Wednesday, 12 June 2019
Sebastian Macmillan continues his report of a cycling trip across France from the English Channel to the Mediterranean.
Day 4: Loches to Eguzon
Tuesday 21 May. The day was in two halves. Leaving Loches, we rode through more agricultural land, along straight roads that were mostly fairly flat. There was also woodland. We passed through hamlets and farmyards, cattle in the fields (the only ones I recognise are Charolais) and horses. Some woods are natural deciduous trees, others have pines in straight rows.
One becomes very aware of the quality of tarmac with only a couple of 25mm wide tyres supporting you. Some of the roads have surfaces that are rough and pitted, sometimes there is a new surface with loose gravel. But quite a lot of the roads and even the lanes we have ridden have a surface that feels as smooth as a billiard table. It is utterly different from Britain, and has a big impact on your enjoyment (and speed). For much of the morning, I was cruising along at around 25-30 kmh which gives quite a sense of achievement.
In the afternoon our route took us into the Limousin region and we rode along the valley of the River Creuse. Our afternoon tea stop was at La Boucle du Pin, a high viewing point overlooking a huge bend in the river.
The last 10 miles were hilly and we arrived in Eguzon at exactly 4pm. I spent more time with the Canadians again and they've made me an honorary Canadian. Distance today was
107km, climbing about 750 metres. Weather warm – I was down to just two layers in the afternoon. Yes!
Crossing the River Creuse
River Creuse at La Boucle du Pin
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Day 5: Eguzon to Aubusson
Wednesday 22 May. Because the group had been spread across different hotels, Michael and I set off shortly before 08.00. It was cool but sunny, and there was morning dew giving the crops a sort of sheen. We dropped down steeply through hairpin bends and it became misty. A ruined castle appeared and shortly afterwards one that looked more complete with its conical roofed tower, ethereal in the mist.
After about seven miles, we ended up at a large lake where some of the group had stayed at the Hotel du Lac. The mist wore off and we found ourselves again in rolling countryside.
At Fresselines there was a bas relief memorial by Rodin in the outside wall of what is perhaps a church. As ever, we passed through tiny hamlets and there are farms, semi-derelict barns, healthy looking cows in the fields, barley and broad beans growing. There are small churches and every so often signs to historic chapels dating from the XII and XIII centuries.
Later the route began to follow the valley of the river Creuse again but became much more hilly as the river flows through several gorges. Sweeping hairpin bends would take us down to a bridge at the foot of the valley and we then had to climb out again. A single track railway was built here and we caught regular glimpses of it, including a splendid iron or steel viaduct across a valley, a tunnel, a level crossing.
The weather was perfect and I spent the afternoon in just shorts and my cycling top. After a full day of rural tranquillity with birdsong the only sound, and your perception of colour working overtime, arriving at the relatively busy town of Aubusson with its traffic and bustle, was a bit of a shock.
100km exactly and 1700m of climbing.
A marble bas-relief memorial to the poet Maurice Rollinat by Auguste Rodin at Fresselines
Railway viaduct at Busseau-sur-Creuse
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Day 6: Aubusson to Le Mont Dore
Thursday 23 May. The morning looked sunny from inside our hotel at Aubusson, but it was actually a cool 10C and, at the last minute before leaving, I put on my windproof jacket. It was a good decision.
We spent most of the morning ride uphill in a gradual incline in the wooded gorge of Rozeille. Sunny patches were warm but we were mostly in the shade which was cooler. We rode through a lot of woodland, amazed at the excellent quality of the tarmac roads given they seemed completely empty.
The last quarter of the day presented the biggest challenge – a climb up to the Col de Guery which is at an altitude of 1268m. Again the road was in woodland and the gradient was mostly around 5% or 6% but it was fairly unrelenting. There is a large car park at the top reached by a main road. The view is spectacular and we stopped for photos before freewheeling almost all the way down to the town of Le Mont Dore where we are staying.
98km and 1700 m of climbing.
Deserted roads
Awesome Canadians – Karen, JoAnne, Sandra, Heidi
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Day 7: Le Mont Dore to St Flour
Friday 24 May. Today started with a tough climb from Le Mont Dore (not that far from Clermont Ferrand) up to the Col de Croix Saint Robert, at 1451 metres. At the top, it was sunny but cool with occasional patches of snow by the road, and more snow on the nearby mountains. The descent was terrific. Even so, we stayed above 1000 metres for most of the day. Michael, Peter, Heidi and I rode together for much of the morning and some of the afternoon, admiring the spectacular views and trying to identify some of the flowers in the verges.
The afternoon was spent on a more busy road than we have become used to and was less pleasant as we made our way to St Flour, which is south of Clermont-Ferrand. We are staying at a Seminary which is now used as a hotel. Rather Spartan.
107km and 1763m of climbing. Quite a tough day.
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Setting off from our hotel at Le Mont Dore in the morning
The former Seminary at St Flour