ferret

Early morning Saturday

Early morning at Montelivet-les-Bains and the lads setting off on day 7.






Reference your comment Tim, sadly a flat days cycling of about 50 miles through forest is all that faces them today!

Some beach though ~ makes Saunton seem a tad tame!

Day 6 ~ 1 October

La Jarne (Nr La Rochelle) to Fontbedeau (Nr Royan) – 45 miles

Not great mileage today, partly due to the nightmare of getting through/around Rochefort combined with a lung sapping headwind on dead straight roads with little protection.

The day had started on the campsite with rain but this had cleared by the time we had re-crossed the bridge to get back to the mainland. There was also the complication of catching the ferry from Royan across the Gironde to Pointe de Grave. There are only about 4 ferries a day at this time of year and with the crossing taking some 45 minutes we couldn’t afford to miss the one at 3 in the afternoon. This ferry saves a massive amount of driving to the next river crossing so the connection was vital.

A lot of meandering was required to then find a non existent supermarket young Smith claimed to have found on the internet prior to leaving blighty and then having to backtrack some 10 miles to find one open. Eventually all sorted and we managed to find our site (Camp du Soleil) at Montelivet-les-Bains ~ just down the road from the other site pictured whose obvious charms we somehow avoided!

Mind isn’t it great to be sitting outside at 7 in the evening in shorts and t-shirts eating barbecued food!

During one of the lads diversions in trying to get through Rochefort they did come across this old bridge (possibly railway) which only they could cross with its plywood flooring.

Basically a day to have knocked off some miles on empty roads with very few people around.

Day 5 - Thursday 30 September

Château d’Olonne To Villedoux (Nr La Rochelle)

A comical start to the day, due I think partly to the fact that we were the only people staying on the campsite last night. Twenty past nine and no sign of any French chappies at site reception and the camp had a barrier which you needed to pay a deposit of 40 euros for on arrival.
Needless to say an Irishman, a Scouser and one with Scottish antecedents were not falling for that as we weren’t going off site that night and we thought reception would be staffed next morning. Was it buggery!
We tried calling the number on the office door with no avail. So the ever resourceful Smith sauntered off around the site to see if he could find a living person. Some 10 minutes later he reappeared with a little old French lady (still in her green dressing gown) who bless her cotton socks trolled all the way down to the front gate so attired to use her gate pass to open the barrier. If you carefully examine the start photo you can pick her out in the background.

On then to the cycling which they started in lovely weather enjoying better roads and conditions than yesterday. So engrossed were they that they became a tad too adventurous ignoring my previous directions and adding several miles to the day ~ not once but twice did I have to phone them with that choice phrase ~ “where the **** are you now?” Costing me a fortune as they also called me several times asking much the same question and of course I had to pay to receive these inane comments! In addition during one of their meanders Andy suffered a broken spoke. Fortunately this was only a short distance from meeting me and the chance to swap the front wheel with the spare bike ~ bugger that means there’s no bike for me to ride now!

All was sorted by mid afternoon and reunited in the van we crossed over the bridge to the Île De Ré. A lovely campsite found at the tip of the island in the village of Ars-en-Ré. However further travails then arose. A decision was made to do a mass lavage, token inserted, clothes loaded, door closed, button pressed and bugger all happened!! Much too-ing and fro-ing but monsieur in reception (who insists on gabbling in French) had gone walkabout off for the night, so young Smith with the dexterity of a master safe cracker (courtesy of friends and family up north) managed to retrieve the clothing comprising 60% of the cycling kit. We do have a laugh!

Must dash now as first glass of red stuff just appeared in right hand! Oh a quick message to Mr B in North Devon ~ saw a fantastic kayak at an Intersport in Les Sables-D’Olonne ~ reduced to 590 euros but it did have a glass bottom!

Île De Ré

The three of us plus some camp photos!

Day 4 - Wednesday 29 September

Chauve to les Sables-d’Olonne (56 miles)
Although less miles and the land was completely flat the lads found today’s cycling the hardest so far as the whole day was into a headwind ~ have to say I didn’t notice but some will always seek any excuse for a moan! As one of the party commented on the flat landscape - “a bit of up and down is great as you can get the arse out of the saddle”. It was also a more overcast day with a few spots of rain which fortunately didn’t materialise into anything significant.
The beaches at St-Jean-de-Monts were totally deserted ~ miles and miles of sand with not a soul – a bit like tonight’s campsite at Chateau-d’Olonne. We just got here in time as it closes for the year tomorrow!
While I mess with the blog, Andy is in his little tent conjuring up chicken curry. I daresay we might open another 5 litre wine box so we can maintain our average of a bottle of wine per day – each! Quelle surprise then that one of the photos Vince took today was of the pair of them at a vineyard.
As to the blog, I believe some are experiencing problems leaving comments. I’ll tinker with the settings and risk the spam potential. Now that’s a thought ~ perhaps Spam for tea tomorrow. Oh hang on I’ve just been told its spag bol.