Every cycle touring adventure ends, only so you can begin planning the next one. 

We finished in Paris, spending a leisurely few days exploring the City of Light with its many delights and curiosities from our base in Saint Germain. We unwound while celebrating the successful end of our cycle touring adventure in France, which exceeded our expectations. A full mind and body experience, all enjoyed from the seat of our trusty old analogue bicycles. 

We started in early July with extreme heat around Bordeaux, before cycling south to the Pyrenees along the Scandiberique French cycle route, Eurovelo 3. However, the fire conditions were extreme and the trail was unrealised through a remote section of forest. As the fires worsened, we decided to pivot and head north through central France; to paraphrase poet Robert Frost, ‘We took the road less travelled and that made all the difference’.

Arriving at Tours on the Loire River in peak tourist season we found a beautiful local cycle route called the Coeur de France. We enjoyed a delightful uncrowded ride along the Cher River before diverting onto the newly opened Berry canal to the medieval city of Bourges, where there is the impressive UNESCO World Heritage-listed Saint-Étienne Cathedral.

In extreme weather conditions, we had to think strategically about our safety: covering shorter distances, starting and finishing early, while opting for campgrounds with swimming pools wherever we could, as we sought relief from the unrelenting heat. While I thought it was a heavy extravagance, Therese insisted on packing a USB powered tent fan that ensured we slept well during the hot nights.

Back on the Loire River we spent some time exploring medieval castles, like the spectacular Château de Chambord, a breathtaking 15th-century architectural masterpiece built on a massive scale. We rode around cities like Orléans, with its beautiful Source du Loiret, complete with resident Pink Flamingos. Food fuelled our ride as we gorged on ripe fruits and lavishly decorated tarts. 

At Gien we turned north and found ourselves once more on the Scandiberique where we cycled to Paris along the Seine River, for a rendezvous with the Family and a trip to Disneyland.

Leaving the luxury of our hotel we took the aptly named Veloscenic cycle route. Exiting Paris through the suburbs was challenging, but fun, and camping in the grounds of Versailles, was amazing.

With French summer holidays over the Veloscenic was all ours. A wonderful ride through history, forests, hills and vineyards, sustained by frequent stops at boulangeries for pain au raisin and delicious chocolate eclairs.

We pushed on to Normandy and the truly breathtaking Mont Saint-Michel, then further along the Brittany Coast. 

We shared our cycling adventure with friendly cyclists we met along the way. Older people, families & young travellers out having their own adventures. We ate delicious seasonal food bought from the local markets or picked from trees along the route. We also had our fill of castles, cathedrals, and monuments. 

The natural world showed itself too. Wild animals, giant French oaks, shimmering seas, haunting forests, verdant farmlands and so many varied architectural styles, experiencing living history at every turn of our wheels.

Reflecting on our ride we are feeling grateful and quite chuffed with ourselves; while we weren’t able to achieve all the things we had planned, we were able to pivot, in the face of changed circumstances without missing a beat at all, making it up as we went along, embracing the uncertainty of the road.

Now that we have stopped cycling we sleep like babies. You forget just how all-consuming bicycle touring is. There’s a lot of nervous energy being on tour 24/ 7. There’s so much to consider daily, just managing the logistics of moving through a foreign country by bicycle. We are now looking forward to the simple luxuries of wearing clean clothes, eating proper meals and sleeping in a bed. But there are mixed feelings too, not wanting things to end, but excited to be home to see family, friends and my garden. 

Cycle touring is addictive; we are already planning our next adventure. There were no mechanical, philosophical or physical breakdowns, accidents or disasters, not even a single flat tyre!

‘Playing it forward ‘ we decided to donate our bicycles, finding a local community organisation that will pass them on to people who could use them. It’s our way of saying thank you to France for giving us such an unforgettable experience.