Hudson Doyle's travel blog: Cycling in France 2

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/39903912

Starting east from Nantes along the Loire river valley began a long section of easy cycling - flat, well signed bike paths that make up the Eurovelo #6 route. So many people cycle along the Loire, either by day or traveling with baggage like myself.

I saw a sign for a mushroom museum in Saumur that said it was the largest collection of mushrooms in Europe, so I decided to check it.

A spacious bike path to cross the bridge

to Saumur

The mushroom museum is deep into a cave, which I presume was built for the purpose of growing mushrooms. Cause it was a lot of work to hollow out all of the rock for this museum.

As you might suspect, is was kinda dank in there. And the smell of zapped bugs curled the nose hairs further, from those bug zapper traps.

But those are the conditions many workers work in to cultivate mushrooms in the cave environment. One that is very conducive to growing mushrooms.

I have come to love the patisseries/bakeries here. Usually for both savory and sweet items.

Although they often don't look as good when I end up eating them. As I have to pack them on my bike to take them anywhere.

I stopped to chat with six local gentlemen in their 60s/70s who were all cycling together. They asked me if I was going to go to Chambord. "What's that?'' I asked them." The Chateau de Chambord" they responded. "I don't know what that is but I guess I'll go check it out."

It is a castle set way back in the woods, well away from the common man. A mere 440 rooms, 282 fireplaces, and 84 staircases 😂

Even the scaffolding to repair it is a work of art

According to Wikipedia: it has a "famous double staircase, the construction of which permits two people to ascend and descend respectively without seeing one another", which I think speaks to an element of French people that persists to this day...

Along the Loire and its canals with locks and Chateaus:

And a small detour up to Sancerre in wine country

Camping in Nevers there we're lots of other cyclists camping out as well. Even a couple traveling with their dog in tow, over 2000k at that point they told me.

I have seen a number of these baths built into the flowing water of a stream.... And I've learned they are a traditional way for people to wash their sheets etc.

I was surprised to see that the bike path went so close to this nuclear power plant. I thought they were high security areas, to be located far from the public who could throw a grenade at it or something 😂... I ended up seeing 4 nuclear power plants in 2 days 🤔

After cycling along the river and canals of the Loire Valley, amidst many other cyclists, often elderly cyclists, I decided to head towards Geneva Switzerland to find some hills/mountains. I was kinda bored of all the flat stuff and thought it might be making me soft ;)

So I veered away south east towards Switzerland and immediately found myself in some lovely hilly countryside.

Thanks to Google maps directions (I would have otherwise never found it) I passed through this 2km long bicycle tunnel. What I can only assume was a train tunnel. It was chilly in there. So neat!

From my campsite in Vonnas, I had a big day ahead of me to get to the first place I could find near Geneva, about 130km away with a few good climbs, totalling about 1800m of climbing.

It was fantastic. Definitely involved some hairy stuff, like having to cycle down a corn field

And some windy mountain roads with this sort of heavy traffic

But it was just the kind of challenging, scenic diversion I was looking for. Except for the last 10 km of steady head wind. That sucked 😣

But over all I felt great! Crushed it! 💪

Nowhere makes me shout with exhilaration like cycling at the mountains.

Shout out to Deep Dish Yoshiesque 1 CD1. I've listened to this mix for over 23 years now and it still tickles my fancy. Helps me move it up the climbs!

https://youtu.be/Kwcw1LiUc9c

From the trailer park that I slept in outside of Geneva, I went to check out the city and the United Nations buildings. Really, not too much to speak of. The only embassy with an armed security detail I saw was Russia's. Oddly enough, he was one of the only people who smiled and waved at me all day 😂.

And with the same head wind showing no sign of abating, instead of cycling along lake Geneva to Laussane, I decided to cross the mountain and in hopes of evading the wind on the other side

The ~1000 meter climb turned out to be part of a fantastic Swiss bike route, the Jura route, with views looking back over the lake Geneva on the way up.

There was a long flatter section along the top of the mountains with loads of cows with chiming cow bells but basically no cars 😍

I descended on some perfectly smooth windy, black pavement 🤤 that peaked out over a small village and the end of a long lake that I was to cycle along towards Vallorbe.

When I reconnected at the bottom with the main road I quickly saw people lined up along the sides of the road with signs and security about. I pulled over to ask someone whare was going on and they said that the Tour de France was to arrive in an hour or two. So I continued down the road until I found a party organized to watch the event and hung out for a while. What luck! It couldn't have happened more spontaneously, my first and probably only time in person.

I found a spot to watch above a water fountain squished into some bushes 😆

Like any movie or TV show, the main event is always preceded by commercials. And here they came as, what at burning man are called, art cars. And these commercials throw crap at the audience. Samples and what not.

And then cyclists arrived an hour or so later

They keep the road shut down for a half after after the parade of cyclists and cars pass, so I had to wait to continue. In the meantime I found a grocery store to buy some dinner. Apparently I was still in Switzerland because it was still $$$. I cycled along the lake, where the tour had just recently raced byas, but I took my sweet time because it was beautiful. I had to stop for a picnic.

I didn't arrive a campsite in Vallorbe until after 7pm, having started my day around 8am. The mountain valley town/campsite was tranquil.

That night, however, I awoke in my tent to the sound of some animals about in the middle of the night but don't think much of it until I hear my bike tip over. I get up and pick it back up and cinch the bags closed. Only to realize later on the next day that my cereal bag was torn open and my raisens and butter are gone 😒... I think the animal climbed on top of my bike to get into my pannier and tipped it over and stole my food! 😂

I saw a relaxing spot by the river and could not resist checking it out. There were some steps into the river that looked hundreds of years old. So I went for a swim. It was cold 🥶

And my campsite for the night was adjacent to the same river.