events

I didn't have any other photos of La Charité which was a pity since it was a nice looking town.  I was wondering about before dinner and bumped into the mancunian I'd met the night before in Briare, so I told him the way to the campsite.  When I went back later we resumed our series of interesting cycle/camping conversations, joined at one time by another brit, a young guy who was cycling from Norway to Gibraltar -doing 190km a day!

I then went in search of food with about 5 places, restaurants recommended by the campsite guardian, marked on the town plan.  The first three were closed and I got further and further away and further up the hill on which the town was built until I got to the last two, which, though open, I didn't like the food they were offering.  So, I went back to the pizzeria that was about 50 yards from the campsite!  I hadn't fancied the idea of eating pizza in France, but it was great.  Very tasty, a demi-pêche as an aperitiv, and a ppr with the food.  It was a very happy and full bunny that slept soundly that night. 

This photo was taken on the town side of the bridge the following morning and I really should have taken one from the other side showing the town itself, which was very pretty.

Tuesday 12th July.  La Charité to Le Veurdre: 63km, avg 14.5km/hr, max 55.4km/hr

Up at quarter to 6 and ready to go by 6.20 but I can't find the bike lock key!  Don't panic.  I unpacked everything.  I searched.  I searched again, EVERYTHING.  No key.  Searched again, no key.  OK, so find a locksmith, serrurier in french, impossible to bloody pronounce with all those 'r's, I sounded like I had a speech defect.  Since there was no one at reception until 8.00 I thought I'd walk into town in case I'd dropped the key or I came across someone I could ask about a serrurier.

I couldn't believe I'd lost it, I am so scrupulous about the ritual of alway's putting things back in their place.  So, idly walking back to the campsite, I looked again in my bumbag, just in case, and there it was, tucked up a corner.  I now keep it with my passport since it's as important.  A locked bike doesn't peddle very well.

So, a late start but thankfully much cooler, also noticeably more hilly, though it was good to going slowly enough to smell the flowers.

Nice photo of sign, click and see the Loire but an hour later.  Sorry for the cheat but flowers so lovely and it was almost the last of the Loire before I switch rivers at Nevers to follow the Allier.

I crossed from the north bank to the south at Fourchambault and once again joined a section of the Loire cyclepath that ran along the top of raised banks by the river.  Very nice, and quite quick too.  This is my breakfast stop, fruit and an energy bar since I'd not managed, or been bothered, to cycle into the couple of towns I'd skirted in order to find a boulangerie.

Shortly after this the Loire turns right and I follow the Allier, quite closely for 30km.  Lovely riding, hillier, but not too much so.  Up one hill I was overtaken by three racers out with a group of others.  I managed to stay reasonably in touch, with the three leaders and held off the larger group chasing, though I doubt any of them were trying as hard as me.  Caught them on the next down hill though with my max for today of 55.4km/hr and they didn't catch me for the next 4km when I turned off to follow signs for Apremont.  It was fun to stretch my legs and up the effort for a bit on nice tarmac.