Category: Uncategorized
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Day 28 Saint Palais to St Jean Pied de Port
Distance 23.6 miles Ascent 651 metres Descent 538 metres It took us a month and 1071 miles and we are now at the start of our route. It would have been quicker by plane but not half as much fun. As we loaded panniers onto our bicycles this morning a group of 4 other cyclists…
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Day 27 Urt to Saint Palais
Distance 30.2 miles Ascent 402 metres Descent 400 metres Shorter distances but harder work for the next few days as we climb up into the Pyrenees. We are now on the last page of the Michelin road map and after tomorrow will have to rely solely on Christophe. If we can curb his desire to…
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Day 26 Dax to Urt
Distance 31.06 miles Ascent 314 metres Descent 286 metres We woke up to torrential rain and had a lie in. Lovely. Followed by a marvellous breakfast. Every cloud ….. Did some admin this morning as the forecast was better for later in the day. Had another successful trip to Decathlon followed by a second trip…
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Day 25 Mont de Marsan to Dax
Distance 45.2 miles Ascent 394 metres Descent 441 metres Unbelievably Christophe has designated us as Level 3 cyclists today. Two levels in two days. That is extreme. Today’s route tested so many of our cycle skills. Christophe took us down three mountain bike routes, a cycle path on the side of a dual carriage way,…
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Day 24 Lac de Lislebonne to Mont de Marsan
Distance 52.8 miles Ascent 603 metres Descent 636 metres We are thrilled to announce that we have been awarded Level 2 cyclist status by Christophe. I am wondering if my Cycling Proficiency Badge will give us any bonus points. We are not sure how this occurred as Christophe’s predicted journey time for today was 6.15…
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Day 23 Marmande to Lac de Lislebonne
Distance 41.6 miles Ascent 653 metres Descent 583 metres Christophe had designed a wonderful route for us today. We started on the EV 3 cycling along the banks of a canal off the Garonne and then on through rural France via a Rembrandt route, finally climbing up to the scented pine forests of the Lot…
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Day 22 St Emilion to Marmande
Distance 52 miles Ascent 530 metres Descent 464 metres Another night, another storm. Thunder, lightening and torrential rain. The compact nature of our tent means that it is our panniers or us that stay dry. No contest. A lovely ride through vineyards, orchards and along the Garonne. No opportunity to recharge our devices and battery…
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Day 21 Chevanceaux to St Emilion
Distance 49.8 miles Ascent 455 Descent 552 We like a plan and today we resolved to leave early before it was too hot. We hadn’t taken into account the events of the night. We woke in the early hours to sheet lightening, thunder, torrential rain and our little tent shaking in the wind. It went…
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Day 20 Angloueme to Chevanceaux
Distance 43.7 miles Ascent 570 metres Descent 535 metres We started the day on the number 5 bus where we went to Fleac to pick up our bikes. Julien at Bike Master had done a wonderful job on Alison’s bike and it now has a new brake and gear cable. We are ready for the…
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Day 19 Angouleme to Bordeaux and back to Angouleme.
11.1 miles walking Up before 7am and in Bordeaux by 9.00am. We took great delight in confounding Christophe by getting to Bordeaux well before the projected arrival time. It is a doddle by train. Today I had an appointment with the British Consulate in Bordeaux to collect my emergency travel document. What to wear to…
Alison and Alison and the art of re-tyrement 