Ceri: Gien is famed for its pottery and we really wanted to see the museum so, being in no hurry with no timetable , we decided to stay 2 nights in the campsite. It was a fascinating museum with clear explanations about the whole process of pottery, and full of absolutely beautiful pots dating back many centuries. We had a relaxing day wandering around the town and a pleasant evening back at the campsite.
Ceri: the day starts as we sing “happy birthday” to Neil’s grandson Solomon who is now 10. After an absolutely delicious breakfast we set off.
There are many canals alongside the river Loire at this stage to aid shipping as the river can be so unreliable. We cycled along the tow paths passing beautiful houses and bridges and I even managed to film a beaver swimming along the canal and a heron in flight. It’s been a lovely day.
However, Neil decided to have his statutory crash landing just as we parked outside the campsite in Gien. His wheel clipped the curb and over he went onto the pavement still clipped into the bike. It was a horrible crash to see . In true doctor mode I watched him examine himself and conclude that he had no broken bones. Just bruises and damaged pride. So off he set to the train station to collect the van while I cycled off to a supermarket to stock up with groceries. In the evening we found a pleasant Vietnamese restaurant for a meal.
Ceri: Our plan is to cycle every day to a campsite near a train station. Neil returns by train to our previous stop to collect the campervan then drives to meet me . This is our modus operandi all along the river .
So off we go. It feels good to be back on our bikes again and the cycling was beautiful. But Neil started having problems changing gears. We headed to a bike shop in Sancerre… how useless were they? No magic men to help us this time. Monsieur suggested we get it fixed in Paris!!!! And so we continued with Neil’s legs whizzing round far too quickly, but it was flat and picturesque . As we stopped for our picnic and we met a charming man with his faithful little dog sitting happily in his front pannier.
The weather wasn’t great, so we decided to stay in a hotel where Neil could investigate his bike properly. I found a beautiful place on the river in Cosne Cours sur Loire. As we reached the town, Neil headed off to the train station and I went on to the hotel. My job was to relax and read my book whilst waiting for Neil to catch me up. Not bad!!
Once Neil arrived, the heavens opened. Fortunately he now had the shelter of a garage to thoroughly investigate his bike. He discovered he could set a gear with the turn of an Allen key. Given that the ride is so flat one gear is generally enough for cycling so we decided to continue with the bike as is. If a big hill comes, Neil gets off and uses the Allen key to choose a better gear, then sets it back to the middle gear for cycling along the flat. Let’s hope this works.
With the problem solved, we celebrated with the most delicious meal in a restaurant.
Ceri: after a very busy period prior to leaving, we decided to chill and wander around Nevers, a pretty mediaeval town with beautiful and unusual stained glass windows in the cathedral . We camped at the side of the river which was embedded by Japanese Knotweed. Having fought this invasive stuff in Devon we know its dangers and sadly we’ve been seeing JKW all along the river banks of the Loire.
Neil: 1st September- Day 1 and 2:
Unfinished business. Back in maybe 2013 weeks cycled from Ploudalmezeau to Saumur on the Loire a Velo . As I remember it was April and the weather was mixed as they say !
We always said one day we would finish it off ….
Day 1 was easy enough to a little campsite 4 miles north of Newhaven a grass only pitch with views over to the sea.
Day 2 should have been an easy crossing and a good drive down to Nevers where we had booked a pitch for the night . The ferry crossing was certainly easy enough and we met two friends as well on the boat Andy and Chris .
Google let us astray and gave us the option of the A86 to save 7 minutes through south west Paris . What’s not to like about that. I saw the odd sign about a height restriction but hey this is a motorway.
NO ITS REAL. As we approach a tunnel it says in broad daylight’ 2metres restricted. We are 1.95 …but the bikes stick out above ! We clatter through the minor tassels and Ceri shouts STOP STOP
We do in the rain with cars whizzing by , nothing for it but to take the bikes off and squeeze them into the car !
Some squeeze it was too , but hey we saved 7 minutes but lost maybe 30 !
Getting to Nevers the start of the Velo was uneventful after that !
Ceri's Blog with Neil 