First day – Relatively easy day through Paris from our accommodation through the city centre, past the Eiffel tower to our campsite on the Seine.
Very proud of Alli, she was very quickly confident cycling through Parisian traffic. Mind you, the fact the old ladies also cruise also along the roads without seemingly giving a hoot about the traffic while wearing summer dresses probably helped somewhat!
Was even more amazed at Alli on the second day.
From our campsite we navigated our way through the outskirts of Paris to pick up the route Avenue Verte. Our first serious hill climb gave us a good feel for the size Paris (much bigger than I had always thought). [Note from Allison – I think this was the only large hill in the whole of Paris, and somehow Matt managed to pick a route that took us up and over it!]
The route then travels along the Seine, along a mixture of dedicated cycle paths and quiet backroads. A welcome relief from the Paris traffic and it didn’t take long for us to really get into a groove. St Germaine for petite cafes and pain au chocalat and a tartelette l’apricot…mmm.
The route then travelled through old hunting forests along some very rough dirt tracks, before heading back along the river Oise and civilisation. The Oise region is renowned as an area where the impressionists would hang out (and is where many of Van Gogh’s most famous paintings were made). Its not hard to see why. The towns have cobbled streets, beautiful old mansions set into rolling hills and is verdant with weeping willows.
More forest followed, including believe it or not, quite a lot of single track (the route really varies from pot holed goat tracks to wide boulevards). We tried to find our first campsite at about 5pm. Up a very steep cobbled road following google maps only to find ourselves in the middle of a feild of wheat with no obvious way forward!
We decided to cut our losses and push on to the next site (15kms away), only to be told by an old French lady “non non” as we arrived through the gate. Apparently they don’t take campers, despite the name….
So onwards to Gouvieux it was (another 10 kms!). Google helped us navigate through some backroutes, including more single track through forest, and we eventually arrived at 8.45 pm just as they were shutting up for the night.
Our first 100km in a day! Goat tracks and all.
Our intention from here is to head towards Beauvais and the Avenue Verte, via Senlis and Clermont, before making a break for the ferry at Dieppe on Tuesday.
PS – Jeff, the French generally don’t wear Lycra, and when they do, there is much cursing in their general direction!
4ks an hour 