We have ridden across France, East to West, for over 1200 kilometres from Port du Rhin to the City of Nante mostly following the Euro Velo 6 cycling route alongside the meandering, turbulent swiftly flowing Loire River. We peddled through all kinds of weather conditions to reach the Atlantic coast.

In Nevers, we visited the Chapel of the incorruptible Saint Bernadette, who lays in a Crystal casket. She’s had a bit of wax work, so as not to frighten the faithful who arrive daily to pray.

The saviour of Orleans from the English in 1429, and perhaps the most revered women in French history, Joan of Arc (Jeanne De Arc). Statues of the heroine are prominent, while the city was in a state of frenzy preparing for the arrival of the Tour De France Cyclists in a weeks time.

Nantes’ favourite son is novelist Jules Verne who wrote such classics as Around the World in 80 Days and Journey to the Centre of the Earth. I have visited Nante previously, enjoying the Les Machines De Li’Le with its enormous mechanical steampunk inspired elephant. Nantes also has a dark past directly linked to the Slave trade. Many of the wealthest families in Europe benefited directly from the slave trade, which was legal up until 1813 and sanctioned by the Church.The Memorial to the Abolition of Slavery in Nante is a simple and powerful explanation of what took place along the banks of the Loire River.

Over 27,233 slave trading expeditions were recorded leaving European ports between the 15th and the 19th century!

In total more than twelve and a 1/2 million men, women and children were torn from Africa and deported to America and the Carribbean.

Over one and a half million people died during the crossing, over 4,220 of these slave trading expeditions were recorded setting out from French ports. Over 1,800 slave trading expeditions were recorded setting out from the port of Nantes, with over 550,000 people deported.

As fate would have it, since my last visit to Nantes, on a whim I undertook an Ancestory DNA test which concluded I was up to 4% West Africain, more specifically from Burkina Faso. I suspect I may well be related to one or more of those 12 and a half million slaves.