From Belgium to Spain part 2

Evron - Nyoiseau 80 km

Easy ride, small roads, I stopped for a coffee in La Chapelle-Rainsoin and stayed on the D20 untill Villers-Charlemagne then took the D154 and D152 to Fromentières.

The highest point of the journey being Chateau-Gontier where I had lunch in an old café with style. Located on the Mayenne river this village is worth a visit, lots of nice monuments, the river is quite nice as well. From there I headed to Empoignée, Mèe and Nyoiseau, nothing to see except the nice countryside.

Nyoiseau is a small quiet village with a charming camping on the river Oudon. Very quiet only one bar/café/lotto with no customers. Julien the camping manager offered me a drink and we chatted for a while with 2 of his friends, I recommand to stay on that camp for the location, the quietness and the staff. 5 euros 50.

Château-Gontier and the Mayenne river

Weird People around my bike

Nyoiseau - Nantes 115 km

Nantes is a big city worth at least a couple of days of visit. I am back after a few weeks visiting my friend Rémi for just one night.

The ride was pleasant from Nyoiseau to Candé via Chazé sur Argos then I took the D165 towards Ancenis. Very nice city on The Loire river. I then followed the Loire on the right bank wich was apparently a mistake. There were some works on the bike road and I had to turn around after 10 kilometers, no other way and no good deviation signs before engaging myself there. The path along side the Loire river is a dirt road and I would advice a Mountain bike or big tyres. An other thing to check is water, there was no place to refill between Oudon and Nantes and it I was dry one hour before Nantes.

The Loire river in Ancenis

Ouzon

Nantes - Aizenay 66 km

Commuting ride to meet my friend Cécile and her kids Pauline and Martin. the road was straight down south, a few nice villages with some castle along the way, Pallau being the main attraction on this road.

With Martin and Pauline

Aizenay - La Rochelle 138 km

From Aizenay I decided to ride to the coast, I went to Jard-Sur-Mer via Talmont St Hilaire where I had a coffee in front of a medieval castle then I followed the European cycle route to La Rochelle.

Difficult ride because of the heat wave, 38 celsius on the road dixit a fellow biker electronically equiped. I also met James and Rupert, 2 cyclists going to Île de Ré from Great Britain I was exhausted and stayed behind them to avoid the wind. The coast is quite windy and the route is sometimes a dirt road.

In La Rochelle it is the Fête de la Musique. I am not sure I slept that night, music until my departure in the morning.

I met Harald a german cycling from Santiago to Bretagne and we shared the expensive camp site good deal, 8 euros. The camping municipal is walking distance from the city center.

Fête de la musique

La Rochelle by night

La Rochelle - Mortagne sur Gironde 115 km

An other day under the sun.

I followed the beach and right at the start in Aytré, met 2 bikers we cycled together for 25km to a nice coffee place in St Laurent de la Prée where they offered me coffee and breakfast, we chatted for a while, then they took me to a back road to reach Rochefort and they went back to Aytré. My day started very well.

I went through Rochefort, this time took the Pendular bridge, for bikers and pedestrian only, avoiding the dangerous bridge for cars that I took 9 months earlier.

Then the road is quite flat towards Royan. I just forgot that we were sunday and didn't have enough food or water. Looking for my way in the village of L'Eguille. I followed some sign post "Le Sel de Madi". I stumbled upon a group of people ready to have lunch, they were preparing some mussels covered of pine leaves and ready to be burned in a traditionnal way of cooking called 'Eclade'. I just asked for some water to Madi and she kindly invited me for lunch. They are all members of a group of local exchange and trading system called SEL (Système d'Echange Local). It was a fantastic lunch with wonderful people giving their time to help each other without money. I wanted to pay for my lunch but they kindly declined.

This is a link I found on internet www.Solidaire.org explaining all about it in French.

After this lunch I cycled to Mortagne sur Gironde, nice camp site with a fantastic view, very clean with a nice person. What a day ! I highly recommand that camping municipal.

Around 6 euros a night. 

Aytré the low tide in the morning

Pendular bridge in Rochefort, a city I already passed 9 months ago.

Mussels on fire under the pine leaves with great company !

The local name for this kind of cooking is Eclade

Some of my wonderful hosts.

2 hours break.

And this is Madi, my fantastic host !

Mortagne Sur Gironde - Bordeaux  (Parempuyre) 75 km

This morning I woke up and it was raining for the first time in 12 days. Jean-Jacques and Danielle saw me looking for shelter and offered me coffee, it turned out to be a breakfast with home made jam. We chatted for a while waiting for the rain to stop, they were travelling in a modern VW van, Jean-Jacques has been travelling like this since the sixties, then he was a pionneer and drove all other Europe windsurfing. Before I left he gave me some home made Deer pâté.

An other good start for my day, it is always nice to meet people like this.

Waiting for the ferry in Blaye

On the Ferry

On the brown waters of the river Garonne

Lost in Margaux

Total 1185 km, 12 days so far, Average 98,75 km/day... To be continued, looking forward to reach Spain in the next days...

From Belgium to Spain on a bike - Part 1

Kortrijk - Lillers 80 km 
Spring time, good weather announced! just before the summer holiday rush, time to ride again. Unfortunately the day before departure a thunder storm destroted our 2 roof windows. I postponned my trip for 2 days and jumped on the train to Kortrik (courtrai) on thursday the 12th and rode along the Lei river for the Flemish and the Vallée de la Lys for the French part. First of all Kortrijk is a nice city, quite important for the Flamish identity. The museum of the golden spurs explain all the details of famous battle when the peasant defeated the army of Artois and the French king. Of course history has been changed into a myth but the museum tries to put things in perspective.
The ride along the Lei was nice on a cycle path, but once in France it is a bit less interesting, you can't ride next to the river for too long, I would recommand to stay on the Belgian side as long as possible at list untill you reach Comines.
In the early evening I reached the town of Lillers and the crappiest, dirtiest camping I have ever been too. I totally discouraged you to put your tent here as hygiene is very poor, they only clean once a week (says a poster on the toilet door) and it can't be a thorough cleaning. As a matter of fact I will complain to the French authorities as soon as I am getting back. My brand new tent was cut by glass in the ground. Waste of money and time ! Avoid Lillers municipal Camp site ! Anyway not much going on in Lillers. Paid 4 euros 50 for camping.

Riding along the canal Du lys, Belgium is on the other side.

I picked my first cherries on my way

I cycled through The New World

Lillers - Abbeville 86 km

What a nice ride ! Slightly hilly. Just a nice country ride with no car, a deer crossed in front of me, I followed the side roads the d102 to Auxi Le chateau parallele to the big departemental road. From Auxi going to St Riquier I went back on the D941 almost no car and no truck.

In Abbeville Irene was waiting for me, it's Friday, and we went to the Baie de Somme, beautiful sight. There is a cycle path along the canal de la Somme and around Baie de Somme definitly for a futur ride. This time we went to the nice villages of Le Crotoy, St Valery sur Somme and had fish dinner in front of the waves at Cayeux s/mer.

The Canche river

St Riquier Abbaye

Abbeville - Le Treport - Dieppe 85 km

Abbeville Le Treport was easy and quick, I took the most direct road D925 then the side roads from Friville Escarbotin to Le Treport where I met Irene for lunch? Nice port town with a Funiculaire to go on top of the cliff, I took it with the bike and had a beautiful ride following the European cycle coastal road, following the little signs I reached Dieppe, a spectacular view from the top of the cliff.

We had dinner in one of restaurant in front of the port, Dieppe is a quiet big fishing port with old castles and Vauban buildings.

3 pictures of Le Treport

Dieppe - Etretat 102 km

The most beautiful ride I ever had on this journey so far. Fantastic cycling roads, almost no cars, it's sunday. Plenty of beautiful villages on the sea. Going down and up the cliffs. spring time brings lots of flowers, Veules Les Roses being very flowery. I had lunch with Irene in front of a medieval Church, we walked around and along a river full of trouts, we saw quite a few from the river path. Irene left for Belgium, leaving me for the second part of the day. Passing the famous hills of Petites Dalles and Grandes Dalles and the last hill of Etretat.

Etretat being famous for it's broken cliff and the Pin where the famous (in France) fiction character Arsene Lupin had a hidden place. Etretat is a charming village I hate some fish from the Conserverie Belle-Iloise for dinner. Nice !

Paid 7 euros 50 cts for camping.

Arrival in Dieppe the evening before

fecamp

Etretat

l'aiguille d'Etretat

Etretat - Livarot 120 km

Quite long and difficult ride, I made a mistake going directly to the Tancarville bridge  instead of following the coast untill the Pont De Normandie. Tancarville is a dangerous bridge without cycle path. Trucks pass very close and quite fast, over the 70km limit for sure. I totally discourage any cyclist to go other that bridge.

After Tancarville I took the smallest possible backroads from Beuzeville to Lisieux. Very charming but hilly ride.

From Lisieux to Livarot there is a long hill up with 6 km downhill to Livarot what a finnish !

Livarot has a cheese center of course, very nice you can taste and buy all the non-pasteurized Cheese. I bought a Livarot, a baguette, a bottle of cider for my dinner !

Paid 5 euros for camping.

From Tancarville Bridge

My dinner !

Livarot - Evron 124 km

I didn't expect that many hills on that way. It all started in Livarot going up for 40 minutes than quickly down to Trun and Argentan.  I went through Pré en Paille, cycled up on the Corniche of Paille, beautiful forest on the top of a valley, I reached Villaines sur Juhel thinking that there was a camp site over there but none, so I went to Bais where I knew that there was a camping, unfortunately it was under work and will reopen in 2015. At the city hall they said that I had to cycle to the next city Evron. The most difficult hill of the day and then down to Evron where I found the three star camping with a nice manager offering me a coke and some chocolate sweets while chatting, cost of the camping 4 euros and 50 cts.

Horse breeding in Normandie

And cows...

Antwerp - Almere - Alphen aan de Rijn - Antwerp - Brussels - Lustin - Liège

Antwerp - Almere 180 km

It has been my longest time on a bike so far and my shoulder is soar. After just one kilometer at the end of my street I fell. I didn't feel any pain then but after 50 km the shoulder started to hurt, not too bad though and I decided to go to my final destination Almere 180 km, 11hours on the bike. 2 river crossing and some beautiful road to cycle.

The first part between Antwerp and Breda wasn't too bad but for practical reasons I took the N1. Breda was celebrating the carnival like all the catholic areas of Holland and until Gorinchem (pronounce Gorkem if you ask your way) I could see funny people and confettis in all the villages. It was fun to see these colorful persons everywhere.

There is one ferry to cross the river to Gorinchem, 1 euro 50 wich save you from cycling on the busy bridge a few kilometers down the road. Gorinchem is a nice fortified city, I will probably come back in this area to know more about this city at the historical Catholic Protestant border. The guy at the tourism office told me that it was one of the only city were Carnival was celebrated on the protestant side.

My welcome present in Breda, unfortunately I didn't ride a tandem !

North of Gorinchem to Utrecht, i found the Dutch country side quite nice and cycled along a few canals until Utrecht, very relaxing with the wind in the back and the little sun coming out.

After crossing Utrecht I took the wood road from de Bilt untill Hillversum through a place called Lage Vursche, I was looking for the shortest road to Hillversum when a nice guy offered to cycle with me for 20 kilometers. Most of the people on bike or on foot are quite helpful in Holland, you just have to chat a little bit and you'll find out that it is easy to meet nice people. Sometimes you just have to open a map to attract interest. A little trick wich attract sympathy is my yellow Jersey that I wear for security, I write some of the major destination I have been to for the last 6 months, Amsterdam, Bordeaux, London, sometimes I wonder if I should write down the kilos I've lost in this 6 months.

After Hilversum the last 30 kilometers were difficult, I arrived at night fall but happy.

The day after, no bike, I visited Almere, an interesting city if you are interested in Architecture. There is a place called Casla were the staff is incredibly nice, they explained me the developpement on the city, present and futur projects. The visionary vision of developpement of a city and the experimentations of developpement are right now suffering from societal changes due to the online business. All the businesses are going through changes that transform the city of Almere, for instance a big project of shops and appartements won't happen any more, despite the fact that it was planned many years ago, the concept of having retail stores to attract people in the city is sufuring from the online retail and expensive parking spaces in the city.

Ferry crossing to Gorinchem

Almere - Alphen aan de Rijn 78 km

After cycling through Hilversum, I went through the polders around Mijdrecht. At one point after cycling below water level for kilometers I reached the river Kromme Mijdrecht, the highest point around, very nice ride. I went to De Hoef where I stopped at the Make your own cheese shop in De Hoef, all you need to make your own Gouda is here.

After De Hoef I followed the Aarkanaal until Alphen but there is also a very busy road so I would advise to find an other route perhaps.

Alphen aan de Rijn is one of these modern dutch city surrounded by polders and crossed by the Oud Rijn. Not my favorite city.

Alphen aan De Rijn - Antwerpen 125 km

After Alphen I followed the Oud Rijn untill Gouda then Rotterdam and the cycle path from Essen until Antwerpen. Very urbanised ride, passing Rotterdam and it's suburb on the east and South not my favorite route.

However Gouda is a city worth cycling through, when reaching the city from the North don't follow the signs indicating Rotterdam, it is a long route around Gouda, just cycle through Gouda and enjoy a nice coffee in front of a canal the follow the river Hollansche Ijssel until the Nieuwe Rijn. You cycle on top of an other polder wich was devastated by a flooding in 1953, a fantastic sight wich give you an idea of amplitude of the devastation. This area can also look murky sometimes with all the Quick sand sign along the road.

Then I reached Rotterdam and arrived in Antwerp through the FietsStrade between Essen and Antwerp.

Some quick sand signs around The Ijssel area.

This river broke here during the 1953 flooding

Antwerp - Brussels 50 km

Usual ride along the N1 then Rumst along the canal. After Mechelen towards Perk then right after the airport you'll find some nice cycle path going to Brussels.

Brussels - Dinant 95 km

The ride starts in the forêt de Soignies towards Genval through the woods. Then I followed the road towards Ottignies and went through a few hilly ways towards Mont St Guibert then Gembloux. Small roads, not many cars, no cyclists either.

From Gembloux I quickly reached Namur on a busy road. Namur is a city worth visiting, the shopping street was extremely crowded. 

I then cycled along the canal on the right side of the river Meuse in the direction of Dinant. Nice and pleasant ride that I recommand, lots of bikers, I then reached the small village of Lustin.

Lustin - Liège 95 km

Final leg of my journey along the Meuse river, unfortunately the Ravel is under repair so I couldn't bike on the cycle path for the last 25 km

Nice ride along the Meuse, though could be busy during the week, lots of heavy industries along the river, mostly cement, stones and sand extraction in the cliffs bordering the river, on a Sunday everything was shut so I didn't see any trucks, my guess is that it can be a problem during week days.

I passed Dave on a sunny morning ; )