Today started off badly when the woman in the hotel remonstrated with me for daring to turn up half an hour early for breakfast. "Breakfast isn't until 8am", she said. I replied that I'd spoken to the other lady yesterday and she said it was OK, but it made no difference.
After breakfast I oiled my chain and set off at about 8.30 in to the endless forests. Initially the route was very remote, remote enough for there to be a missile testing range, but as I went further north the endless forests gave way to what seemed like endless holiday resorts, all totally empty. It seems as if the entire country must come here in the summer months.
I was pushing pretty hard to get to the ferry to Royan across the estuary formed by the rivers Dordogne and Garonne. It was about 50 miles away and I arrived just in time for the 1.45 ferry. If I missed it the next was at 3.30, which would have set me back.
Unfortunately I didn't have time for lunch, so I grabbed a cheese and ham baguette on board.
The crossing took about 35 minutes and as soon as I arrived I set off to the north again, past some very impressive neighbourhoods. The route followed the coast around the north of the cape, before crossing the wetlands to the south of Rochefort. The Vélodyssée certainly winds its way around, meaning you see some interesting places, but definitely at the cost of progress.
Tonight I'm staying in Rochefort, tomorrow I head towards La Rochelle and hopefully on to the Velo Francette away from the coast.
#abitofabikeride
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Today I resolved to stop every hour and take a photo, irrespective of where I was.
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