Tag Archives: France

Day 7 – Saint Michel to Rennes

(85km)

It’s been a week now that I’ve left London, but it feels like a month with the amount of places I’ve seen so far. Saying this, today’s ride was a little bit boring, because I chose the main road between Saint Michel to Rennes, which doesn’t really lets you enjoy the surroundings.

Endless road
Endless road

The only interesting thing I saw in the morning, as I was getting lost to find my way, was a German cemetery just 10km outside Saint Michel with a few thousands dead soldiers. I think there aren’t many German WWII cemeteries outside Germany any more.

The German cemetery
The German cemetery

Graves
Graves

For lunch I bought a sausage and a few other stuff from a local market on the way and had them outside a fire brigate. I didn’t know that was the fire station, up until I asked one of the guys to refill my bootle with water. He brought it back in a hurry and then started running around with 5 other men, rushing into one of the vehicles. I think there was an emergency and I hope my delay for the water didn’t cost a life.

Lunch, siesta, tent dry out by the fire brigate.

Lunch, siesta, tent dry out by the fire brigate.

After lunch, I picked up the main road again, put some music on the mp3 player and pedals for 3 hours non stop until I got to my destination.
Rennes is one of the biggest cities I’ve visited so far and unfortunately I didn’t have the chance to see much of it and the camp site was too far out of the city to revisit it in the evening. I did have the chance though to go into one of the big bike shops and buy a couple of things I was missing. I have to say it was a little hard to get in and out of such a big city, so I’ll probable try to avoid them in the future.
Then I got to the camp site, which was next football field and full of rabbits, for an early night and a movie.

The view from the tent.

The view from the tent.

Day 6 – Le Mont Sant Michel

(20km)

Today I took the day off! My legs needed some rest, my cloths some cleaning and my blog some updating. On top of that, I was near a very good highlight of Normandy, which is Le Mont Saint Michel. So after I woke up I made my way to the island which is connected just by a thin strip of road. Its surroundings is  either sea or sand, depending on the time of the day and the tide.

Approaching Saint Michel

Approaching Saint Michel

The last two kilometers on the way were jammed with cars and tourist coaches. Luckily my unloaded bike made its way efforltlessly. When I got in I said WOW! First from the amount of people crammed into the small alleys queueing at the tacky restoraunts, but mostly by the amazing medieval forstress I was getting into.

Mont Saint Michel

Mont Saint Michel

The Saint Michel from within. Beautiful, but packed with tourists.

The Saint Michel from within. Beautiful, but packed with tourists like my self.

I made my way to the top, but didn’t wait an hour to pay and get into the top castle. I just walked around it, ate the baguette that bought earlier in the day and enjoyed the view.

The view from above.

The view from above.

The endless beach

The endless beach

After my afternoon walk, I bought my next map from the local super market and a couple of bananas and  started making my way back to the campsite. The rest of the day was washing up clothes, maintaining bike and internet to catch up with emails and skype family and friends. In the afternoon I started chatting with a couple that were also on a cycle tour. We ended up having diner together, along with wine and some brandy. Steph and Kit started their tour today from Saint Malo and they are planning to finish it somewhere in East Normandy in about ten days.

Me, Steph and Kit

Me, Steph and Kit

Anyway… time to bed and I hope those socks are dry by now.