Camping Municipal de Macon

The day started well. The path tarmac made for easy cycling mile after mile. But it was still very hot. Our feet ached, hands ached, one of us had a sore bottom but we both had determination and with only thirty miles to cycle to Macon we went for it.

A large live aboard barge named Sandra sat low in the water, a Pine Marten, our first ever sighting sat on the path scuttling into the hedgerow at the sound of our voices. Overhead two ospreys chased away an annoying seagull. We had never seen Ospreys before either.

We stopped at the pretty medieval riverside town of Tournus where a large swiss river cruise boat was moored. Angela fancies taking a river cruise in Europe when she's older, much older. She's not so sure it would appeal to John though. After four hours of cycling we arrived at tonight's campsite. Rain was forecast later but is was still sunny and hot so we washed some clothes. Then everything went pear shaped.

A violent thunderstorm arrived bringing down large branches from the trees and the rain fell heavily. We hadn't erected our tent and made a decision to bail out and spend the night in an Airbnb. This particular one being the campsite laundry room.

A man with his son arrived mid storm and after erecting their tents decided to join us inside. They are next door in the washing up room. We think we've chosen the short straw as a Chinese family have decided to do a huge wash and the put into the dryer. They are on their second load so far and there will be another lot of drying. Never a dull moment on these cycling trips.

Castle Camping Chateau de L'Eperviere, Gigny - sur - Saone

It was hard to rise this morning. We were tired and our complaining bodies feared another long cycle today. We didn't rush. 

Drying off the condensation on the tent, then stopping in the town at the tourist office before moving to a nearby cafe for strong coffee whilst we talked with three French ladies. Baguette, cheese and fruit bought our cycling day began. Before we left the campsite our French cycling companions who we'd camped with the last three nights wished us a safe onward journey. They were finishing their trip at Chalon-sur-Saone where their car awaited them.

We were cycling there as well to stop at the Decathlon store to buy John an inner tube before taking the cycle route alongside the river Saone. Once again we suffered in the heat. The cycle path, a rutted track across a field and through trees played havoc with Angela's knee. The ground baked hard by the sun jarred every bone in our bodies. Be under no illusion that cycling in France is like the pictures on holiday information. No wearing of berets and striped shirts with a string of onions around your neck and a smile from ear to ear. Today moral dipped, the daily heat was just too much, the route badly signed and virtually impossible to cycle. Where were we?

Lost in France somewhere! Then, the five star castels camping site chateau de L'Eperviere appeared through the trees.

What a campsite, fishing lake, restaurant, swimming pool, wine tasting, huge pitches and a fantastic sanitaire and all at a very reasonable price. It was a shame we hadn't been able to arrive earlier. A covering of cloud points towards a more comfortable night. Rain is forecast tomorrow afternoon so we must away early to ensure we arrive at our next campsite just after lunch.

Camping du Paquier Fane, Chagny

Oh my God we've just cycled sixty hard miles in intense heat.

Leaving at eight-thirty to once again clock up some miles before lunch we knew today we would have to dig deep.

The French couple next to us left at eight heading to the same campsite. They arrived about forty-five minutes before us. Electric bikes, forget them, we've developed a powerful set of legs each which kept us going all day despite painful knees to accompany our sore behinds. We left with eight and a half litres of fluid to be sure we stayed hydrated. Excess weight we could have done with out, but at the same time a necessity. Today being Sunday meant the shops would be closed which is why we have just eaten a baguette baked several times by the sun, overripe tomatoes Angela has been carrying for two days, a tin of mackerel in mustard sauce, two tubs of fruit cocktail and the remains of a tube of Pringles. Tasty, not. But we needed calories, so it was a case of rummaging in the bottom of our pannier bags amongst our emergency food. However we did enjoy a rather nice filled baguette sat outside a cafe in a pretty canalside town at lunchtime. One more day of this intense heat and we're due sunshine and showers. We will soon leave the euro velo 6 cycle route and head south to the Mediterranean. Let's hope our legs have a few more miles in them yet.

Camping La Chevrette, Digoin

Before we begin, just wanted to tell you all this is our 550th blog. Whether you've been following us from the beginning or have just stumbled across us, thanks for reading. Here's to another 550!

We were first away this morning, up just as the sun rose. We had to beat the heat. It was starting to become a problem. As we trundled along a quiet country road the fresh morning air flowed over our bodies. A herd of Charolais turned to stare at us. Their calves unerved by the brightness of our high viz waistcoats hid behind their mothers. The trees that lined the roadside cast welcome shadows. But all was to change once we reached the canal. As always the sun was on us, the shade on the opposite bank. We pedalled at a steady pace keen to bank as many miles as possible before lunchtime. We cycled this path last year and are saddened that we have not been able to socialize with fellow riders night after night as we did then. There seems to be less cyclists on the road this year and many of them are on electric bikes so we're unlikely to catch up with them. Saying that the couple next to us on e-bikes were at last night's campsite. They seemed shocked we were already here when they arrived using just pedal power. No surprise, we didn't follow the official route up over the hills, but cut across by road. We're not letting on. Let them think we're super fit English. And we'd stopped for over two hours at lunchtime. Remember the hare and the tortoise?

The campsite at Digoin is next to a boating lake. Two boats, the blue team and red team jousted from them. We'd never seen the likes of it. Obviously it's a big thing here. Another balmy evening, but we are spoilt by a cooling breeze that blows off the river Loire behind our tent. The downside the mosquitoes are out in force. Yet another night of scratching ahead. Down in the town on the waterfront there is easy listening music being played by an orchestra. Hopefully it will lull us to sleep, or the tempo may be upped around ten and the all to common bassy music of a Saturday night in France will vibrate through our tent. Let's hope not. In the meantime we will enjoy our cold beers (0.0% alcohol Leffe lager on sale in the campsite shop a real treat for John), and listen to the music, at this moment in time a beautiful clarinet solo.

Camping Domaine du Bourg, Gannay sur Loire

What's Dutch for 'you park the bloody caravan'. The wife chose a pitch that the husband found impossible to site their caravan on. But she was determined he could and should. After nearly an hour of maneuvering the wife had to give in and they moved to another pitch. By now it was almost dark and as the air cooled slightly we prepared to retire to bed.

Some days just don't to plan. Today would be one of those days. The cycle path alongside the canal was awful. Stony and potholed with loose shingle on the ascents and descents at the bridges. Very dangerous. So we carefully climbed down an embankment and onto the road. We were keen to cover today's twenty-five miles before the mercury rose.

Then, a hissing noise. John's rear tyre had suffered not one but three punctures. Great! Fortunately we were near a semi shaded spot, but the heat prevented the patches from taking on the inner tube. Decisions had to be made. John walked three miles in the midday sun to the campsite in the next village and Angela cycled back to the supermarket in Decize to source an inner tube. The campsite delivered, they had a spare inner tube, just one. Some food  items purchased Angela began the cycle back in debilitating heat. By the time she was reunited with John she'd cycled twenty-four miles. Sometimes events in life happen for a reason.

The campsite John walked found is a real gem. Natural ( yes natural, not naturist), the charming and very French.

We have enjoyed spending time sat at the bar, eating Italian croque monsieur and chips, talking to a German couple from the nearby campervan and just chilling, as the youngsters say. The temperature on the site in the full sun at half past four this afternoon was, wait for it 50c. In the shade 38c. Perhaps having to abandon today's cycle had been a good thing. Tomorrow we have a longer cycle ahead of us and plan to leave by eight armed with six and a half litres of drinking water. Wish us luck.

Camping des Halles, Decize

The kindness of strangers. This morning the Dutch couple in the motorhome next to us made coffee for ourselves and a German lady who arrived after dark and asked to share our pitch. After a hastily eaten breakfast we were glad to be be on our way. Angela determined to leave a review on trip advisor about the awful female staff.

We needed an easier day. Decize was around twenty-five miles along the canal. It was already hot and we were tired from yesterday so stopped frequently to rest and take on water. Yesterday we calculated we'd consumed around nine litres of water at least between us. As we flagged a little we broke out the emergency croissant to boost energy levels. By lunchtime we were on the campsite at Decize, sat in a shady spot glad today's cycling was done. Last September we stayed here along with fellow cyclists we met along the way and all sat out in the evening eating and chatting. Where are they all now? We know that evening will not be recreated tonight and on a way we're glad. It was a special evening from which we have cherished memories. Arriving on site early meant we could rest, wash some clothing and shave our legs. Well Angela's legs. She'll do anything to make herself more aerodynamic!

Camping de Nevers - Aquadis Loisirs

Armed with a family sized baguette we made a dash for it early. We had forty plus miles to cycle and would need to stop for quite a while at lunchtime because of the heat. A welcome shaded path for the first few miles on route to the medieval town of La Charite-Sur-Loire where the temperature was already a whopping 37c.

It was going to be a hot one! Even the normally basking lizards sought out shade. Shopping done and restorative jaffa cakes eaten with a determined mindset we carried on soon finding ourselves up on the levee in full sun with very few pockets of shade.

Oh no, this was a repeat of yesterday afternoon when after miles and miles of liquorice tarmac softening in the heat we finally found shelter with a man who was worried where his wife might be. Under a tree a few miles back with no intention of moving was the answer. We'd passed her a while ago. Sometime later when we felt ready to set  off again she appeared. Who wears platform clogs to cycle in? Inappropriate footwear at the highest level, and she wasn't even Dutch! Our afternoon went from bad to worse. Angela made a bad call, suggesting we follow a marker sign rather than the map which resulted in us cycling on undulating roads in full sun with the temperature nudging 40c. At last back on course by the canal we both felt very unwell. Drink. Drink. Drink. By six o'clock we had somehow reached Nevers. This was our third time of staying at the campsite and it would be our last. The two female members of staff were rude and uncaring. John asked for us to be squeezed onto a pitch in the shade. No chance. We should have arrived earlier! Believe us, we'd have loved to. If we waited two hours our pitch would be on the shade as the sun would be down. We waited and a French couple decided it suited them. Tempers frayed, the French staff obviously anti English became confrontational. We'd had enough. Could we carry on with this trip what with the heat and the animosity?