On Two Wheels Beside The River

   We have been feeling a bit stale after our return from the Pyrenees. The weeds and grass had profited from a week`s absence to make a bid for the sky and it has been a herculean task to beat them back into submission, a task which is not even yet completed. Kim has wished for some time to re-commence regular cycle rides, but wished to commence on the flat. Although Deux Sèvres is supposed to be a flat area, it is amazing how riding a bike reveals slopes unsuspected from a car. Inspired by Jaqui`s blog, The French Village Diaries, we felt that riding in the Marais Poitevin offered a level playing field and some welcome shade on hot days. The dedicated cycle-tracks often run beside placid river or canal, and thus are forced to be level!

  To prepare for this new adventure, we had bought a new cycle rack, well not new, but as good as. Our old rack, although technically capable of holding two bikes, creaked and rattled alarmingly when subjected to two AT cycles and we really felt that any long- or medium-distance trips needed something more sturdy. We were lucky enough to find a much more macho rack on a local sales site and bought the new equipment a couple of days ago from a nice couple at Villemain, who had bought it in England just to transport two bikes from the UK to France.

  Thus equipped, we decided on a shake-down trial of the system on Friday, after choir-practice at Matha, being of the (mistaken) view that the Marais was nearer Matha than to La Mort Limouzin. We decided to start from Coulon, A little town on the edge of the Marais.

A tour setting out 

   We found Coulon to be a charming place, very picturesque, beside the river. It is obviously thriving on the tourist trade, yet doesn`t seem too predatory, for example the car parks are abundant and free. It is a centre for boat hire to explore the Marais` maze of water-ways. You can hire self powered boats or benefit from a tour-guide who also paddles the boat. One offer I liked the look of, was inclusive of lunch, you had a meal in a little awning by the embarking point, then boarded your boat for a gentle trip on the calm waters.

   However, we had other fish to fry, or as the French say `another cat to whip` ( how cruel!) Having bought a cycle-route map from the helpful Tourist Office, we returned to the car-park to disembark the bike and set off.

  We had decided on a short ride to La Garette, only three kilometers away along the river, none of the forty k trips that Jaqui and her family undertake! This was to be a trial trip, not an endurance rally. We found the cycle tracks excellent, well signposted and mostly separated from roads. Initially, our track went over a little bridge, from which some bathing-suited lads were threatening to hurl themselves into the water-course below. We paused for a time to see if they would, but eventually lost patience and rode on. The track was narrow but well surfaced, often shaded. Later it was constructed of a sort of board-walk along the edge of shady pools. The board-walk was charming, but a bit hard on the posterior. Luckily Kim had prepare for this eventuality with a pair of hi-tech shorts, endowed with a special padding to protect the` parties` as the French put it.... These seem to have worked quite well, although Kim would have preferred even more comfort. I cannot offer any photo of this apparel, it is worn UNDER the more modest trousers!

   After an enjoyable ride, we reached La Garette, a lovely little village with one narrow street, and another embarking point. We stopped on a bench to have a drink and some fruit, then set out back to Coulon. We were amused to see an inhabitant using his orange tractor as personal transport, leaving it running outside his house as he went inside for something.

 
 We returned to Coulon just in time to see the lads pluck up courage and leap from the bridge into the water. They were then thoroughly told off by a stern lady with a clipboard who doubtless told them that diving and swimming were interdit. We loaded the bikes onto the carrier before driving the 60k home again. A thoroughly enjoyable outing, which we shall soon repeat.

  Bye for now, Blogger starting to act up, I shall quit while I`m ahead! A bientôt!