La Chatre to Aubusson

That was a harder day - 59.5 miles and a very lumpy 3681 feet of climbing. The tree trunks know they have worked hard but I loved it!

The scenery is now very different with rolling hills and fast flowing rivers.

Also some beautiful mini chateaux, this one had a very noisy frog/toad party happening:

And this one was another wedding venue...

Bob's patisserie du jour involved a choux pastry that looked like a doughnut.

This blog has been decidedly lacking in animal photos so voila, des vaches..

At the end of the ride I arrived at the gorgeous campsite (on a river again of course), to find the fabulous rewards of having a hubby who is addicted to foreign supermarkets!

Vierzon to La Chatre

Not a good start to the day - depressing and frightening news, more mozzie bites than I can count and a glowering sky.

I waited until the rain stopped then pedalled off for some much needed bike therapy through the vineyards (and yes I did think about how much more my wine habit is going to cost me). 

 

Today's route was undulating and deserted, my idea of perfect cycling. I'm very tempted to stay in France and just keep pedalling...

Today Bob is posing with a pain au chocolat in front of a crayon sculpture (no idea what that is about!)

I managed 45 out of 53.5 miles without getting soaked but was decidedly soggy and mucky by the time I got to the campsite.

Our very pretty location is by a river under  trees so we are just waiting for the mozzie munching to start.

J'adore La France

Rusty is having lots of fun in the supermarches and we have langoustines for dinner :)

After a horrible news day, this makes it all feel so much better...

PS I really do love France

Beaugency to Vierzon

The van was like a sauna last night and the mozzies were given full rein to invade through the open door, amazingly I've only found 3 bites so far. Fortunately we were just south of the huge storms.

The first stop on today's bike ride was the magnificent Chambord.

Followed of course by the obligatory boulangerie stop. Bob's patisserie du jour was a pain au chocolat.

It got steadily hotter and hotter so, after bombing along flat, straight roads in beautiful countryside...

It was time for an ice cream stop and an essential top up of the water bottles.

I don't usually like flat riding, but it was so peaceful and beautiful today, I really enjoyed it, zooming along in my happy place.

Suitable wedding venue girlies?!

My garmin said the temperature hit 36c today so not surprising that I'm a bit pooped after 65.7 miles. Every lovely French person I spoke to said the heat is better than the rain (Yes Katie I'm trying to speak lots of bad French!)

The campsite is right on the river and the mozzie army is currently massing!

Epernon to Beaugency

Oh what a beautiful morning...

Huge improvement in the weather although I was rather cooked by the end the ride - my garmin says it hit 33c

I started with a detour to the impressive Chateau de Maintenan.

The route then followed empty roads through endless farmland, very similar to cycling in Cambridgeshire!

Not sure what the poppies are grown for, presumably not opiates!

Today Bob is modelling a particularly delicious pain aux raisins...

It was a long, hot but very enjoyable 70ish miles (I mucked up the garmin!) with only 833 feet of climbing. 

This evening's campsite is rather stunning, right on the Loire with a great view of Beaugency bridge.

Gisors to Epernon

It was so good to be back on the bike today, although sporadically soggy and windy.

I had a late start waiting for the rain to sort of stop but Bob and I were soon wet and filthy. Fortunately no punctures despite all the muck on the roads.

The first part of the route was a 'voie verte' ie cycle friendly and very pretty, with beautiful houses, churches and the 1st chateau.

Just before crossing the Seine, I found a Boulangerie 😃

Bob et croissant d'amande:

The 2nd half of the ride had some Iowa moments with flat roads, wheat fields and a horrible headwind. Fortunately there were frequent small villages to break the monotony.

56.3 miles today with 1768 ft of climbing, but it felt much further!

Abbeville to Gisors

We woke up to the delightful sound of rain pelting on the van roof and the accompanying reluctance to get out of the van to trudge through the huge puddles to the loo - I do so love camping! 

The forecast didn't help the enthusiasm so I decided that both Bob and I would be happier inside the van today.

My EFI determination is not what it was!

The torrential rain and wind was revolting enough in the van but we did at least find creme brûlée 

This is such a pretty campsite, shame it's so soggy.

The awful weather must have encouraged the pollen as I have been sneezing all day. Two antihistamines and a very sore red nose later, I'm now applying Muscadet to the problem - good luck Rusty with the inevitable snorefest 🙉

And at last it stopped raining

But you should see the size of the mozzies...