Cycle tour 2023: Chatellerault - Antwerp
Photos Chatellerault - Antwerp 14 May: Vivonne - Chatellerault (62.5 km -640D+)It stopped raining around midnight, but the sun did not break through the fog in the morning and it remained chilly and damp until noon. The route was fun: 5 km on a gravel path along the river Clain, followed by quiet D-roads that took the [...]
Bike tour 2023: Visit to Chartres
20-21 May: Chartres light shows, Picassiette House, cathedralAfter seven days of consecutive cycling, a rest day to visit Chartres was more than welcome. It will probably be my last rest day this trip, unless the headwind is so relentless that I have to take another. Chartres and Lumières Every evening at dusk until [...]
Bike tour 2023: Dinner and piano recital at Marianne's place
17 May: Dinner and piano music at Marianne's home in BracieuxWednesday evening, Els and I were invited to dinner by Marianne Claus-van Der Made. She had seen on Facebook that we were in the area and sent me a message. When we arrived at her house after setting up camp at the neighbouring Huttopia Le Châteaux campsite, we were [...]
Cycling tour 2023: Hendaye - Chatellerault
Photos Hendaye - Chatellerault 3 May: Saint-Jean de Luz - Capbreton (44.2 km - 430D+)From Saint-Jean to Biarritz, I followed Eurovelo 1: it was a very tough route: always steep uphill, immediately followed by a plunge, and no flat stretches at all. The Eurovelo is called 'Velodyssée' here, but I think many cyclists consider it more of a velocalvaire.... My legs started a [...]
Bike tour 2022: Le Perthus - Barcelona
Photos Le Perthus - Barcelona 27 September: Le Perthus - Figueres (33.2 km - 130 D+)From the border post at Le Perthus followed a long descent to La Jonquera. Then Komoot sent me over 2 km uphill to the Pirinexus cycle route. It was well worth that climb, I cycled through mighty landscapes without car traffic. At [...]
Cycle tour 2022: Carcassonne - Perpignan - Le Perthus
Photos Carcassonne - Le Perthus 23 - 24 Sept: Carcassonne - Sigean (69.5 km - 450 altimeters ) - Perpignan (59.5 km - 470 altimeters) Friday had a fairly long ride on my agenda. Halfway between Carcassonne - Perpignan I had not found accommodation anywhere. The campsites in that region were already closed, and all but one - which COVID [...]
Cycling tour 2022: Perpignan
Sunday 25 Sept: Citadel, museums and churches in PerpignanSunday I had set aside a day to visit Perpignan. This trip, I try to set aside time to visit at least some monuments in the larger cities I pass. By car, you usually pop past those on your way to your final destination. This trip I didn't [...]
Cycle tour 2022: Brives - Carcassonne
Photos Brives - Carcassonne From the Franciscan monastery in Brives to UNESCO world heritage site Rocamadour, then via the hilly Causses de Quercy nature reserve and the beautiful valleys of the Célé and the Lot towards Carcassone. 7-8-9 Sept '22: Brives-la-Gaillarde - Meyronne (38km, 510 altimeters) - Rocamadour (12km -210 altimeters) Wednesday 7 Sept: After my visit to the Edmond-Michelet museum [...]
Cycle tour 2022: Bourges - Brives-la-Gaillarde
Photos Bourges - Brives-la-Gaillarde The hills are gradually becoming mountains: fewer kilometres because of more altimeters and longer climbs. Monday 29 Aug: Bourges - Néret (67.1 km - 620 altimeters)Today there was just under 70 km on the menu, the first 30 slightly undulating and thus fast, the last 40 with more climbing. So up to Chateauneuf-sur-Cher it was pretty smooth.But well [...]
Cycle tour 2022: Paris - Bourges
Photos Paris - Bourges From Paris to Bourges over Saint-Fargeau Ponthierry, Pithiviers, Orleans - with a tasted city visit, Brisson-sur-Loire, Crézancy-en-Sancerre. Friday, 19 Aug: Neuilly-sur-Marne - Saint-Fargeau Ponthierry (62 km - 500D+) As Neuilly-sur-Marne is only 15 km from Bois de Vincennes where the great Tibetan Kagyu Dzong France temple is located, I decided to detour past there, if only to take a photo at the [...]
