24th September (fine, windy, cool) 62 km

It was a warm night in the tent, despite the weather predictions so we didn’t have that great a sleep.  Plus, you do need to get a few kms under your belt so you’re suitably knackered enough to sleep on a 1 cm thick mat, and we’d only done 18.

Got up at 7.30am and I rugged myself up with several layers so I could sit on the outside bench to pick up the wifi and upload the blog.  Fortunately it was a great connection so I didn’t have to freeze for too long.  Pete made us a cup of tea and then we adjourned to the common room for breakfast.

Went and packed up the tent which had a lot of sand and silt through it but with the trusty little dustpan, we cleaned it all up and packed up a nice dry tent.  Fortunately it hadn’t rained at all during the night and the washing we had left out was almost dry by the time we left.

The behemoth awaits....

Battling the headwind again!

So we set off at 10.30am, shortly after Phil and Liz who had gone off in search of a Decathlon store.  Overnight the wind direction had changed, from southwest to northeast, so now we had to cross that gigantic bloody bridge into a headwind AGAIN!!  But at least it was at the beginning of the day, so not quite so soul destroying.

Conquered!!

Had a relatively easy ride into the city of La Rochelle along the cycle track and were pleasantly surprised by this port city.  It was extremely picturesque, once you’d got past the outskirts.  We had arranged to meet Phil and Liz by Tourist Info but as it happened, we met them down by the marina.  

Cycling into La Rochelle

We all had a takeaway coffee and Pete and I shared a curry chicken panini which was very nice.  Then we searched for the Tourist Info to find out what campgrounds were open further south, but they couldn’t tell us, so that was a bit of a waste of time. 

Anyway, we followed the Euro Velo 1 route south and happily anticipated the tailwind we should have all day.  However, it never seemed to eventuate.  It was a constant battle all day and only every now and then we enjoyed the benefits of a tailwind. 

We stopped for lunch at Chatelailon Plage where picnic aeas abounded.  But we needed one that was out of the wind, in the shade and preferably with a table and benches.  It took a little bit of searching but we did find a spot although we had to sit separately – which was probably for the best as Pete tends to eye up everything that’s being eaten like a vulture circling a carcass.

Ju, Pete, Elizabeth and Phil at La Rochelle

After lunch we were debating whetger to take the road or the beachside track as the signage had dried up at this critical point.  Opted for the beach and the track ran out about 200 metres along and the beach was rocky, so no option for taking the bikes across there.  In fact the whole coast today was disappointingly rocky with muddy looking water – no good for us but apparently the mussels and oysters love it, as there are plenty of farms round here.

This would have been lovely without the wind

Elizabeth negotiates a smaller bridge

A quick repair stop for Elizabeth's bike

It was here we met up with a couple of English guys in their 70’s who were cycling to the Spanish border.  We all cycled along together chatting for the most part until we got to Rochefort.  Every now and then we lost them when we got the tailwind and then they would catch us when we stopped for directions.  Reminded me of the tortoise and the hare story.  At Rochefort, they left us at the supermarket as they cycled to their hotel……..bastards.

We had set our sights on the municipal campground and hoped that it was open and were very relieved to find it was and it was only 7.50 euro per couple! Phil and Liz had set their tent up by the time we got there as I had very unwisely let Pete go into the supermarket unsupervised.  Not only did he take forever in there, we then had to pack the three kilos worth of stuff he bought. 

To our astonishment, Phil and Liz had left us the only blade of grass on the site.  We were torn – do we point out this obvious oversight, or just pitch the tent quick smart before they notice.  We opted for the latter, which was no easy task as the ground was like rock and quickly hid the grass from their view. Got showered and went and put all our cold stuff in the camp fridge and met another couple from NZ who have been touring for six months, as well as a Scottish couple they have been touring with for the last three days.  So we grabbed all our dinner provisions and went and joined them in the common room for a bit of a chat.

Elizabeth and Phil came over too and we sat outside at a table with them while we had dinner and started the blog.  However, it got cold very quickly so we didn’t stay up too late and went to bed about 9.30pm.  Uploaded the photos off the camera and hit the hay.