After spending a day in the very good camping ground near Fully, it was time to head on to Lake Geneva.

The route took me along the Rhone which was progressively getting bigger and bigger. The speed of the water is amazing. What you also notice is that, unlike rivers like the Murray or Murrumbidgee in Australia, the Rhone goes in the relatively straight line.

Fish Lunch

I hadn’t travelled too far when I came across a small restaurant that was very busy. It had started to rain so I decided to stop for lunch. I see why the place was busy – it was very good.

It continued to rain sporadically as I headed towards Villeneuve. My original plane had been to ride beyond Montreux, however as I approached the lake I came across camping ground. I checked in and quick set up my tent before the rain really stated to come down.

Short Ride

Next day was really short ride. I had not gone much past Montreux when I came across a really nice little camp site right of the lake. The weather was very hot.

I decided that that was far enough for the day. I pitched my tent and went for a swim. The place had a small café. The owner convinced me to have a cheese fondue. It is really is a winter meal not the thing for a hot summer’s day.

Continuing on along the Lake

In the morning I had a chat to a young German couple that were camped next to me. They had decided to stay an extra day because “it was so restful and wonderful to see at [sic]”.

I headed off down the lake. The wealth and prosperity of Switzerland is palpable in this part of the country. All the cars are the latest model Mercedes and BMWs etc. The houses and apartments all seem to be luxurious. The café s and restaurants are mainly upmarket, not cheap take a way joints. There are marinas with very snazzy yachts dotted all along the lake.

I had thought about taking the ferry from Nyon across to France and heading into Geneva from that side of the lake.

I stopped Rolle notice sign to a ferry stop. I checked out the prices of the ferries. My eyes watered. I noticed another sign to a campsite. I rode to the site and decided to stop.

As I was setting up my tent and couple of blokes arrive with Bob Trailers. These are an alternative to us panniers.

They turned out to be Columbians living and working in France. One told me that me the he was a physicist working at Strasbourg University He said that he had done his Phd on an X ray detector. He told me a lot about it. He was now trying to bring his invention to the point when it could go into production. He said that this was difficult to do in France, particularly if you were not French.  He said it was very frustrating and he was seriously thinking of moving to the USA.

Short ride into Geneva

It was a relatively short ride into Geneva in the morning. I stopped short of the city and had a very expensive (in AUD) lunch in restaurant in park by the lake. It was a great view across lake to the city and the famous water spout.

As I rode into city along the lake, I recalled my first visit to Geneva in 1966. That is an awful long time ago.

Flickr Link

https://flic.kr/s/aHskeBX8jx

Garmin Links

To Lake Geneva

https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/860224930

Short Ride past Monteux

https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/863308101

Along the Lake

https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/863308129

Into Geneva

https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/863308146

I rode into Basle from Huningue. As it turned out I had to wait until nearly 4.00 p.m. before I could board the first of 3 trains that were to take me to Andermatt.

Expensive meal

It was quite late when I finally arrived in Andermatt. I knew that there was a campsite just out of town. It only operates in summer and you use that facilities in ski lift terminal and that is over the road.

I headed into town and order a meal. This was my first experience of Swiss prices being converted into the relatively weak Australian dollar. I makes camping wherever possible a necessity rather than an option.

Very Tough Cyclist

Back at the camp site I got into a conversation with bloke from Belgium who told me that he had been cycling in Australia last year. He had ridden from Melbourne to Darwin, via wester NSW and Queensland.

I was impressed. I was doubly impressed when he rolled his left trouser leg up to reveal a prosthetic limb below his knee. He casually took of the limb and hopped towards his tent.

Getting Advice

In the morning I stopped to have a coffee in small café that also sold maps. The owner turned out to be cyclist. He was interested in my trip.

He told me that I would find that climb over the Furka Pass “difficult with all that luggage”. He also told me to watch out for the motorbikes, however “it won’t be a busy as it gets over the weekend”. He also gave me some advice regarding cycling in Italy. In short he suggested taking the train through the “shitty bits – it a bit 3^rd world in parts”.

Over the Furka Pass

At the bottom of the Furka Pass there is a sign that tells you that over the next 13 kilometres, you will be climbing over 800 metres. I have done bigger climbs in Australia from Corryong to Thredbo, but with not as much stuff on the bike.

James Bond Spot

The climb is a classic zig zag alpine road. At one point I came across a sign and a plague pointing out that the this road was used in a scene in the 1964 James Bond film Goldfinger. Check out the Flickr link and the link to YouTube.

After the zig zag bit, the road goes in a relatively straight line to the summit of the pass. This was the toughest part of the climb. It is really annoying when you can see where you have to get to, but it takes forever to get there.

Ice Cream and Beer Stops

I stopped for a coffee and ice cream at one point. I had a beer at the rather dilapidated restaurant at the top of pass.

Fast Ride Down

It was an extremely fast ride down the other side of the pass. The Flickr videos say it all.

Campsite by the river

I was basically knackered when I got on to the Rhone Valley floor on the other side of the pass.

As I was riding along the cycle path, I came across a nice little campsite. I decided that would do me just fine and checked in.

It was a great spot, but there was problem having a shower. It required a ½ Franc Coin for a couple of minutes. The shop at the site didn’t have any of those coins. I was rescued by a Dutch couple, who have several. They made the comment that it was “absurd to charge for showers when you are paying so much for the site”.

Detour to Rome Bridge

As I headed to Brig, the route took a turn away from the main Rhone valley into a forest. The track became a dirt path down to a stone bridge. Some walkers told me that it was an ancient Roman Bridge. The climb up from the bridge was so steep I had to walk the bike.

Getting lost after Brig

I became a bit lost after Brig. As stopped to look at my map and fellow cyclist stop. He turned out to be yet another Dutchman – the place has to be empty. He told me that I was on the right path.

It wasn’t too long before I seemed to have lost the path again. As it turn out the same bloke came passed me again. I asked him if he knew if there were are camp sites nearby. He said he was staying at one and he led me to it. It turned out to excellent.

Australia out for 60

I checked the cricket score on the internet. Unbelievable.

Heading towards Lake Geneva

I was bit slow getting started the next morning.

At one point I was passed by women on an electric bicycle. She slowed down for chat. She told that she was heading to Lausanne. She told that she lived in Zurich and was having a weekend ride.

We ended up riding together for the remainer of the day. I was extremely hot. Just short of a town called Fully, my fellow cyclist spotted a sign to a hotel and campsite. We checked in out.

The place turned out to fantastic. It has good pool, restaurant and shop.

I decide to stay two nights.

Flickr Link

https://flic.kr/s/aHskh6cdYi

Garmin Links

Over the Furka Pass

https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/856927267

South of Brig

https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/856927331

To Near Fully

https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/857977586

Link to You Tube Goldfinger Clip

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3RdK51Igeqc

On the Sunday I spent some time in the tourist office. A very nice girl was interested in my trip. She told me that she was s cyclists and gave me a map of the cycle routes in the area.

The Eurovelo Route 5 that brought me into town along the canal, heads west after Colmar. The other option to stay on the canal. I decide to take the Route 5.

The route follows small farm roads through vineyards overlooking the river valley below.

Stop for dessert

I stopped for lunch at about 1.50 p.m. This was too late for a full meal. All I was able to order was dessert, a very large cheesecake.

I passed a WW1 on the Vieil Armand battlefield. This yet another place where thousands of lives were lost. This time all the soldiers that were killed were French and Germans.

Into Mulhouse

The route took me into a city called Mulhouse. It is a fairly drab place. As usual it was difficult to find the cycle route leaving the city.

I had to ask people a number of times how to get to the canal and the cycle path.

On the canal path

After leaving Mulhouse I was back on the cycle path that follows the canal. It was quite late and I had been in the saddle for over seven hours. I expected to find campsites on the canal. I knew that there was one in Huningue, however I was more than happy to stop if there was one before then.

As it turned out, there was no place to stay before Huningue.

Camping at Petite Port

My trip is vaguely following the route taken by an English bloke who rode from Canterbury to Rome. He stopped in Huningue and stayed at the Petite Port camping ground. He described it as “being a favourite place for cyclists and kayakers”. He was right, the place was full of cyclists – mainly Dutch as usual- people that kayak down the Rhine.

He also described the experience of having to cross the Rhine into Germany to buy anything. There is huge shopping centre just over the bridge in Germany. It would appear that the shops in France have given up.

I decided to stay in Huningue for the day. I took the opportunity to cross into Germany for a haircut. I was allocated a very young girl to do the cut. I am certain that I must have been one of her first, if not the first, paying customer she had. A number of customers came and went as she cut my hair. She also took the opportunity to practice her English, which she told me was “very important to be proficient at”.

As it turned out, I think she did a very good job. I am not sure if the owner on the shop would have made any money out of the cut.

Kayaking

In the afternoon I when for a walk on the canal that runs off the Rhine. Next to the canal there is stream that has very fast flowing water. There were a lot people kayaking and using small ‘body board’ type floating things. I looked like heaps of fun.

Train to Andermatt

I had done a bit of research into the cycling options in Switzerland. There are four main National Cycling Routes. One goes from Basel to Andermatt. This follows the Rhine.

The one which is generally thought to be the best route is the Route 1 that follows that Rhone from Andermatt to Geneva.

I decided to take the train to Andermatt. In the morning I packed up and headed across the Swiss border into Basle and the caught the first leg of the train journey to Andermatt.

Flickr Link

https://flic.kr/s/aHskhsS4of

Garmin Link

https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/853471295

I got a bit lost leaving Strasbourg. The cycle route is known as the Rhine Route, but actually follows that canal that is surprising far from the river.

I rode through some industrial areas on arterial road that were next to the main highway. There were a number of very scantily dresses ladies, young and old on the road – an interest place to pick up business.

Finally on the Canal

I finally found the canal and the cycle track.

It was a straight forward route to Colmar.

The campsite was easy to find being at the end of the canal.

Quiet Night

Colmar is a very popular tourist town. I headed off looking for place to eat. It was surprisingly quiet for a Saturday night. I ended up eating in an Italian restaurant.

Long Lunch

I decided to stay the day in Colmar. I walked back into the town and had a very long lunch of mussels and beer, reading and listening to podcasts.

Flickr Link

https://flic.kr/s/aHskgSzcLS

Garmin Link

https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/850968794

Canterbury to Rome Day 17 to 19 – to Nancy and on to Strasbourg

It was after 2.00 p.m. on Sunday when I finally left Metz. I had to wait until after 10 before any of the cafes opened. I then had a long breakfast which seemed to merge into lunch. I took advantage of reasonable internet speeding in the café to upload some photos and videos. I so miss that high speed internet that I experienced in South Korea and the beginning of the year.

Canal

I left Metz following a canal. I am not sure if it was the right route, but it seemed to work okay.

After a while I was back in the Moselle proper.

On highway

This went all very well until I was passed a town called Pont a Mousson. I was following cycling signs when suddenly I found myself on a main highway that turned into a motorway.

I couldn’t find any way of getting off the road. At one point a van stopped. It appeared to be some sort of road maintenance van and the driver started yelling at me in French. He was clearly telling me that I should not be on the road. I told him in English that I “didn’t want to be on his F%&*ing road” and pointed to the river. I think he understood where I wanted to be and drove off.

Campsite

The girl at the reception of the campsite in Metz had written down that address of a campsite just north of Nancy. It took a bit of finding.

As I was checking in the Russian bloke arrived. He had left Metz a long time before me. He told me that most of the trail he took from Pont a Mousson was dirty track. I had obviously missed a sign.

As I was setting up my tent I got into conversation with a Dutch bloke who was erecting a huge tent next door. He hold me that he probably over done the tent given it was only for him, his wife and two small twins. It was so big I think he should be paying land tax.

Ride into Nancy

I was about a 20 klm ride into Nancy the next morning.

Nancy has a really impressive Square. I had a really good meal in a restaurant on the square.

Train to Strasbourg

After lunch I head to the railway station to buy ticket for the short ride to Strasbourg.

Hostel

I had booked into a hostel on the Rhine River. It turned out to be about 6 klms from the centre of Strasbourg.

Walk into Germany

I asked the English girl who was working on the reception where the nearest shops were. She told that the nearest shop was over the river in Germany.

I guess that is often the case in border areas, but it does sound a bit funny when you are advised to walk into another country to buy a tube of toothpaste and a beer.

Flickr Link

https://www.flickr.com/gp/twwilko_photos/J2YG60

Garmin Links

To Liverdun

https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/845424145

Into Nancy

https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/846498726

Strasbourg

https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/846498750

After a couple of days in Luxembourg, it was time to head south.

As I was packing up a fellow cyclists introduced himself. He turned out to be a Russian who had emigrated to Gothenburg in Sweden. He said he was heading south and asked if he could ride with me.

Heading east to the Moselle

We initially headed east towards the Moselle. I had a ‘velo’ map that I had picked up at the Tourist Information shop. The Russian bloke had a map on his iPad. Notwithstanding we had two maps, we managed to get a bit lost. At one point we found ourselves in a wheat field.

Finally getting to the river

We final hit the river and turned south. As we were looking a sign showing the bike path, another cyclists stopped. He was told us that he was from a small village near Luxembourg and had just returned from living in Melbourne for over a year. He had been working in a bike shop that sold Specialized bikes and was very keen to get back to Melbourne on a permanent basis.

Big barges and industry

The river path passed through some very picturesque farm land, but also passed some heavy industry. Some of the barges that we passed were huge.

There are a lot weirs on this stretch of the river. In reality, the river is a series of lakes. The barges have to pass through canals and locks to pass from one lake to the next.

Into Metz

It was late in the afternoon when we arrived in Metz. The Municipal campsite is located right on the river close to the centre of the town.

Good pub

We found a good pub selling craft beers.

Metz is Nice Place

The weather the next day was bit ordinary. I decided to stay put Metz.

Flickr Link

https://flic.kr/s/aHskgTWgZR

Garmin Link

https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/843617886

I woke up very early in Charleville so I would be on time to catch the train to Luxembourg. The first leg of the trip was on a local train to Metz.

German Cyclist

In Metz, I changed trains and boarded a TGV. Another cyclist helped me load my bike and panniers on board.

He turned out to be a recently retired German. He told me that he was doing the St Michael’s Way, which is one of the ‘Pilgrim Trails’ from northern Europe into Spain. His plan was to do the whole trip in number of 20 to 30 days steps. He rides for those sorts of periods and “heads home to the wife”. After a couple of months he heads back to where he was up to and the does another 20 to 30 days. He told me that he wasn’t too sure how he will go in the middle of winter.

Arriving in Luxembourg

I arrived in Luxembourg before mid-day.

I had found a camp site of the internet which was about 6 klms from the city. When I arrived, the office was open, however the woman manning the place told me she was closing. I told her that I would come back. She said “no, you need to check in now”. I got the distinct impression that she could have been Basil Faulty’s long lost sister.

As I completed the check in process a couple arrived on bikes. She told them that she was closing, but also made them check-in there and then.

Couple turned out to be Dutch, which was hardly surprising. They were head to Metz down the Moselle that next day. They confirmed that it is really good ride.

Staying a Day in Luxembourg City

I decided to stay a full day to have a look around. I took that bus into the central part of the city. The languages being spoken were confusing. I had expected everyone to be speaking French. I was not aware that Luxembourg has its own language which is very close to German. Check out the link below.

Luxembourg City is a seriously wealthy place. Just walking around that wealth of the place, the wealth is palpable – much the same as it is in Mayfair, the Upper East Side of New York or in Toorak and South Yarra.

The ‘old’ part of the city is full of very up market shop and trendy cafés and restaurants.

Strange Language

http://www.bbc.co.uk/languages/european_languages/languages/luxembourgish.shtml

Flickr Link

https://www.flickr.com/gp/twwilko_photos/W208a0

Garmin Link

https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/841139014

Canterbury to Rome Day 14 – to Charleville -Mézières

It was a very nice day when I woke up in Montherme. This was spoilt when I dislodged a filling in a tooth while flossing. It must have disturbed the nerve as it was very sore.

Heading on to Charleville -Mézières

I packed up and headed on down the river to Charleville.

I had got it into my head that it would be easier to get the tooth fixed in Luxembourg. I headed to the railway station the buy a ticket for the train. As it turned out, there was no space available for the bike.

As I was discussing options with the SNCF bloke, I told him that I need a dentist. He told me that his dentist was not too far away and wrote down his details. He also sorted out a ticket to Luxembourg via Metz for the next day.

Tooth Fixed

It took me a bit of time to find the dentist. I pressed the bell on the door. I nurse appeared wearing a face mask. I told her that I “needed to see a dentist”. She clearly didn’t speak English. I pointed to the missing filling in my mouth. She motioned for me to come inside. This involved unloading the panniers off the bike.

Almost immediately I was taken into the dentist’s surgery. He spoke very good English and asked me what the problem was. He had quick look in my mouth and said “I can fix that, I just need you details”.

I gave him my British Passport. He asked if I was related to Jonny Wilkinson. I told him that I wasn’t, but the mere fact that I had the same surname seemed to be in my favour. This bloke seemed to be big rugby fan and we talked about the forthcoming RWC.

The procedure cost me EUR 33.74. This is less a quarter of what my Sydney dentist would charge. I am not sure if French dentists also get paid by the government. If they don’t, they are not going to be able to afford multi-million dollar houses in Mosman anytime soon.

Camp site near the river

With my tooth fixed I rode to the camp site very close to the centre of the city.

It was a short walk back across the Meuse River back into town for a meal. I found a really good restaurant just of the main square.

Flickr Link

https://flic.kr/s/aHskdak2yb

Garmin Link

https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/840160660

When I awoke in the morning it was raining. The woman in the Tourist Office was right about the weather.

The Dutch bloke had left. I hope his feet heal.

I headed into town for a coffee and croissant. In the café I meet a Dutch couple riding to Paris to see the end of the Tour de France. I am sure Holland must be empty this time of the year.

Down the river Meuse

I was on the Meuse River. I had read that this is one of the best cycle routes in this part of France. What I had read was correct.

The trail basically followed the river on dedicated cycle paths or small roads.

I passed through a couple nice little towns.

Meeting Blokes from Seattle

I stopped in Furmay for lunch. I got into conversation with three blokes from Seattle who were riding from Amsterdam to Paris.

We ended up riding together as I headed south.  I had a couple interesting chats with the blokes as we rode along. I like Seattle and like to speak to people that live and work there.

They were stopping in a small town called Montherme. It looked pretty good. I stopped by the Tourist Office to ask about accommodation. The woman in the office said that the camping site was very good. She was right.

I set up my tent and headed into town for a meal. Unfortunately the two restaurants   were ‘complete’ – that is full.

Cheap Meal

I ended up buying a salad and bottle of wine from a supermarket and headed back to the campsite.

I got into a conservation with a Scottish couple while I was having my meal. They thought I was “sensible buying a salad from the supermarket (rather than eating in restaurant), as French cooking isn’t very good”.

I like Scotland, however if there were any two countries that were at the opposite end of the continuum with respect to standards of restaurant cooking, it would be France and Scotland. I have to say Scotland is definitely at the crap end of the continuum.

Apart from their rather curious view on food, the couple had some interesting things to say about Scotland and its relationship with the rest of the UK.

Flickr Link

https://www.flickr.com/gp/twwilko_photos/1Ti0Ba

Garmin Link

https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/839191694