Cycle across France 2008
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Liz says...After a flat morning have another stunning ride on the D203. Stop in Caunay for coffee in tabac. Starting to loose my inhibitions of them - they're a truly great idea them tabacs and we have conversations about whether they could work in the UK. Stop for cake and a stuffed flat bread thing in Civray - a beautiful and a recommended-by-me location. Nixter tweaks her knee and we take it slow. First bit of rain and a chill in the air in the morning. Still - make excellent time and in Confolens for 5.30pm. Yes! We manage to book a hotel room in Thiviers for tomorrow night quashing our idea of door-to-door requests for accommodation and sleeping rough. Confolens has beautiful bridge and old town on a steep slope down to the river but full of dog pooh.
bridge at Confolens
Confolens rooftops
Have meal in the restaurant of Put your foot in it. "Are you Andipodean?" asks the host for starters, "Are you 21?" for main, and "Are you vegetarian coz you're so slim" for desserts. Either clueless or in search of a tip. Owner is English with an appaling accent in French. Partner is chef and together they look like a portly chef and waiter salt and pepper set. Nevertheless another good pair of characters on our adventure through France.
Mal says...Stayed in hotel - went to dinner at Boz and Nancy's restaurant - unbelievable people! And not in a good way! They were English and Boz's french was cringy. They kept putting their foot in it all the time - wouldn't leave us alone. Couldn't sleep - me and Nix went down to bar for games of pool.
birthday cake. yummm.
We stayed at:
20 Rue Emile-Roux
79800 La Mothe Saint-Héray
Tel: 05 45 84 12 77
Web: http://www.emeraude-hotel-confolens.com
Email: emeraude-hotel@wanadoo.fr
Nix says...Left at 8. All on top form. Overcast and windier than it has been. Some of the early roads had a certain 'bleakness' about them but it significantly improved. Very flat, which Mal loves. Covered good ground. Stopped for coffee and Mars bars in Chaunay where got chatting to woner of the Tabac who said about 80% of his customers are Brits. His attitude though is that the Brits are 'restoring' poor old France. He thinks they're doing a very sympathetic and impressive job of restoring all the old houses. Stopped for lunch in Civray. Had a delicious hot sweet bread filled with goats cheese and tomatoes and Lee bought himself a chocolate birthday cake that we all shared. Had a few laughs with the camera. A great town, Civray. All amenities and I'm sure bustling on a normal day (today is a public holiday) but pretty as well with a beautiful spot by the river. Beautiful countryside from Civray - Confolens. Quiet roads.
fields outside of Civray
Knee started to hurt - bit worried but will keep stocked up on Ibuprofen. Made record time to Confolens (5pm!) and would have been even quicker if hadn't been for my knee.funny thing in head
A cricket city. Lines in the grass are roads - All the grass blades tower blocks.
Our last-minute accommodation turned out OK - a budget hotel called Hotel Emmerauld in Confolens. OK for 49Euro and a comfy bed with clean shower etc. Unfortunately the table football in the bar below was so loud that me and Mal decided if you can't beat 'em join 'em. At 11pm we got out of bed and went downstairs to play a couple of games of pool. I wiped the table first game, 2nd game not so good owing to attention from a couple of guys who decided to scrutinise our skills while waiting for their turn. Too much pressure! Anyway going downstairs worked because we slept when we got back up. Lee hadn't moved and had no idea 'til morning about our midnight bar run.
Day 6 La Mothe-Saint-Heray to Confolens: 83 kilometres/52 miles, 0800h-1730h, m up m down, 9 km/h (with breaks)
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last updated July 16 2010 © lee hibberd
last updated July 16 2010 © lee hibberd