Day 35 Royan to Surgeres

Day 35. Royan to Surgeres. 76.28kms cycled. 4.26 hours cycling. 38.78 km/h max speed. 17.14 km/h average speed. Weather – overcast, raining and cold.

I just love how the French get their priorities right. It’s Sunday here today – gee the weeks are flying by – and as usual everything is shut … except every patisserie/boulangerie in France.

  Over the course of the day I had good reason to visit three in different villages and on each occasion had to wait in a queue to be served. Alright, if you really must know, two were to buy baguettes and the other to get my daily rich custard slice - just the thought of them gets me pedalling harder.

  The first stop for a breakfast baguette was in a small village not long after leaving Royan, and the second about three hours later, but it was the third that had me laughing to myself.

  Technically it wasn’t a shop at all. With rain persisting just about all day, I stopped in a bus shelter for a rest and a break from the drizzling rain.

  Next thing I know a small van pulls up right next to me and the lady starts honking the horn. Before you know it people just appeared from everywhere and started queuing for her baked goodies.

  Not one to miss out, I joined the queue. It was one of those moments that I wished someone else was there with me to take a photograph.

  There I was with about 8 or 9 ladies and elderly men all eagerly waiting to get their baguettes.

  To say that I must have stood out was an understatement with my bright red rainbird waterproof jacket and waterproof cycling pants on, plus two supermarket bags over my shoes to stop my feet from getting wet.

  The lady behind me engaged me in an animated conversation after I greeted her with a bonjour. She must have thought I was French, so started talking about goodness knows what with me just trying to nod at what I thought were the appropriate moments.

  She only stopped talking when it was my turn to be served after which I said goodbye with a very pleasant au revoir and we parted the best of friends.

  I think I laughed to myself for the next 10 or so kilometres. It was definitely one of those moments that make a trip like this all the more memorable.

  I must admit though, that it was one of the high points in what was otherwise a very miserable day weather-wise. Heavy rain persisted all night, but I was determined to press on rain or no rain.

  With major freeways that don’t allow bikes on them seemingly everywhere in this part of France, the day was spent zigzagging across the countryside. But considering the terrible weather conditions I was much happier on the small country roads than out in the French amateur grand prix anyway.

  My day finished in Surgeres, a quaint village with a very historic cathedral and old palace as the central feature which I wandered around after setting up my tent in the local campground.

  If it doesn’t rain again – which it is threatening to do – I intend to go out to what looked like a nice restaurant in town for dinner. 

I have also just realised that it is day 35 ... the 1/2 way mark of my cycling adventure. A milestone indeed!!!!!!!!!!!!!

captions. Pic 1: One of the few good sights on a very blreak day. Pic 2: And they even had fllowers over the bridge. Pics 4&5: The old church and palace in Surgeres