Travelogue#
The morning’s riding wasn’t particularly memorable. The route passed through La Rochelle and Rochefort, but I didn’t take the time to do any sightseeing.
In Rochefort, I left the EuroVelo 1 route. Partly to take a shortcut, but mainly because I wanted to cross the Charente on the famous transporter bridge.
Unfortunately, my timing was off, and I ended up waiting 90 minutes for the next crossing. I had no intention of taking the nearby road bridge, so I made the most of the delay and enjoyed a long break at the restaurant next to the ferry.
The crossing itself turned out to be rather uneventful and took less than five minutes.
Not long afterwards, the route became much more interesting. For several kilometres, it once again led through the marshlands that I love so much.
Near Marennes, it was time to tackle the bridge across the Seudre estuary. A steep climb and a serious amount of wind made it quite a challenge.
Another highlight were the endless kilometres through the shaded La Palmyre Forest, right alongside the sea and on beautifully smooth asphalt.
To finish the day, I made a poor decision. At Camping Côte de Beauté, I had found a great pitch in the shade—the campsite offered open pitch selection. Unfortunately, there were no shops nearby, and my sunburnt brain made an impulsive decision: I booked an Airbnb in the next town instead.
The Airbnb is awful. I should have simply ridden to the supermarket and back.
Pictures#
