Monday, September 16, 2019

Day 16: Mon 16 Sep – Orleans to Briare, 90km; total ride: 353km

Beautiful one day perfect the next - 12 to 27 deg bright and sunny. Side or slightly tail oriented wind today meant for an easy day.

The day went exceptionally well, up at 0600h, morning routine of stretching, coffee, shave etc, brekky done and on the road by 0730h. You’ve got to love cycling in France, for a start they have no problem with you keeping your bike in your room, you can load your panniers and handlebar bag in the room, wheel it into the lift and ride away immediately onto a great off-road cycle path. Although there was peak hour traffic, everyone is very patient and courteous.

Our ride today was fairly rural, we spent most of the time zooming along the top of levee banks on a billiard table smooth path, looking down on very peaceful villages, market gardens, corn fields, asparagus patches and nuclear power stations. Although we saw a couple of nice castles, they were relatively small and unspectacular. We agreed that it was still one of our best days regardless.

The standout villages were Jargeau, (a place I’d gladly call home) and Sully-sur-Loire, where we purchased lunch from the Monday fresh food market; chilli con carne for me, chicken and potatoes for Bob, with some fresh grain bread from the bakery across the road. A brilliant cup of coffee was taken earlier at Châteauneuf-sur-Loire, which had a pretty specky bridge and a lovely view down the Loire. Gien was a bit dull and grey for my liking and I was glad that we had picked Briaire to stay at for two nights.

Arrived at the Pont Canal (canal bridge) Briare, about 100m from our motel at 1540h. We decided to try the restaurant attached to the motel for dinner; the menu was very French. Not too fancy, just the way I like it. Walked it off along the canal and back.

Part of the Mud Run being set up near Orleans for their festival in a few days time

Our early morning path

Jargeau village church

Jargeau

Jargeau

Typical farmhouse on the route today


Bridge at Chateauneuf



Coffee shop

The first short section of gravel today

Coming into Sully-sur-Loire

Sully-sur-Loire

Sully-sur-Loire

Fresh food market at Sully-sur-Loire

Lunch

Sully-sur-Loire Town Hall

St Ythier Church at Sully-sur-Loire

Mas de Bethune, 1st Duke of Sully-sur-Loire and right hand man to King Henry IV

Sully-sur-Loire Castle


St Gondon





Gien


The second short section of gravel today

My rather poor attempt at using the selfie stick

Briaire

Canal bridge at Briaire

Briaire


The view from our dinner venue, that is also our motel

Entree - goats cheese parcel

Main - duck, salad and real French fries, all very nice

Custard dessert - oops, forgot to take a photo

Sunset at dinner






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