Category Archives: Cycling

Cycling, France, Loire Valley, Uncategorized

At Your Age and In Love

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It’s an excruciatingly hot day in the Loire Valley and we’ve waited until quite late to go bike riding. After cycling about 15 K from Cour Cheverny, we’ve had our picnic dinner by a little lake in Bracieux and I want to find a place to have coffee. Relationnel doesn’t hold out much hope – it’s Thursday evening and Bracieux is a village with about 1300 inhabitants.

We ride into the centre and immediately come across a bar with a terrace jutting out into the street. We lean our bikes against the railing and Relationnel goes off to order. I think I hear someone say “Oh, they’re so cute!”. I look around but can’t see anyone that could possibly be described as cute.  I stand back a bit to take a photo of the café. Relationnel turns at the door to ask me what I want.

Our coffee comes and we drink it. I sneak a look at the other people on the terrace. They all look like regulars with a couple under their belt. A young woman and two men between 30 and 40 at one table and two men in the early thirties at the table closest to us. Relationnel goes off to pay. “Excusez-moi”, says one of the young men, “I just have to tell you how cute you both are.” Relationnel comes back at this point and hears the end of the conversation, “Like that”, continues the young man, “out for an evening ride, at your age, and in love”.

Relationnel (whence his name!) replies, “Yes, the most important part is being in love.” The young man isn’t quite sure what he means. “Finding the right person is the hard bit,” says Relationnel, “Bikes are easy to get.”

We ride off to visit the 17th century market place and as soon as they are out of site, we go into hysterics. “At our age”. Oh dear!

 

Croatia, Cycling, Sightseeing, Travelling, Uncategorized

My Croatian Itinerary – Part 6: Porec and Pula in Istria

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The previous leg of our Croatian itinerary (Part 5) ended at Plitvice lakes which were truly the highlight of our trip. The next stage of our journey took us to Porec in the very Italian peninsula of Istria. We arrived at Hotel Filipini, 7 or 8 K from Porec, around 3.30 pm. First problem – they didn’t have our reservation, despite the fact that it had been confirmed. They also only spoke Croatian and Italian! They eventually found us a room downstairs on the other side of the kitchen that turned out to be opposite a room full of noisy children. The bed was awful and I was bitten by mosquitoes. We had hoped to cycle from the hotel to Porec but it was very hot and the cycle path proved to be of no interest whatsoever so we ended up driving there. We found free parking not far from the centre, just next to the post office and went off to visit the Euphrasian Episcopal Complex, a world heritage site and the town’s most important attraction. In addition to the architectural interest of the mainly Byzantine basilica, baptistry, palace and chapel, there is a 16th century bell-tower that affords a panoramic view of the old town. We strolled through the streets which, despite the tourists, seemed very typical with several well-preserved mediaeval houses of obviously Venetian influence. We decided to go to the little village of Novrigrad for dinner. There was some sort of festivity going on which seemed to include food, drink and handicrafts but we had no idea what it really involved. We later saw they were selling mussels and other seafood that you ate standing up. In the meantime, we found a restaurant by the seafront appropriately called “Café del Mar” and had an enjoyable meal watching the sun set over the little harbour. Lots of shops were open so we purchased swimming shoes for next day because we had already seen that there is no sand on the beaches, just sharp rocks. Despite the excellent breakfast, we left the hotel next morning because of the bed, noise and mosquitoes. Their Visa card machine was “broken” so we had to drive into Porec to get cash. We then left for Pula. After a half an hour, I realised the hotel hadn’t returned our IDs, so back we went! We evenutally arrived in Fanzana at about 11.30 and immediately found a hotel more to our liking, the Villa Letan, in Peroj. It was a bit more expensive, but had a good bed, a balcony with a great view and air conditioning. I was even able to have my clothes ironed at a very reasonable price! After lunch at a very friendly portside restaurant in Fanzana called the Batana and some well-deserved R&R at the hotel, we went swimming in the Adriatic for the first time. Thanks to our swimming shoes, we finally managed to get out far enough to enjoy ourselves before staggering back over the rocks. We arrived in Pula at about 8 pm and were delighted to find the famous amphitheatre still open. It was wonderful to visit in the setting sun with hardly a soul in sight. I’m told it is packed during the daytime. They were preparing for some sort of show and it was easy to imagine the Romans occupying the 23,000 seats and milling in and out of the stores and shops beneath its 72 arches.  The old town was very animated and after strolling past the Temple of Augustus, the Town Hall built in 1296 and various gothic and renaissance buildings, we found a very friendly outdoor restaurant called Angulus on Hermana Dalmatina. Breakfast next morning was nothing special but at least we’d had a good night’s sleep.  We had initially planned to visit some of the nearby islands, but they are very protected and you can’t take your own bikes so we decided to work out our own cycling itinerary around the tip of the peninsula west of Pula. It proved to be an excellent choice that I have already described in a previous post. Next day, we headed for Slovenia. Next instalment – Ljubjana. The itinerary so far: Paris – Annecy – Milan – Ancona – Split – Mostar – Dubrovnik – Sibenik – Zadar – Plitvice Lakes – Porec and Pula. My Croatian Itinerary – Part 1: Paris to Milan My Croatian Itinerary – Part 2: Milan My Croatian Itinerary – Part 3: Ancona My Croatian Itinerary – Part 4: Split, Mostar & Dubrovnik My Croatian Itinerary – Part 5: Sibenik, Zadar & Plitvice My Croatian Itinerary – Part 6: Porec & Pula in Istria My Croatian Itinerary -Part 7: Ljubljana in Slovenia My Croatian Itinerary – Part 8: Innsbruck, Austria My Croatian Itinerary – Part 9: Lichtenstein & the Rheinfall
Cooking, Cycling, Loire Valley, Uncategorized

Summer Mushrooms in the Loire

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We really have had a beautiful week in the Loire. Everyone in France this year, particularly in Paris, has been complaining about the awful spring weather and it was no better in Blois. But when we came back last week, the potatoes we’d planted in the rain two weeks before were looking very happy (and so were the surrounding weeds of course!) and the vegetation, especially the roses, was flourishing.

The good weather stayed with us and as a result, we were able to go cycling several times. Our last excursion was to the nearest village, Chouzy sur Cisse, about 5 kilometers away, in the opposite direction from the centre of Blois. Being on our bikes, we were able to take a dirt road running parallel to the main highway along the Loire, thus avoiding the 70 kph road I’m not so keen on.

The entrance to the village is not particularly attractive, but in the centre there’s a butcher (very handy for barbecues), a baker, a little supermarket and a hairdresser. I had seen a sign saying “plan d’eau” which generally means a small lake so we kept going and, to our surprise, came across a lovely little stretch of water next to the Cisse. The river itself is very picturesque with yellow waterlilies and water irises.

We followed the path along the edge and found ourselves cycling along the river past lots of small market gardens. One even had a whole row of lilies-of-the-valley. Relationnel consulted the map and said we could take Rue Beaumont. I groaned inwardly because the name means “beautiful rise” which obviously means cycling uphill. We were rewarded though because it took us onto a flat though bumpy road through the forest.

Suddenly Relationnel stopped and said, “Not sure what it is but maybe … “. I continued cycling but soon realised he wasn’t following. I looked back to see him waving frantically. “You should get out the camera”, he said as I got closer. What a find! Several large fresh summer cep mushrooms. Now one of the reasons we chose Blois for our retirement is its proximity to a state forest so we can pick mushrooms in the autumn, so finding such wonderful specimens in summer is extremely promising! We cooked them in the frypan and ate them with our côte de boeuf!

Cycling, Switzerland, Travel photos

Sunday’s Travel Photos – Rheinfall near Schaffhausen in Switzerland

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Last summer, we spent three days in Germany and Switzerland cycling along part of the Eurovelo 6 bike route. The highlight was definitely the natural waterfalls on the Rhine river near Schaffhausen in Switzerland, the largest in Europe – 150 m wide and 23 metres high. When they came into view on our cycle path, the effect was stunning. It was a little overcast but when we came back again after lunch, the sun had come out, making the water dance and sparkle. We didn’t take the boat out to the falls because it looked as though you could get pretty wet!

Cycling, Loire Valley, Uncategorized

La Loire à Vélo – Loire by Bike #1

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Loire by Bike is part of the EuroVelo bike route from the Atlantic to the Black Sea. We’ve already covered quite a bit of the Loire route as well as a small portion in Germany, in the Rhine Valley, between Basel and Lake Constance, on our way back from Croatia last year. In another post, I talked about cycling around Angers and crossing the river on barge, which I thought was rather exciting!

Yesterday, we did a portion closer to home, setting out from Closerie Falaiseau and going as far as Menars, a 30 K round trip altogether. The first 7 kilometres are not too wonderful, as you have to take the main road that runs along the Loire Valley, with the first 3 K at 70 kph. After that, the speed limit drops to 50 kph but it probably takes the cars another couple of kilometres to  really drop speed. After that, you can take the “mail” as they call the esplanade used as a parking lot on the waterfront in Blois and Amboise.

Next, you have another couple of kilometres along a “shared bike/car route” with very little traffic, flanked by houses with climbing roses on one side and a grass verge on the other. Then once you reach the riding school, motorised traffic is prohibited and you cycle along a bitumen road mainly through a lovely shady forest. Next time, we’ll put the bikes on our Thule bike carrier on the back of the car and start at the end of the “mail”.

At one stage, we cycled under a lovely old stone railway bridge no longer in use (it’s cut off completely at one end) and many clusters of water irises in the little stream on the left of the cycle path. The path wasn’t over busy, but we still passed other cyclists, often with children and lots of joggers and strollers. There are also benches along the way to rest.

When we got to Menars, we rode into the village, which has a very large castle built in the 17th and 18th century with very dry looking grounds. Unfortunately, since it was Monday and a public holiday to boot, there were no bars open so we had to make do with our usual water and biscuits then ride all the way back to Blois for an apéritif at Le Penalty. After that, we rode home, stopping on the way at L’Embarcadère to reserve a riverside table.

When we got back, our first yellow rose was out!

Art, Cycling, France

Exploring Saint Germain des Prés – Mary Cassatt’s Greater Journey – Cycling France’s Atlantic Coast

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Wednesday again and more great posts from other people’s blogs. Fellow Australian Kathy Stanford from Femmes Francophiles is making the most of her stay in Paris and has come up with some more unusual visits, including Deyrolle’s taxidermy shop. The American Girls’ Art Club in Paris reviews “The Greater Journey” featuring the story of impressionist Mary Cassatt among others while Experience France by Bike takes us cycling in Basque country, perhaps one of the most scenic cycle paths on the Atlantic Coast.

Exploring Saint Germain des Prés – Deyrolle and Un Dimanche à Paris

by Kathy Stanford from Femmes Francophiles

Things don’t always turn out as you expect when on holidays. I hadn’t noticed that the Balabus tourist bus between La Defense and Gare de Lyon only operates on Sunday afternoons and public holidays. Having already walked to La Defense from my apartment I decided to take bus 73 to Musée d’Orsay. I wasn’t planning on visting the museum but the bus takes much the same route as the Balabus past some of Paris’s well known locations. Read more

Mary Cassatt’s Greater Journey

by The American Girls’ Art Club in Paris – Exploring Paris In The Footsteps of The Artists and Writers Who Came Before

In The Greater Journey (Simon & Schuster U.S. paperback edition available May 15), McCullough turns his storytelling gifts to the multiplicity of Americans who came to Paris between 1830 and 1900.

As McCullough says, “Not all pioneers went west.”

Among these pioneers were young men and women who would come to study art in Paris, including George P. Healy (who would go on to paint Abraham Lincoln’s portrait), John Singer Sargent, Mary Cassatt and Augustus St. Gaudens (whose Civil War sculptures and monuments can be found in parks all over the United States). Read more

Cycling France’s Atlantic Coast: The Coastal Path From Bayonne

by Experience France by Bike, an American in love with cycling in France who tries to come here as often as she can

If you love history, Bayonne is definitely a town that you will want to explore. Situated on the Nive and Adour Rivers, Bayonne has thrived both as a military stronghold and a bustling port, and both have contributed to the town’s history. The town is very unique and charming, dominated by its rivers and military fortifications. Bicycling along the quaysides, through the narrow streets of the old city, and along the town walls, you quickly get a sense of the history of this place. Read more

 

Cycling, Loire Valley, Uncategorized

Cycling Through the Forest in Blois

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Yesterday, we finally managed to go cycling despite the weather forecast. We took our capes but didn’t need to use them. I love being able to cycle straight out the gate and onto a country road. To go to the forest, you have to go up a little hill, but that’s OK now that I have a bike with lots of gears and suspension. Training helps too! I can still remember pedalling as far as I could beforehand to get up enough speed to save my knees.  But it’s worth it when you get up the top.

And you can take a break on this lovely bench surrounded with wild flowers – daisies, buttercups and clover.

There are briar roses out everywhere. Don’t you just love this bush that forms a natural arch.

Then back through the village past delightful little houses with roses over the front door. Can’t wait for our yellow roses to bloom too!

Cycling, Slovenia, Travel photos, Travelling

Sunday’s Travel Photos – Ljubliana, Slovenia

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I loved everything about Ljubljana – the city itself, the atmosphere, the people, the restaurants, the countryside – but I found it hard to photograph successfully. The weather wasn’t particularly good either which probably didn’t help. We had a wonderful bike ride through the suburbs and out into the country which I have described in another post.


 

Cycling, France, Germany, Travelling

Bruce McAleer, Bike Tour Guide – Travelling to Provence – Crossing the Berlin Wall

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This Wednesday’s features from other people’s blogs. Thanks to Judy McMahon from MyFrenchLife, a global community of French and francophiles connecting like-minded people in English & French, for her profile of Bruce McAleer, Vicki Archer, an Australia writer who lives between London and Saint Rémy de Provence and author of French Essence for her tips for travelling in Provence and Andrea from Destination Europe, also an Aussie Expat who’s been living in France for the last 5 years, food and travel blogger for her very informative post on visiting the Berlin Wall.

Profile: Bruce McAleer, Bike Tour Guide

by Judy McMahon from MyFrenchLife

Bruce, can you please describe your business to us?
I offer day trips by bike from Paris to numerous locations in the countryside of Paris. My tours generally include a well-known destination (Chartres, Giverny etc.) but are mostly designed with getting off the beaten path in mind. We bike through scenic countryside, quaint country villages, medieval towns and pass by various châteaux. I take people to unknown places not covered in guidebooks. Read more …

Travelling to Provence

by Vicki Archer from French Essence

I am often asked about travelling to Provence and while I am neither an expert nor a travel guide I do love Provence with all my heart. I spend most of my year getting there, being there and dreaming about there… I thought I would put together a series with travel tips, websites and information that might help when planning a trip… Simple details, that I take for granted… yet if I had known them way back… it would have made all the difference… Read more

And part 2: http://frenchessence.blogspot.fr/2012/03/travelling-to-provence-part-two.html

Crossing the Berlin Wall

by Andrea from Destination Europe

Imagine getting a new job, moving into a new apartment and spending just one last night in your old apartment only to wake up in the morning to find you have been barricaded in by a barbed wire fence with no way in or out. You have no access to your job or belongings.  Read more

Croatia, Cycling, Italy, Travelling

My Croatian Itinerary – Part 3: Ancona

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Well, as I explained in Part 2, I left Milan furious as a result of our huge garage bill. I hate being had. We took the motorway straight to Ancona on the Adriatic Coast about 400 kilometers away and got there at about 4 pm. Impossible to find our B&B, Villa Fiore Conero. It was on one of those streets split in half and we couldn’t find the other end. The instructions given on the phone were not very helpful but we eventually got there. Not a particularly warm welcome. Only 15°C and a steady downpour, hardly what we were expecting in Italy in July! We had chosen Ancona which is a big seaport so that we could cycle for a couple of days in nearby Conero National Park and wouldn’t have too far to go  to take the ferry to Split. The room in the B&B was spacious and comfortable so we had a short rest before venturing into the town. The main attraction proved to be a hill with a church on top and a spectacular 360° view. Fortunately the rain had stopped by then and we could enjoy the view along with half the population of Ancona. The centre of the town was so deserted that we decided to go to Sirolo which is in the middle of Conero Park and built on a promontory overlooking the sea. After visiting the town, which is very touristy, we found a wonderful place for an aperitivo right on the esplanade where we could watch the sunset over the Adriatic. Afterwards we had an excellent fish platter in a very friendly restaurant called La Cambusa on via Cialdini. Next morning, we optimistically dressed for cycling but pouring rain during a very disappointing breakfast made us change our minds and go to Loreto instead which turned out to be the most popular religious destination in the area. The rain let up and we were able to wander around the town and visit the church which contains what is believed to be three walls of Mary’s house in Nazareth. We arrived during mass and visited the house in Indian file without having to queue. As soon as the mass was over though, there was suddenly an enormous line of people, many moving forward on their knees. The sun suddenly appeared so we headed for Porto Rennati where we bought some picnic goodies and set off on our bikes along the seashore, witnessing, for the first time, Italy’s famous “private” beaches with their rows of matching deck chairs and umbrellas (all folded up because of the low temperature). We finally found a public beach for our picnic but stayed on the rocks because our feet didn’t like the strange, sharp sand. On the return journey, we had an excellent (and cheap) cappuccino in a bar attached to one of the private beaches then made our way back to the car. In the evening we were able to walk up the hill to a restaurant near our B&B, Villa Romana on Via Montacuto, and have an excellent tagliata (not as good as our first experience in Tuscany, but still not bad). I had to speak Italian because it was too out of the way to attract tourists. We weren’t quite sure what we were ordering because my iPhone app didn’t have most of the things that were on the menu. Early departure next morning to take the ferry to Split. Terrible organisation – we had to queue for ¾ hour just to get our tickets (we had already reserved and paid for them over the Internet with SNAV) and then had to drive for ages around the terminal before we got to the boat. Relationnel parked the car while I went to find a seat. The journey seemed to take forever and was an hour late. But at last the Croatian Coast came into view. Everyone crowded onto the deck and it felt like summer at last – a blue sky and 25°C. Our holiday in Croatia was about to begin! My Croatian Itinerary – Part 1: Paris to Milan My Croatian Itinerary – Part 2: Milan My Croatian Itinerary – Part 3: Ancona My Croatian Itinerary – Part 4: Split, Mostar & Dubrovnik My Croatian Itinerary – Part 5: Sibenik, Zadar & Plitvice My Croatian Itinerary – Part 6: Porec & Pula in Istria My Croatian Itinerary -Part 7: Ljubljana in Slovenia My Croatian Itinerary – Part 8: Innsbruck, Austria My Croatian Itinerary – Part 9: Lichtenstein & the Rheinfall