Postcards from Provence and beyond

Not even 2 weeks have passed since we landed in Plymouth, after cycling back from Provence. And today, we’ve started getting excited about our return trip.

Last year, our cycle back from the UK was planned around the Provence Rugby fixtures, at the start of the new season. We spent weeks waiting to plan the route, holding our breath for the calendar to be published, and then taking a route that enabled us to watch the first match of the season, away at Angoulême

Before continuing our ride to get to Aix, in time for the first home match of the season too.

It all worked perfectly, and we wondered if we would be able to do something similar, when we cycle home, after our summer of events. So once again, we have been holding our breath, waiting for the fixture list to be published.

And today, was the day.

We knew that it would be more than possible that we wouldn’t be able to get to the first home match, as we expected that would be the opening fixture (and although we like cycling, we would have to put in days that would rival Tour de France Stages to get there) But the big question was where would the first away match be held.

We hoped that it may be down the west of France, as that’s where we would like to go, but imagined it would be at a club in the East, perhaps Grenoble or Oyonnax., which would make life a bit difficult…

Then, mid morning today, after we’d set the stall up at Exeter Craft Festival, the fixture list was posted, and I heard a whoop of delight from Andy.

As expected, we won’t be able to get to Aix for the first match of the season, but the first away match will be at Colomiers, just outside Toulouse.

It couldn’t be better!

So for the rest of the day, between chatting to customers about jewellery …

,…we have started to think about a route, to get a to Colomiers, in time for the match.

Already, we have an idea, and the bones of the route are in our heads, so over the next few weeks we can plot it out and see where the bikes will take us, this time.

We know we’ll be starting by visiting good friends in the Marais Breton, and then perhaps a stop in one of our favourite places, La Rochelle. We’d like to do a bit of island hopping to take us back to the Ile D’Oleron, where we spent many happy holidays, with the boys, when they were young.

After that, who knows, but we will aim to stay in Toulouse, which charmed us, when we were there for the ProD2 final, a few weeks ago.

At least this time, we’ll arrive by bike, so no cancelled trains can get in the way!

Then after watching the match, we’ll have a week to pedal home, across the south of France, to arrive just in time for the next home match.

It’s all very exciting, and will give us something to focus on over the summer. But at the speed the days are flying by, it will be here before we know it!

Allez les Noirs!