Hang on in there folks - the last (and most boring) part of the trip ......
Part 3- the homeward leg.
Sorry about the delay in getting this bit done. From a bike touring point of view it isn’t that relevant and I didn’t stop to take many photos as it was through a part of France I know reasonably well and I kinda got into the man / bike / road Zen thing and didn’t want to spoil that. Also some of it wasn’t bike oriented at all as you will see .........
I headed through a very hot – well 33 C - Albertville thinking that my mate Juha wouldn’t be finishing at CERN ‘til 5 and so I could take a leisurely trip up to the Pays de Gex – Thoiry to be exact – and maybe stop and take in the lake at Annecy. Didn’t feel up to more passes as was starting to feel a little tired but I was aware that there were more to do in the area as I’ve done a lot of climbing in the area around La Clusaz. Had no desire to visit Chamonix as I’ve spent a LOT of time there climbing over the years and it was the place all the visitors to our house wanted to go to. Overly commercialised and too full of Brits for my likes.
Got to the Bout de la lac (the southern tip) and thought that the first place I could find to park near the lake would be ideal and that I would take a dip in that stunningly blue (and even more stunningly cold) lake. Passed three good sites within minutes of seeing the lake itself but had the same problem as always when looking for somewhere to stop for a break or a patisserie – you pass before you know it and console yourself with the thought that you’ll see another one real soon and you never do. I should have turned around but assumed that others would become apparent soon. Boy was I wrong ! Nothing – de nada – until I got near Annecy itself and then when i did stop, it was a pay to use beach. Not the sort of place for a half hour stop. Not on my budget anyways ! I parked up, sat in the shade of a tree and drank some much needed water and counted the number of people who walked up to my bike and looked it over. Thirteen !
Re-hydrated, I set off on the bike and around Annecy – been there too way too many times with visitors to bother stopping – and out towards Bellegarde. Turned off to cross the river near St Julienne en Genevois and towards Collonge and the little patch of what is known as Le Triangle D’Or’ – the golden triangle, where we lived from 2004 to 2006 whilst I worked at CERN.
A word of advice to the unknowing : the route from Lyon to Geneva (or in reverse) takes you on the ‘Route de Titans’ which is a cracking drive or ride along very fast, well paved roads on bridges and viaducts that frequently cling to the sides of some impressive hillsides. If you have headed into the region over the Jura, I really recommend you take the Route de Titans to get out and head north to Dijon that way.
This is the even more boring, non bike bit now -
I tootled about the area on the bike and killed a bit of time ‘til my mucker was going to be leaving work. Then, when I went to go to his house, I couldn’t find it ! VERY unusual for me ! I rang him from a nearby village and as he was telling me it was EXACTLY where I thought it had been when he left for work that morning, he passed me and waved and so I headed to his.
Manly Finnish / British hugs etc followed swiftly by a nice beer and a chance for a quick shower and to smell nice and not have to wear heavy riding kit. It was good to catch up with Juha and his family but the details are of no consequence here.
Suffice to say I stayed there that night and left as he and his missus left for work and declined the offer of the key and being able to stay there all day and lounge around.
Headed into the town where I lived (St Genis Pouilly) and got some saussis, ham and bread and local Comte cheese for my breakfast.
Pretty much the standard breakfast / lunch / dinner for the whole trip ....
It then started to rain so I ended up having my brunch in a bus shelter
I then headed into Switzerland and had a trip into the CERN Globe – their exhibition centre which was one of the many projects i supervised whilst working there. It had been a gift from a local town and Rolex as they had had an exhibition and no longer needed it. A real Cadeau Empoisoneux (poisoned chalice) if ever there was one. It was de-constructed by the Swiss Army by some of their reserve soldiers whilst on summer camp. Unfortunately by the time they had done this, their camp was over and a completely different group of soldiers turned up to re-build it. Well it got done in the end. At the opening ceremony, my boss – ever one to seek the credit and limelight for something he actively avoided – made a speech. Being a round building, all the noise he made as he stood in the centre of it reflected back to him so he thought he was talking loudly enough but in fact you couldn’t hear a word even at 3 metres from him !
Just after this photo was taken, it started to rain – the first of the trip. I met one of my other CERN buddies ( A german born fireman and ex Panzer gunner who says his favourite war movie is the first half of the Battle of the Bulge
) and stayed with him and his missus that night. Boy did it rain and blow. The following morning the Jura shown in the shot of the bike by the bus shelter were covered in snow done to about the halfway mark !!
I then stayed with another friend and his family (I know, it’s amazing I have any friends let alone several in one area). They are just outside Divonne Le Bains – where there’s a nice natural hot springs to soak tired riding muscles in after a long trip. Sadly I was too busy helping my friend with clearing part of his garden !! I earned my lunch, supper and bed that night. And what a bed --- a genuine French antique ! Slept the best I had in ages.
Early the following morning, due to the weather looking ominous and not wanting to wait for further rain and snow and the hills looking relatively free of snow after a warm night, so I headed off over the Col De La Faucille and into the Jura with the intention of making the Two Wheel Moorings B&B . This day the riding started at 8 am sharp and it turned into a long day .........
Over the col and into the Jura. Beautiful, quiet riding – it was Thursday. Ascension Day is a national holiday and the French do like to sleep in. On through Champignole, Dole, Langres etc. A route familiar to many Tossers. Eventually I made it to Verdun and spent a little time passing by Forts Douamont and Vaux – well worth taking the time to tour these places. The stories of courage and endurance make you realise that not every Frenchman was a cheese-eating surrender monkey. The ossuary is very impressive but this time the tower had scaffold around it and I didn’t fancy hanging about so I passed by the Verdun museum – again worth a visit if you have the time. I have visited it and all the other sites several times and was really passing by just to top up the memory on what it all looks like. The Trench of the Bayonets was heaving with school trips. It’s a bit of a non sight as the original was a trench where the soldiers were waiting with bayonets fixed when a shell buried them all alive. Only the bayonets were sticking out of the top of the trench. Since then, it became a sacred site and a concrete wall and roof were built . But over time the bayonets got nicked and now there is just a heap of soil hemmed in by a mass concrete structure. My personal opinion is it ain’t worth the stop.
I then cut down into Verdun and along the Meuse to Two Wheel moorings. It was 3:30 and all looked dead in the town. I stopped for 2 minutes and then decided that as I already knew there was a 12 bike group staying that night and there might or might not be room for a small one, I just didn’t fancy all the noise and banter and activity that goes with billeting with a large group and so decided to push on.
I followed the Meuse along some cracking roads in brilliant sunshine. Stopped once or twice to grab a drink and eat a little.
Here I know not where but alongside the canal/river itself.
And later at Dave Sur Meuse.
I then pushed on towards Albert in the Somme, remembering that next time I need to spend more time in this part of the world again as it’s been a while.
I made it to Albert around 7:45. Garmin don’t show B&B’s or Chambres D’Hote and so I looked online with my iPhone and found a B&B run buy a British lady called Avril Williams. It’s called Ocean Villas – a WW1 Tommy corruption of Auchonvillers.
It was a WW1 dressing station as well as a signal post at various times and the well informed Avril does a great tour and it’s a good, homely place to stop. Unless you’re allergic to cats ! Nothing 5* but a good place to crash with lots of WW1 related DVDs and books.
The cellar :
Trenches excavated in the back yard:
The following morning I had a bit of a ride by tour of the area then headed towards the Pas de Calais with a view to splashing in the water and camping near Wissant and taking in the excellent moules frites one of the little restaurants does (you can find that sort of thing anywhere though to be fair).
Unfortunately it was VERY windy and as most of Europe appeared to have taken the Friday off – including the bikers worst nightmare: the Belgian! – I ended up heading to the tunnel to head back to the UK. Having booked my place online in advance to avoid the horrendous turn-up charges.
Crossed fine chatting to a husband and wife – on separate bikes – and they were behind me for a few miles going up the M20 but turned off at a service station. Like me they were heading up towards Cambridgeshire and like me they were probably not having much of a giggle doing it. Whilst he was a big solid lad on an RR1300, she was a slim little thing on a 600 sports bike and probably getting blown all over the place.
Where the M20 meets the M25, it was stationary all the way to the tunnel. I decided this was the perfect time to start my filtering experience and very interesting it was too. Especially with the panniers on and the natives not being so bike aware.
Finally made it home by 5 pm. Trip over !
Thoughts.
It had been a great trip. I enjoy my own company anyways and have travelled far and wide alone. I would recommend everyone travelling alone and seeing how easy it is and how different it is than travelling in a group. You aren’t forever either trying to keep up or looking in your mirror or at the mercy of other people making decisions for the benefit of the group. Ride hard or soft but ride how you want to with no compromise. A lack of a destination was also a good thing and I will not bother making anything other than vague plans ever again. Fixed routes and destinations force you to ride at certain speeds. You also won’t find yourself doing things like sharing Millau with hundreds of other bikers but will have the roads to yourself.
It was certainly good to find out what I could do, found comfortable to do (and not so comfortable), what sensible average speeds are on non motorway roads and all without listening to anyone elses' opinion. Didn't compare what I did with others. I realise now what Richard (Wapping) was driving at when I originally asked for a few tips. Go your own way !!
My trip was purely for riding and sightseeing wasn’t part of the plan but next time I’ll take things a little slower, ride a little less and try to be more of a tourist.
I would recommend a bigger tent which would have been essential in wet weather (how many times have I written that above?) and despite only filling my panniers only, I took too much. Take what you think you will need and halve it. Old but very wise advice.
Don’t bother with a stove. Go for cold drinks or stop at a Bar Tabac. There’s trillions of them. Buy food hot at a supermarket or eat in bars or eat cold.
Carry 1 litre of engine oil !!!
Stop when you want to and if you see somewhere nice, turn around !!!!!
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