After yesterday’s epic and admittedly, rather brutal ride, we weren’t really sure how we would feel getting back on the bikes this morning
Would our bums be sore? Would we have any strength in our legs? Would we even get half way to tonight’s stay? All these worries were very present when we woke up and headed down for breakfast, in what had been a lovely place to spend the night…
The simple answer was that all our worries came to nothing, and we hopped on the bikes, without even a flinch, as we headed out past the Lac du Guerledan towards Mur de Bretagne and the start of the day’s ride down to La Gacilly.
First things first though. After yesterday’s annoying interludes with Google & Michelin route planners, which had nearly seen my phone thrown into a nearby gutter, we decided to take a different approach to route planning. After a good look at the map on the phone, we plotted a route through, along what seemed to be our sort of roads (white on the map and off the beaten track) and I just jotted it down on a piece of paper. Hopefully, this would be better, as I could then follow us on the Michelin App as we cycled.
It worked perfectly, and we pottered along back roads to Mur De Bretagne, before heading out towards Pontivy and taking the first chance we could to turn off the main road and start pedalling along the peaceful back lanes, through pretty villages.
The route-anxiety of yesterday quickly disappeared, and we happily settled into the rhythm of turning the pedals, enjoying the sun on our backs and the cooling wind in our faces.
The bitter cold, slab grey skies had gone and under bright blue skies, we pedalled along the quiet roads, that were so traffic-free that they were like cycle paths. The neat little villages had a wonderful peace about them and we quickly made progress, arriving in the village of Redon, in time for coffee and a huge pain au chocolat.
To make my day even better, we bought a map and so I actually felt as if my cycling life was now complete … It has to be said I am very easily pleased !
From Redon, we hopped on the Velodyssey trail alongside the Nantes Brest canal, which here is a ribbon of tarmac and makes for very easy, scenic cycling. It’s a lovely bit of the canal to cycle along, with regular locks and their lock-keepers cottages, many of which have pretty gardens, which added colour to the route.
It was a peaceful ride through, to the soundtrack of birdsong and the ever-present chirrup of crickets in the fields and after just over an hour, we found ourselves in the beautiful canal-side town of Josselin, with its dramatic chateau, standing sentry over the canal.
By this time, we were ready for lunch, so stopped in the creperie and enjoyed the best Fast Food option we know, wonderful savoury galettes, filled with cheese and other delights, to keep our legs turning for the afternoon. See our daily update here
We also took the chance to mark the afternoon route on the map and make a note of the route, for my little front carrier, which kept me happy for the rest of the day.
We cycled out of the town, up onto a plateau, before dropping down and picking up the small roads again, that followed rolling countryside…. all the way to La Gacilly, where we stopped by the river with a cold drink, watching the boats and listening to the babble and bustle around us, as the town gets ready for it’s annual photography festival.
A short cycle then took us (up another rather steep hill) to our B&B for the night , a cool shower and a sit on the bed, to rest our weary legs, before a home cooked supper by the owner, which he seemed to rustle up.fron nowhere, yet served the best risotto that we have ever tasted
All in all today has been a good day, with 113 km covered and a mere 1350 metres climbed … Believe me, after the last couple of days, that feels rather a quiet day! Take a look at the route here
So tomorrow , we head on again and hope to cross the Loire and start the next stage, down towards La Rochelle.
Let’s hope the hills are fewer and the wind has shifted to give us a bit of a push!
Vaucluse Dreamer 