Combourg to Chateaugiron

• After a quiet night in the hotel du lac (not the one in yesterday's photo - bus stop) we set off on our bikes which we have named as they are the most important things we have with us. Hence the names Nicholas and Carla! I won't say who is riding Carla (Billy's wee joke). We had a lovely trip through forest and meadow with our first real hills and WIND in our faces. 9k from our destination we decided to ask this very helpful fellow French cyclist if a certain unsigned road would take us to Chateaugiron. Nothing would do but he escorted us all the way to the front door of the hotel. I was a bit worried when he looked at the map as he resembled Benny Hill strongly with beer bottle bottom glasses! We've never cycled so slowly down a hill but the difference was he kept the same speed up when climbing hills. Aileen's cream is working well and we strongly recommend 'Chamois Butt'r' for comfort when cycling!!

Distance: 57.4k

leaving port

Slight calamity before we even leave. Shirley drops Billy's helmet and breaks it he is now wearing a Blue Peter helmet. Guess what shirley will be spending her money on??
First on and off steamer and arrived in St malo on a bright sunny morning. Cycled to vedette but discovered that they don't start until 9.3o am so we change our route and cycle off through St Malo in rush hour traffic. Good experience.

Shirley already unpacked and re-packed paniers as Billy decides my rear is looking very lopsided - what's new??? Reach Combourg for first night after pleasant cycle in sunshine and then spend the next few hours trying to master this BLOG!!!! Distance cycled 45.3 k.

route planning

Shirley and I planning our route through rural France. Billy wanted to go by the coastal route and Shirley wanted to go via the cities and places of interest. We will let you make up your mind who won.

The beginning

Here we are setting off with our bikes to cycle through France. We are starting from St. Malo on Monday 30 August and hope to dip our toes in the Mediterranean Sea before winter sets in. We hope you will follow us on our travels and send many messages of encouragement along the way.