Steve – Page 3 – Untraveled World

France: Hills and Plains

On August 23, 2014

After a sunny day off the bike in Le Puy I headed northwest through the hills of the Haute Loire region. The rain returned and I spent a few days in constant precipitation followed by a few more spent trying to dodge occasional passing thunderstorms.

The roads gradually descended from the rugged hills of France’s volcanic interior to more gently rolling hills and finally open plains of wheat and corn that reminded me of the American midwest. I avoided most of the larger cities, but still got in some time in large towns and visited some impressive chateaux and castles. One of my favorite features of bike touring in France quickly became the daily (or twice-daily… maybe three times on special days) visits to bakeries and patisseries to load up on bread, pastries and the occasional quiche.

Eventually I reached the Atlantic on the coast of Brittany a few kilometers east of St. Malo to officially complete an Aegean-to-Atlantic bike tour. A couple nights in St. Malo touring the city and browsing the weekly flea market rounded out my continental tour before I caught the ferry across the English Channel to Portsmouth.

Riverine France

By Steve

On August 23, 2014

In France

From Basel I rode across the border into southwestern Germany then immediately across the Rhine into France. The next several days were defined by smooth, flat bike-paths along canals and rivers as I followed the Rhine-RhÃ´ne canal and the SaÃ´ne river through Mullhouse and BesanÃ§on and continuing southwest. The weather was sunny and warm for several days and I enjoyed some long, easy rides. I stayed more-or-less on one of the major EuroVelo bike routes so it was fun to see dozens (if not hundreds) of other bike tourists along the way. I biked for a couple of days with an English guy much more adventurous than I since he was riding across Europe with no money; busking, begging, and dumpster-diving to keep himself going. Fascinating trip, but not something I think I’ll try.

A little north of Lyon I turned west off the major bike route and headed up into the hills of the Haute Loire region. Unfortunately this coincided with the arrival of wet weather so the next few days were rainy, but the rugged terrain made for a beautiful change from the flat land of the rivers and canals.

I finally reached the gorgeous town of Le Puy-en-Velay where I took a day off to visit the cathedral, one of the traditional starting points for the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostella. I had been considering walking the pilgrimage route myself, but my visa status didn’t leave me enough time in France and Spain for that and biking the route seemed somehow wrong so I decided to make that trip some other day.

Switzerland: the flat bits

By Steve

On July 31, 2014

In Switzerland

If you look at a terrain map of Switzerland you’ll notice that you can follow a valley up the Rhine south from Lake Constance through a corner of Austria, then turn northwest after Liechtenstein, and continue down another long valley to Zurich without ever hitting any mountains or passes. This has got to be the easiest way to bike through Switzerland and it was certainly the easiest and flattest section of the whole trip this far. The route is also mostly on signed bike routes so even easier. And while flat, the route is surrounded by mountains so there are stunning views on all sides. Or there would have been if I had been able to see them through the rain and fog and clouds. Can’t have everything. And it was still pretty although I spent an extra day waiting in the rain in Weesen.

The rugged mountains drop down to hills as you approach Zurich and the lake is lined with what I took to be commuter/bedroom communities for the city and then expensive-looking lakeside houses. I cut through the center of the city and out into northwestern Switzerland which looked much like the rolling hills of Bavaria. Then it was down to the Rhine again, through Basel, and across the border. A short tour of a beautiful country.

Author: Steve Page 3 of 17

France: Hills and Plains

Riverine France

Switzerland: the flat bits