Week 6 of our trans-Europe cycle adventure takes us from Versailles to Tours on the Loire Valley.
We’re cycling out of the outer Paris suburbs, a uh airport industrial park development, and there’s hardly any traffic because it’s Mayday public holiday today, which is great. But we’ve got to get to the bike mechanic in 70 km. Yes. To get fix my squeaks. We’re on the Vevelini and we’re going off the main roads around the airport and down into the greenway. Voila. Okay, so um we discovered what my squeaking wheel is. I’ve got a snapped spoke. It must have had a bag leaning on the train down to Liverpool station. Um, so now my wheels wobbling really really badly, but at least it’s not making as much noise. Uh, and we’ve got a a mechanic booked in. Happy Mayday. It’s not too bad pushing up hills when you got lovely leaves like this to walk through. We’re back in the countryside on gravel roads and I’m riding past a tree farm, which is interesting. Today is a public holiday and so all the French are out cycling. This is the Rudol and lots of bike riders everywhere. After going on all the cycle training routes, now we’re in a nice backcountry forested route. It’s lovely. The French Remember did go to town with their chateau. This lovely glade and pathway. All of this was part of a chateau. There it [Music] is. All of France is on holiday cuz it’s the first of May and all the towns are so quiet. Hardly any traffic, hardly any people unless there’s a sports field or a lake and then it’s packed. We came along this road and this grand looking old structure here and discovered it’s an old rail vioaduct that goes across the road disappears into the distance. Riding into sha and suddenly the cathedral just rears up ahead of us on the horizon. This is a pigeon house on the river in Chartre. How special. The pigeons keep going in. It’s the 2nd of May and we’ve got an extra rest day in the beautiful town of Chartre. Alth has to go and replace his back wheel today cuz it’s broken. But what a beautiful place to be. [Music] Shot Cathedral. Just chanced upon such a pretty street in Sh. Imagine having your breakfast on your back deck out looking into the river in privacy other than Australians staring at you. We’re sitting at inside Chhatra Cathedral waiting for the light show to begin this evening and it’s such a lovely atmosphere. [Music] We’re leaving Shhatra this morning. It’s a another sunny day. Little bit more of chill in the air and apparently there’s rain predicted for tonight, but it’s going to be a nice ride today. All the way to the L River. One of the wonderful things about cycling is being really close to nature and all the changes and shifts with the season. So in this warmer part here, this is what we used to this kind of wheat. And now today is the first day that we’ve seen the wheat having an awesome hair day and starting to move to its next stage of development. So summer is definitely coming. [Music] I was wondering why the church bells were ringing so much when we came around the corner. It’s because it’s a [Music] wedding. They’re having breakfast hiding away so that we’re not in the wedding party photos. But it’s such a pretty little village square by the [Music] church. All the way along there these French farms in the middle of the fields with barns all around and guests coming in. Gail has adopted a red dragonfly. Thrillseeking dragonfly. He’s just catching a lift with her on her back. Came around the corner and suddenly we discover there’s a castle. A whole bald little village with a moat and everything. It’s called Bonaval. Bonaval. We’re in the town of Shaton looking at the beautiful river Lisa without an E. So we are close to this stunning chateau on the hill. [Music] Ring along another lovely river, but there are clouds on the horizon and it’s um rain predicted for tonight. 10 caves to go. We are being chased by thunderstorms. Let’s hope we get to our campsite before they get us. You can hear the thunder rumbling. And we’ve arrived at the municipal municipal campsite in Mori. And it’s perfect for us. We’re so chuffed. We’ve got a roof over our heads and luxury. We could not have timed this better. We got a little bit wet when we came into Marie. A little bit of thunder. I saw a bit of lightning not too far from Ethel. And now it’s raining quite thoroughly and we’re safe. We’re very glad that we put our heads down and pedal hard to get here. 103ks today. 103. We have enjoyed our stay here in Murray. We’ve been hiding from the beast wind which comes from Switzerland and is full of snow. We feel Yeah. And we can feel it’s full of snow cuz we are freezing this morning. But we’re off to Tua today. So it’s about 110 kilometers. And then we’ll be in the Lir. Yeah. Although the wind is cold. Uh it’s behind our backs. So that makes it much easier. And the sun is out so we’re warming up. Gail, I think we need a farmhouse like this. Yes. Sign the papers. I’ll take it. It’s nice and simple. There’s the the farmer’s working um buildings. There’s the nice little cottage. And there’s the stables. Just the sort of thing you need. It’s very sweet. This little village that we’ve ridden through is like on permanent Easter. They’ve got Easter bunnies everywhere. And fascinating. They’ve got rooms carved into the the cliffs, the chalk cliffs. We’ve just cycled through a little 500 meter stretch of a small village which is all about Easter and it’s really sweet. If only they had chocolate bunnies for us to eat here. We’d love that morning tea. Wow. We’re living our days in tents. But look at this. There’s so many doors and windows around us today. What a treat. The cool concept for a labyrinth is just a whole lot of doors. So, you never know which door to go [Music] through. Cycling into Leardin. It’s a beautiful ancient village. again. Heading into big forests through the French L Valley. Still haven’t seen the wine region of the area. Gail has been wanting a bologonie all day and either they’ve been closed or um there’s just been none and uh eventually we found we got to try our second one. 30ks out of cha. We’re very excited to finally see proof of grapes in this champagne producing country of the world. Grapes to rain grapes. We’ve reached the L River with me. We don’t know how to pronounce the two and uh coming into tours. I’m not too sure how to pronounce that either. It’s 120 km today. And look where we’ve arrived. Where are we at? In tools. And there’s the tours cathedral. It’s the end of the St. Jacques Vevel route and the start of the Lwa Vel route. We’re exploring through exploring through the old district of Tours. There’s all these little egy places. Loving this old town in Tua, the United Da Vinci House. And then this great old square. Everyone’s chilling out here. And there’s Athel enjoying the rest after 120k pedal today. Beautiful old places. Wow. Well, this is a sight for sore eyes. What you doing? I’m just doing some maintenance, making sure my wheels are spinning nice and free, getting rid of green creeks, and racing the chain. Excellent. This is a great bicycle campsite. [Music]