Postcards from Provence and beyond

It’s hard to really comprehend what cycling in 40 degrees is like, until you find yourself doing it, and that was us today.

We have known for a few days that the temperature was going to rise, and keep rising, so we’ve been sensible, changing our plans to accomodate the weather warnings. We had already stopped riding after lunch, as the radiated heat made it feel as if we were pedalling in an oven, and so will be heading north tomorrow, by train.

Today though, we had to ride from Saumur to Angers, where we have booked a little studio for the night, enabling us to get going early, to catch a train, in the morning. And it has a fan! Which is a delight, even if it does just push the warm air around a bit.

The only drawback was that we couldn’t get the key until 4pm, so had to plan our ride around that.

It’s not a long ride from Saumur to Angers (just a little over 60km), so we knew that we would have to spend a considerale amount of time, sitting in shady spots along the way, just to make sure we didn’t arrive too early, as the last thing we wanted to do, was spend a couple of hours walking around the streets, in full sun. Leaving the loaded bikes somewhere, whilst we visit the Apocalypse Tapestries that are housed at the chateau isn’t an option either, as although we may be cooler, our lives are on the bikes, and we couldn’t risk anything being taken.

In the end, we set off with the rising sun, pedalling out of Saumur, as the Loire turned into a ribbon of gold, in the morning light.

It was a beautiful start to the day, and it proved to be a beautiful ride too. You can Watch a little video from today’s ride here

We pottered alongside the river, with the trees providing a little shade, even at just before 7am, and soon, we left the traffic behind, just enjoying the peace that comes with riding bikes, in the early morning.

It was such a pretty road, passing through villages that were filled with local wine producers. We must admit that we have quickly found a liking for the local Roses.

Then the villages became even prettier. The local houses with the fine, slate roofs were made from a pale cream stone, that reminded us both of the houses in Bath and the Box Valley, in Wiltshire.

The villages were immaculately kept, with colourful gardens fronting onto the river, and the streets fringed with flowers too.

It was one of those rides that made our hearts sing. We found ourselves stopped in our tracks, by either a beautiful house and garden…

Or the stunning view of boats bobbing on the river..

Thre were still wisteria, in flower, and the hollyhocks and roses filled the views with colour.

There are also stunning little churches, along the way. The towers and buttresses home to flocks of swifts, screaming as they darted in and out of the nooks and crannies, in the stonework.

It would be fair to say that a couple of the villages found their way into our hearts and we will definitely be back to take a closer look at them.

Even though we knew we had to get to Angers, we also knew that we didn’t want to get there too quickly, so felt able to potter slowly along, just enjoying the sight of the river, reflecting the sky and the boats, and watching the occasional fish jump, disturbing the mirror-like surface.

We found a shady picnic spot, and made coffee

Before heading on again.

It was then a day of lots of stops, and lots of drinks too.

By mid-morning the heat was oppressive, and we had stopped at a little boulangerie to have a cold drink and refill our bottles. The roads we had been cycling along had lacked shade, so we took the opportunity to replan the onward route, following the river (where possible), and finding some shady places too.

It would mean that we would ride a few kilometres more, but it would also keepus out of the worst of the heat, in places too. We had also found that riding next to the river seemed to make it feel cooler, even if it didn’t make any real difference, at all.

We bought sandwiches for lunch, and more cold drinks, before cycling off along the amended route.

It proved to be a good choice, as within a short distance, we found ourselves on a quiet road, clinging to the river bank, with a few trees for shade, too.

We stopped for lunch, on a shady bank, sitting under a tree, and enjoying the breeze that seemed to come from the river.

We were there for nearly 2 hours, enjoying the shade and relative cool, just lying on the grass, watching the sun filtering through the canopy of leaves.

By the time we moved again, the heat was punishing. The radiated warmth from the road made it feel as if we were pedalling in a furnace, our mouths drying almost instantly, as soon as we opened them to speak. It was bakingly hot.

We crossed the river again and started to follow the Maine, towards Angers. We took a gravel path, which was edged with trees, providing dappled shade., almost all the way into the city. It was as delightful a place to ride, as we could have found today.

Arriving in Angers at 2.30, we stopped at a riverside bar, and bought a couple of beers, which we washed down with nearly 2 litres of cold water each too. I can’t quite believe how much we drank today.

Happily, we had a message at 3, to say the apartment was ready, so we pedalled the last few hundred metres into the city, passing the huge chateau that dominates the river here.

All I can say is that those few hundred metres, on open, unshaded road, made me appreciate the route wehad found, through the trees. It was brutally hot, and any breeze felt as if someone was directing a hairdryer at us too.

Tonight, we’re enjoying the fan in the apartment, happy that we have made the right decision to change our plans.

It is still going to be incredibly hot in Brittany, but at least we can manage the daily distances that we will have to pedal, as we don’t have as far to go.

I never imagined that one of our cycling adventures would be turned on its head by the sun; rain and thunderstorms, yes; but sunshine, no.

But changing plans is part and parcel of a little adventure, isn’t it?

Let’s see what Brittany brings…