Author: Sid

In which Sid and Doris visit the submarine pens and eventually cycle past Medoc chateaux and Pauillac port on the Gironde.We continued down the river, past the elegant stone houses now much further from the bank than when they were built. The river is big. Say what you like about the french, they do a good river. And with it…

In which Sid and Doris visit Chateau Roquetaillade on their way to Bordeaux, a very fine city.   Musing on whether we were still being Epic enough we felt that we were not doing and seeing the things, and in danger of turning this into a Delivery Ride.  So we set out for Bordeaux (which is not short of Things)…

In which Sid and Doris start out along the Garonne canals before striking out up hill, down dale, but mostly across country to the Gironde.We are at peak French holiday season and today is the Friday between a Bank Holiday and the weekend so hotels are as much a limiting factor as our legs. Bazas is broadly in the right…

In which Sid and Doris ride along the Tarn to an even older hotel, a former abbey. The Hotel du Pont, where we started the day, was founded by a soldier coming back from Napoleon’s Russian campaigns (after 1812 then) and setting up a restaurant where people waited for the (bac, a rowing boat) ferry across the Tarn. It has…

In which Sid and Doris canoe down the Tarn and think about a new route home.Up late. We think we are putting on weight and we are not riding today so breakfast is a fairly civilised event, memorable for the pasteque and orange confiture. And they put out some of their creamy cheeses. This is a two hearth and three…

In which Sid and Doris have a fabulous long ride clear across the Causses de Cevennes and a good way along the Tarn.Last night there was an excellent storm with big rain, lightning and long-rumbling thunder. Today started cold, we wore windproofs to set off.  This is the first cool day we have had since… Hungary? Bulgaria? At least two…

In which Sid and Doris make a well supplied ride up onto the Causses Cevenole. On our way out of Ganges we bought second breakfast and lunch, not being sure what might be available in the villages on Sunday. On the square we found a fresco based on a photo of one of the 24 silk stocking factories that were…