la vie française: Ticked and Tiled

One of our goals this year was to cycle the Nantes-Brest canal from Josselin towards Nantes and see how far we could go in three days.

I looked at the weather forecast on Tuesday for the rest of the week and it was good, so off we went.

We couldn't see any B+B's advertised on the internet along the canal, so we had to take our tent.

Car parked in Josselin not far from the starting line.

The starting line @ 2:15pm.

Time for a snack at Guillac.

This is where we are.

Montertelot was our next stop. They used discarded footwear as plant pots...the whole village was full of colour.

Our first camp at Le Roc Saint-Andre...it was light when we arrived and the tent is up and ready.

We are on our way back to the campsite from our evening meal at La Chapelle-Caro. Marie-Claire Boulvais was the proprietor who has been at the restaurant since 1961.

Interesting things to see while having brreakfast.

Our first problem. We walked back over the bridge to La Chapelle-Caro and bought a replacement inner tube before continuing our journey.

There are too many nice photos of the canal to include here, all of them very colourful.

Arriving at Malestroit to a really pleasant atmosphere.

We met FOUR people we know here in the centre.

We were sorry to leave Malestroit but made good progress, passing Saint-Laurent- sur-Oust, and Saint-Congard on our way to Saint-Martin.

Our campsite at Saint-Martin. These campsites are excellent.

BIG problem! I had to set off on my bike at 7:15 am to pick up our car back at Josselin. Bev isn't feeling good. We'll see how she is when I get back. She may be able to continue when I get back around 7pm.

The canal was smothered with mist as I set off at full speed and it stayed with me for another hour before disaster struck at Saint-Congard...another malfunction of the tyre valve, but this time there was no shop to buy a replacement. I had to lock my bike, cross the bridge and try my luck at hitching a ride.

A lady stopped and took me as far as Malestoit. A few minutes later a man took me as far as Ploermel. I couldn't believe how lucky I was with my lifts. I was in good spirits when, would you believe it, Sydney and Diana (friends of ours) came onto the slip road and stopped to take me to Josselin.

Bev was amazed to see me walk into the campsite so soon. I'd left the car down the lane, and told her my bike had a puncture and had just walked back to her from Saint-Congard. I'd pretended that someone had agreed to give us a lift to Malestroit in his van, so we walked towards where our supposed lift was.

"Wouldn't it be nice if we could just get in our car right now", I said. She agreed. "How about this one", I said, pointing at our car. She burst into tears.

We spent the rest of the final day visiting the places we had planned to. Incidentally, when we picked my bike up, we noticed a bike repair shop no more than two minutes away.

Peillac...yet another flower-bursting pretty little village.

Redon...a bustling, vibrant place. The canal goes straight through it.

The incredible Benedictine Abbey.

Guenrouet, with its magnificent panoramic stained-glass windows.

There wasn't a single bare wall. Totally breathtaking.

Fegreac...which has a 15th Century crucifix and the most modern bar interior I've seen in the whole of France.

Pont Miny... we layed down for a snooze right here under this tree.

We'll come here again, next year with the kids. There's so much to do and see.

Blain was the end of our journey for now. It's not a place I'll want to visit again. Their beautiful chateau was closed, so we visited their museum instead.

Love the clogs...

...and all things old.

It was an interesting three days, but we're glad to be back home.

This goal is now well and truly ticked off our list.

So, what did I do Friday and Saturday while Bev checked the garden, chilled and did some shopping?