Summer Days are Here!
France Stage 11 – Nantes to Blain 66 Km (Wed 20 June 2018)
Weather: 17⁰C min – 28⁰C max, fine, mostly sunny
“Bicycling is the nearest approximation I know to the flight of birds.” ~ Louise J. Helle Jnr.
What a glorious summer day for my first stage of La Vélodyssée (EV1) route. Getting out of Nantes was easy, as I just followed the excellent path alongside the river to the north of the city.
For the first 20 Km the off-road cycle path was as good, or even better, than what I experienced in Germany and Denmark last year. The route wound around through delightful little villages, the standout being Sucé-sur-Erdre.
The paved path then gave way to a compacted dirt path beside the Nantes à Brest canal which I followed for the next 30 Km. It didn’t slow me down at all, though, because the track was well compacted. At first it was quite pleasant just steaming along, listening to the crunch of tyres on the fine gravel, glancing occasionally at the canal and it’s locks. It was easy, safe riding with no hills at all, but after a while the sameness becomes monotonous.
I was relieved when I branched off just before Blain onto a country road that took me through some villages again and through farmlands.
Tonight I am staying at a tiny town called Saint-Omer-de-Blain, about 8 Km past Blain. The B&B is a sheer delight, but the only restaurant open tonight in the vicinity is a Crêperie about 2 Km away. That will do because I quite enjoy crepes and haven’t had any yet on this tour. I might even have two!
