la Rochelle

August 2019

Velodysee revisited:

This revisit was unplanned and the result of an email received from a very old climbing friend suggesting that we meet after many years. This reunion was to take place on the Isle de Rey where our friends had pitched their tents in the sand. Unwilling to make the journey by car, we made the decision to stay in La Rochelle and cycle to our destination. A wise move as it transpired as the road traffic on the bridge between the mainland and the island was all but at a standstill with long queues.

The cycle ride to the island was one of many additional options to the main Velodysee route and one which I had ignored on the previous journey so we set off on a beautiful day marred only by the thousands of visitors meandering along the streets of La Rochelle. The Google advised cycle route to the bridge was somewhat tortuous in its twists and turns but some eleven kilometres later we were on this magnificent crossing. Conditions were my least favourite! Long, gentle uphill into a nostril wind! Gorgeous views though and lots of sunshine.

We enjoyed a very full catch up with Mike and family and our return journey was much less arduous with a following wind and a more straightforward route of Alan’s design! Always the master navigator!

It was later that evening while we were enjoying an Italian pasta in the least busy restaurant that we could find, that we encountered two young women wearing cycle shorts. It occurred to us that they might be riding the Velodysee and, in an unusual burst of confidence, Alan asked the question. It was as we had thought and I was delighted to encounter young females who were undertaking an adventure. Young men in a group are not unusual but women in this situation are much rarer. I found myself feeling very proud of their endeavour especially when we discovered the long distances they were covering each day. Subsequently, we spent a thoroughly enjoyable evening sharing experiences and we remain in awe of their respective rides to work in London! If you ever read this, we wish you a wonderful holiday and many more cycling journeys.