Travelogue#
After a fairly decent night, I set off on today’s stage at 8 a.m. It was still pleasantly cool in the morning, but that changed throughout the day as temperatures climbed to a scorching 38°C. The route initially followed the Loire for several kilometers, and I particularly enjoyed the villages of Cunault and Le Thoureil.
After that, the character of the route changed, taking me mostly through scenic countryside further away from the Loire.
Today’s highlight was the Trélazé area. First, you have to cross a small river using a hand-pulled ferry. At first, I was completely clueless about how it worked, but fortunately two cyclists on the opposite bank used the ferry, allowing me to figure out what I was supposed to do. Afterwards, the route winds through a former slate-mining area. The vegetation and landscape look completely different here—a fantastic change of scenery!
In Angers, I stopped for an early lunch break at McDonald’s. Unfortunately, I didn’t have time to explore much more of the city. Angers must be the sports capital of the country. I’ve never seen so many people jogging and cycling in one place. For about 20 km around the city, everything seems to be one huge recreational area, with countless trails, parks, and stretches along the Loire. And seemingly everyone here is doing some kind of sport.
The route continued mainly on gravel paths, and by the end of the day I was absolutely covered in dust.
Even on the remaining kilometers, the Loire rarely came into view. Most of the route stayed some distance away from the river. After 128 hot and dusty kilometers, I was happy to arrive at the municipal campsite in Oudon.
Pictures#
