clairedavieswriter

*NB this blog is undergoing maintenance: many of the photos are from different trips. Please check in later, when this issue has been sorted out. Thanks! My Triangular Tour de France and Sojourn en Suisse are complete. In 26 cycling days, Bernard and I have pedalled over 1,760 km (1,093 miles). We had company from…

Before my train to the coast this morning, there was time for a last bit of tourism, but when I asked Gloria Google for directions to Vieux Tours, she led me somewhere unexpected. Hugo was appalled. But she did eventually find the pretty old town… The intricately decorated cathedral… And the so very French Hotel…

It was strange, and a bit frustrating, to be walking in circles rather than cycling towards a new destination, but Bernard, Guillaume and Hugo weren’t complaining about the morning off. The ancient streets of Bourges were sabbath quiet… It turned out people were either at the market, buying asparagus as thick as a baby’s arm……

Given the obscure places I’ve been through, it might have been helpful to provide maps before, but better late than never. I only thought to do it today because I realised I had fetched up in the dead centre of the country. As I set out today, I had that feeling you get when reaching…

At dinner last night, my attempt to introduce a veggie main course into the set menu caused the waiter such consternation (think Michael Palin in A Fish Called Wanda, thankfully without the chopsticks up his nose) that I gave up and chose what he called ‘une grande assiette végétarienne’, spreading his arms wide like a…

Tiny Buffières had some charming details, and some substantial properties that looked lovely in the evening light Sadly, despite signs to the contrary, what it didn’t have was a boulangerie, but fortunately my Mary Poppins panniers supplied me with a yoghurt, a cereal bar, and a banana for breakfast. No need for talking umbrellas, but…

The frogs did indeed quit their croaking as the sun went down, and Team Bernard spent a peaceful night beside the river Seille, until we were woken by randy pigeons just after 6. Besides us, there were just three motorhomes on this simple municipal site, only one of which showed signs of life as I…

Today could have been quite different – that is to say, quite unpleasant. I awoke to the sound of rain hammering against the windows, and again thanked my lucky stars that this tiny village had a hotel, and that they’d let me stay, even when they were closed (till Wednesday it turns out). In hindsight,…

Today I acquired my second domestique of the tour, and he really went above and beyond the job description. First, he applied his expert knowledge to my routes, thereby mitigating the wilder eccentricities of the Garmin brothers over the next two days. Then, crucially, he whisked me over the fearsome Col de La Faucille, which…

After the exertions and solitude of the Auvergne, this weekend has been the perfect contrast. While Bernard put his feet up, I have enjoyed a bit of tourism: A bit of history: A few relatable sights: Plenty of good food and wine, including back across the border in France… And above all, time with old…