| Day 1 - Basel -> Vichy | Day 2 - Vichy | Day 3 - Thiézac | Day 4 - Sarlat-la-Canéda | Day 5 - La Grande Côte (Coast) |
| Day 6 - Rigny-Ussé | Day 7 - Cosne-Cours-s/Loire | Day 8 - Cosne-Cours-s/Loire | Day 9 - Riel-les-Eaux | Day 10 - Montbéliard |
May 24 – June 3, 2025
Saturday
Basel -> Vichy
Map Link
We weren’t able to leave Basel until almost noon, as our cat sitters had a late arrival (plus, we really like them and wanted to catch up with them for a bit!). When we finally did hit the road, we were on our way to France for the next 10 days. We had very few rules:
1. No toll roads
2. No motorways
3. Short riding days
The first day we broke Rule #3 and it took us about seven hours to reach our destination. There wasn’t much to mention from that first day, as the roads we were on weren’t the most interesting. It was chilly, grey and we took a lot of breaks to make it more comfortable.
When we finally reached Vichy and found our hotel, Hôtel Trianon, we were quick to unload and park the bikes, and change into more comfortable walking clothes. The hotel’s host was a friendly, talkative, guy and he made many, many (many!) recommendations. Too many for the short time we’d be here. But we listened and took them under advisement.
The first thing we noticed in Vicha was the sheer amount of construction, both private and public sector. Parks were being rebuilt, public buildings renovated, apartment building repaired – it was a bustling hive of activity. It would be interesting to come back in five years and see the results. Hmmm – a plan for a future ride, perhaps?
As it was already late in the day, we found a place for dinner nearby, L’opportun, and enjoyed a pleasant meal. Afterwards we stretched our legs and explored more. That is the beauty of traveling this time of year: the days are long.
I found it oddly difficult to orient myself in this city. Usually I have a pretty good sense of “the hotel is that way” or “the water is over there” but no, not here. After dinner Dan and I wandered around, mostly aimlessly, and with the occasional reference to the maps on our phones.
Our room was “ok” – clean, but clearly not part of the renovation process that the owner had told us about. Despite being a non-smoking hotel, the carpet held on to the stench of smokers from its previous life. Fortunately the windows opened and we could get some good, fresh air into the room. It had been a long day, and tomorrow held no plans at all.