Week Two
Day 8
In preparing for a 1,000 mile bike ride I had naturally tried to get fitter and then somewhat belatedly realised I needed to learn how to ride a bike. Yes, learn how to ride a bike. The proper way to get on a bike, how to more easily get a tire off to repair a punctured inner tube, and how to descend safely downhill are all areas I found myself learning more about. I was surprised at how little I knew. Some of the advice was clear and some required further research such as this pithy one-liner which stuck and is from 1001 Cycling Tips by Hannah Reynolds who also co-authored France En Velo.
"Regardless of genitalia don't mix up your lubrication with your embrocation."
My translation and unpacking of this is as follows. Whether you are male or female, if you are cycling long distances you will want to use padded cycling shorts (or bib shorts which have built-in braces) and if using these you need to go commando (wear no underwear which will increase the risk of chaffing). An optional step is to use a chamois cream smeared over any and every part of the body that comes into contact with the saddle so it is helpful to do this at home where you might have some privacy. The chamois cream creates a barrier, lubricates, eases chaffing and protects you from saddle sores which can develop into broken skin and be very painful. Embrocation on the other hand is a cream that can be used to relieved sore muscles or stimulate blood flow to cold extremities like feet; it is basically an irritant on the skin that causes blood to flow to the effected area. So no, don't smear deep heat on your undercarriage.
My solution took any risks out completely. Carefully selected underwear and a casual pair of shorts designed for cycling with the seams relocated to help avoid problems. Oh, and at 40 miles a day I am not doing long distances in cycling terms.
As I may have mentioned, today was long after 7 days of continual cycling. I ventured up to the pink granite coast after Fulbert (pronounced fool-bear, and my host last night) got the maps out in the morning and recommended Ploumanac'h as a good place to see the granite coast. I would pass close if I took my original route so that sealed the deal on today's route.
I am proud that I managed today's ride well, and by this I mean I was generally efficient and went slowly up hill, wound up the pace on the flat and the gentle descents, and free-wheeled the real descents. I managed to do some - though not enough - general back and shoulder stretches on the bike.
One element that kept me going was the support from other cyclists. The first today was passing someone who literally doffed his (cycling) hat by touching the brim of his sun peak as a way of saying "chapeau"; in cycling terminology this means "hats off to you". The second piece of support today after a fraught entrance into Lannion was the "barp barp" sound of a bike horn and two French cyclists I had spoken to a couple of days previously calling out to me. The third and best was when I must have been showing some fatigue. A cyclist coming from the other direction shouted "allez! allez!" meaning "go! go!". As I may have said, the French are a helpful and friendly bunch like today's campsite assistant who phoned to check restaurant availability and made a reservation for me. No campsite pasta for me tonight.
Putting my endeavours into context, the current holder of the round the world cycling record was averaging 100 miles a day over 18,000 miles and this in difficult environments and carrying far more kit than me. He wasn't even really a cyclist. Yes, he enjoyed cycling and had completed some expeditions such as Lands End to John O'Groats (LEJOG) but he wasn't from the pro peloton. His name is Mark Beaumont and worth looking up if you like inspirational people. He later repeated this attempt as a supported venture and completed the 18,000 miles on an astonishing 80 days (78 days 14 hours and 40 minutes to be precise).
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| Typical spire of Northern Brittany |
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| A tourist forced me |
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| Ploumanac'h with its pink granite |
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| Dolmen |
Day 9
Breakfast was brought to my emplacement at the campsite. Delicious!
It is Sunday and already two cycling groups have sped through in tight bunches with mostly matching club strips. Bunch riding is a skill in itself and has it's own set of rules and hand signals so the current leader (they rotate frequently to share the work of pushing through the air) can brief those behind on turnings, potholes and the like.
This is the typical view from a village boulangerie including the small Calvary outside the church.
I thought I might eventually catch up with those vintage cars and sure enough I did. The collection included a Citroën 2CV but as the design of this car never changed they are hard to date by a novice like me. I'd had my doubts about the Morris Minor and it turned out to be a Renault; the front of a Morris Minor and the rear of a VW Beetle which kind if works.
This morning I woke to an especially loud morning chorus, trees rustling in a gentle breeze, and the sound of the sea; waves breaking on the granite rocks. I woke at 6am which is usual though today was planned to be a relaxed start. I had an early first breakfast of pasta in a peculiar sauce; the best I could do with the rations I had left though good to have something hot. Given my relaxed start I had also arranged for a small basket of breakfast goodies and coffee to be brought to my emplacement (French for pitch) as mentioned above. It would have felt like glamping but the small basket couldn't fit in my coffin tent.
Though I sleep well in the tent and in the Chambres d'Hotes I wake up at 1pm then fall asleep at around 3pm. I don't feel hungry but it does feel as if my body has used the easily available energy and is in fat burning mode though I expect that is just wishful thinking on my part.
Today I tracked Euro Velo 4 (EV4) which itself tracks the granite coast and isn't on my 1910 tour but then dropped down to the town of Morlaix which very much is on the 1910 tour. I have 2 nights in Morlaix staying at a budget hotel to recharge power banks, clean some clothes and have a day to follow some of the 1910 tourist advice. The plan for day 10 is to ride out to a local church which has a notable Calvary; an open air depiction of the crucifixion. Cycling around Brittany many of the road junctions on the minor roads will have depictions of the crucifixion usually a cross 6 to 12 foot tall.
Towards the end of the day someone called out and it was the two French cyclists again. They stay in Morlaix as well though we will surely part ways as I have 2 nights in Morlaix and we then all leave the Euro Velo 4 route that had kept us together.
I haven't said much about the bike. Yesterday it received a few admiring glances - though I myself get no admiring glances - so much so that one German admirer was stirred to take a photo. Fulbert had appreciated my bike as well and I received some complementary homemade cider as a result as I was, in his words, a proper cyclist. And of course the bike is doing a fantastic job of getting me up those hills and along though woodland paths.
It is Sunday night and I am grateful for my double breakfast as being Sunday night everything is closed.
Day 10
It took a while for me to even guess at the double naming I have observed but I am guessing the top is French and underneath Breton. In Galicia, Spain, they give the same double naming but, stubborn as the Galicians are, the Galician version comes first. The Breton language is being promoted and the different areas of Brittany are awarded a grade based on how well supported the Breton language is.
Calvaries are found all over Brittany from simple ones at road junctions to more sophisticated depictions outside churches.
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| The Calvary at Saint Thegonnec |
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| The Ossuary at Saint Thegonnec |
Not the typical view of a French chateau. Must try the Loire-Atlantique valley for those. Though this medieval castle was used from the 13th to the 15th century. I'd planned to come but couldn't find it precisely so swung this way just in case. Et voila!
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| Chateau de Penhoat |
The old Morlaix to Roscoff line; not currently in use though there is a good bus service which costs £2.22 one-way and takes 40 minutes. If you look at the rail map of 1910 in a later post you will see it is what in the UK would be called a branch line.
What with the cycling and everything I don't have much time for in-depth analysis of the changes that have taken place over the last 122 years. Before I left for this trip someone pointed out that two world wars had taken place since 1910 which may have had an impact. I suspect that as the Western front in WW1 was further north and east of Brittany I wouldn't see many significant changes due to war; it's hard to imagine but some parts of France are still no-go zones due to the toxic residue from the sheer volume of bombs that rained down. If you look at central London on a well known street like Oxford Street you can hazard a guess at where the damage was done by observing the the architecture; pre-1900s or post-1950 re-builds.
Anyway, the Cook's guide describes the viaduct that looms over the river port by the number of tiers and arches per tier in feet, the viaduct is very much still present though variously described in meters these days. In 1910 there was a footway between the arches (along the top of the lower arch) and this is still open. The viaduct currently carries the tracks for the Paris to Brest railway and as a supply line in WW2 an attempt was made to cut the supply line by the allies in 1943. Luckily minimal damage was done.
The main old town is in the medieval style (well it would be as it's medieval) and the town is served by major roads and an out of town commercial area with a mini-mall, decathlon, budget hotels and similar services to modern living.
Anyway, the Cook's guide describes the viaduct that looms over the river port by the number of tiers and arches per tier in feet, the viaduct is very much still present though variously described in meters these days. In 1910 there was a footway between the arches (along the top of the lower arch) and this is still open. The viaduct currently carries the tracks for the Paris to Brest railway and as a supply line in WW2 an attempt was made to cut the supply line by the allies in 1943. Luckily minimal damage was done.
The main old town is in the medieval style (well it would be as it's medieval) and the town is served by major roads and an out of town commercial area with a mini-mall, decathlon, budget hotels and similar services to modern living.
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| Morlaix |
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| Morlaix viaduct |
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| Railways in 1910 |
Switching abruptly from trains to cycles, the double chevron painted on the road is new to me and turns a serviceable two-car wide road onto a one-car wide road with cycle lanes either side. The onus is then on motorists to first and foremost avoid cyclists and then as a later consideration avoid a head on collision with any oncoming cars.
On an open road with just me, a car approaching from behind will indicate to overtake then take a wide berth. Whenever I have pulled over to let traffic through I have always received a thank you hands up. France is a joy to cycle in.
With only 25 miles to cover, no tent to carry, and a relaxed ride today was very much a designated rest day and I think I needed it. I did Morlaix old town after a delightful ride and walked the viaduct on the top of the first story of this two story bridge. Finishing the day in the shopping mall near my hotel for hot chocolate and flan was a good way to reconnect with reality. Remember to ask for a chocolat chaud as chocolat gets you a pain au chocolate. Flan is a slice of a custard tart not too dissimilar to the Portuguese custard pastry (Pastéis de Nata).
I had two nights in a budget hotel in the outskirts of Morlaix which worked well for access to a shopping centre and easy exit for a day ride but the hotel was somewhat grim and being out of central Morlaix I didn't really get to appreciate the town. The hotel itself has limited reception hours so you use a touchscreen to register yourself and you get issued a ticket with the keycode to your room. Useful as it let me stow the bike in my room with no questions asked.
Day 11
It's not all about the bike.
Okay, for some people it is, like the writer Robert Penn who set out to have his dream bike built as he sets out in his book "It's all about the bike"; though I expect like others who are serious about cycling it is more about getting on a bike, in fact any bike, for going to the shops, work, leisure, racing, or like my current trip just for the joy of travel and travelling by bike. There is the story of the woman who went to her local bike shop for some pedals and asked for some basic flats (the ones that come supplied with most bikes and are a flat base for the foot with no clips, cages or cleat mechanism). She was advised by the shop's expert to buy the cleated variety to which she replied "Oh yes, I used them during the Olympics I competed in last year, but I still want flats for going to the shops".
It's not about the best but what is the best for you in a given situation. For many novices the test of a bike is it's weight. They will pick a bike up to feel its weight and that is their measure. Light is good, heavy is bad. In Holland it is much more about utility though being a flat country helps. Unless you are a lean machine professional cyclist with zero body fat then the best way to reduce the weight of your setup is to, well, I think you get the point.
For my current bike, and I've not owned many, I did the bike fit thing where they measure you up, sit you on a 'jig' and select the right bike frame size and additionally size some of the components that affect your riding position. Perhaps the biggest benefit was that the bike shop had more than just small, medium and large frame sizes to choose from. I am very pleased with the fit of my bike and haven't found it necessary to change the settings or any components such as stem length. However, as I hadn't cycled for the 15 years to 2021 I have had to put in the work and miles to let my body adapt to cycling generally and to my new bike more specifically. If you picture the extremes of an upright riding position and the velodrome rider's horizontal back position, then for touring you are typically in a 45 degree lent forward relaxed position. The bike itself will have a relaxed geometry in the frame angles and forks. You can go lower on the drops to get out of that awful headwind or sit more upright to take the pressure off your upper back and shoulders for a while on a five hour ride. It took less than a day for the bike mechanic to build and ADJUST the bike for me but it has taken much longer for me to ADAPT my body though I'm nearly there. It was the plants woman Beth Chato (1923 - 2018) who coined the phrase "right plant right place". My Condor Heritage bike has certainly proven to be the right bike for the place that is France.
Following the Voies Vertes (and EV1) I have inadvertently been following the old railway that linked Morlaix to Carhaix, my destination for tonight.
Today I passed two caravans with each pulled by one horse, one was stationary and the other I had to pull to the side to let them pass.
This train wouldn't have been pulling those 1910 tourists as it wasn't built until 1913 but something similar would have plied the Morlaix to Carhaix line that I cycled today.
It was rewarding to be actually cycling in the tracks of my 1910 guide as I was riding on the old railway embankment now part of France's Voies Vertes (Greenways) and part of Euro Velo 1. I also took a diversion to Huelgoat which is a relaxed town with a main square with eateries. In ordering a croque monsieur I had to repeat myself and realise I need to make more effort to speak up a bit after a number of hours cycling. I was a little worried about today given the distance and ascents but as the ascents were relaxed it was just a great day's ride.
Day 12
Today I do a circular route before a second night at the same campsite. Birds are singing and there is the promise of a glorious day cycling.
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| Beautiful morning |
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| The train theme is getting a bit silly |
I am crossing this canal while cycling on the V7 on my way to Gourin for lunch. Tomorrow I will start following this canal for two days with all its meandering to Chateaulin via Chateauneuf-du-Faou. Though my 1910 guide doesn't mention using the canal, there are plenty of recommendations to take steamers along the major Rivers that cut inland (or flow out to the sea) to ports such as Morlaix or Dinan.
In Rick Stein's TV series on France the premise of this enterprise was asking whether French food is as good now as it used to be. I suspect this is the wrong question to be asking. And of course nostalgia teaches us that things were always better in the olden days. If you want to get an idea of France's relationship with food then sit outside a boulangerie and watch the world go by; or rather watch the whole world visit the boulangerie. The boulangerie may have a patisserie and even a café tabac attached and what you will see is a constant stream of people buying fresh bread for the next meal and many will be nibbling the end of the baguette as they leave the boulangerie.
On my first morning in Morlaix I was out of town in the commercial district and even there it was a 5 minute walk to a good boulangerie where I bought bread, croissant and a tub of salad for lunch. A French boulangerie/patisserie selling salad, c'est incroyable! When I arrived at 7:15am there was already that familiar stream of customers. Because of its end of terrace location this boulangerie also had a drive-through hatch; I've seen this innovative idea before.
In Carhaix-Plouguer there was another picture of French food, or rather the food available in France. Kebab shops selling Turkish and Greek dishes, Pizzerias and, in Brittany at least, the ubiquitous Creperie. The only restaurant that looked appetising was complete, full.
Korean food has found its way to France and on a day out to Gourin I had a Korean takeaway for lunch. Some very good spring rolls, good rice and a well cooked prawn curry though all lacking any Korean spicing or chilli heat; at least I got some vegetables.
One of the wins of this trip is that the boulangerie usually has a patisserie, often sells coffee and may have inside seating. Coffee and patisserie are a cyclists friend as the caffeine wakes you up, the sugar powers you up in the short term and the carbs keep you going to the end of the ride. It's tough keeping the body fuelled but it has to be done to avoid the dreaded bonk where your body runs out of usable fuel. The photo shows the traditional paris-brest, which is said to have been created in celebration of the Paris-Brest cycle race, and what the French call a crumble which is pastry, apple and a crumble topping. I don't normally double up on patisserie but did it this time for research reasons.
On my first morning in Morlaix I was out of town in the commercial district and even there it was a 5 minute walk to a good boulangerie where I bought bread, croissant and a tub of salad for lunch. A French boulangerie/patisserie selling salad, c'est incroyable! When I arrived at 7:15am there was already that familiar stream of customers. Because of its end of terrace location this boulangerie also had a drive-through hatch; I've seen this innovative idea before.
In Carhaix-Plouguer there was another picture of French food, or rather the food available in France. Kebab shops selling Turkish and Greek dishes, Pizzerias and, in Brittany at least, the ubiquitous Creperie. The only restaurant that looked appetising was complete, full.
Korean food has found its way to France and on a day out to Gourin I had a Korean takeaway for lunch. Some very good spring rolls, good rice and a well cooked prawn curry though all lacking any Korean spicing or chilli heat; at least I got some vegetables.
One of the wins of this trip is that the boulangerie usually has a patisserie, often sells coffee and may have inside seating. Coffee and patisserie are a cyclists friend as the caffeine wakes you up, the sugar powers you up in the short term and the carbs keep you going to the end of the ride. It's tough keeping the body fuelled but it has to be done to avoid the dreaded bonk where your body runs out of usable fuel. The photo shows the traditional paris-brest, which is said to have been created in celebration of the Paris-Brest cycle race, and what the French call a crumble which is pastry, apple and a crumble topping. I don't normally double up on patisserie but did it this time for research reasons.
Having spent yesterday and today travelling the railway line as they did in 1910 it is worth contemplating some of the practicalities of travel in 1910. The reasons for travel were much the same as today, the beach, bathing, scenery, churches, and architecture in general. In 1910 some of the locals would still be wearing traditional dress though this was already giving way to more modern and practical clothing. The routes across to Normandy and Brittany were as they are today with the short Dover to Calais route, Newhaven to Dieppe but with routes to the more southerly Normandy ports and St Malo in Brittany going from Southampton and not nearby Portsmouth as they do now. Looking at my entry point, St Malo, there were three steamers a week with sailing times dependant on the tide at St Malo; this isn't strange as St Malo has a big tidal range and the port wouldn't have been as developed. Even if we accept that the steamers were much smaller than today's ferries that is still alot of passengers.
The hotel coupons the Cook's sold follow today's BnB, half-board and full-board standard with some interesting options. Bedroom, lights and service are a given, a "meat breakfast" is 1 franc a day more than the non-meat option and then there are options for a hotel of the "Second Class" for the budget conscious and a "superior" class for those that can afford. It is clear that it isn't just the very wealthy that are travelling.
Had I been travelling in 1910 I would have paid duty on my bike on the way out at the rate of 2 fr. 20 c. per kilogram refunded if I brought the bike back out of France. In contrast to today in a post-brexit world where we have passports stamped again, British travellers didn't really need a passport other than as an identity document for receiving post, hotels and banks if required when in France. Customs required everything of interest to be declared even if you believed that you were in limit such as 10 cigars, and that was for men only.
1910 was active enough for THOS. COOK & SON to run an extensive business but new enough for Paris to be churning out rip-off merchandise such as fake old paintings and carvings to sell to gullible tourists along the coast. Today, much like parts of Britain, Brittany trades on its regional products to make an honest euro. Though be warned, the tourist hotspots on the coast can charge a premium.
Enough of that. I will be back on the trail following the main hotspots in my Cook's guide just not in such a literal sense as the last two days.
Day 13
The canal path, or to give it's full title, Chemin de haulage du Canal du Nantes a Brest. Haulage path of the Nantes to Brest canal.
We saw back in Morlaix how in WW2 the allies worked to disrupt existing supply lines; in Morlaix it was the viaduct carrying the railway to the port of Roscoff that was bombed in 1943.
In the early 1800s when Bonaparte (I am guessing the first) was at war with England and one of his problems was a lack of supply due to a lack of supply infrastructure. My 1910 railway hadn't been conceived of then. So, he commissioned the Nantes to Brest canal to help get supplies out the the coast to fuel his war. The canal then continued to be used to move produce around Brittany until the railway overtook it towards the end of the 1800s.
I should point out that I am not a mine of information but I can find and mine the numerous information boards dotted around my route. As an example, I was delighted to come across the home of the post-impressionist painter Paul Serusier when I stayed at Chateauneuf-du-Faou as it gave me the opportunity to learn something new. This famous artist even had a trail laid out in his honour. He joined an artists colony in Pont-Aven which I visit later in the tour.
I digress, but with reason, the street map shows Place de la Resistance and the Rue de la Liberation which would have been named after WW2 as a mark of regained independence. See also the Rue de la Marie (town hall) as every small town will its local administration including, for me, running the local municipal campsite.
I am not superstitious because I believe being superstitious brings back luck. However, in starting this update at 5:30am from my tent I did wonder what the day would bring; it being the 13th day of this expedition. I moved on from Carhaix-Plouguer today and after an unpromising start I must say I found the town and it's municipal campsite very pleasing. Last night taking time for a walk around the paths in the valley in which the campsite is situated brought home just how beautiful the area is. I then cycled up-hill into town and ate at a creperie; a very good potato, rublochon and bacon buckwheat pancake (galette) with a small (OK large) pichet of red wine before an effortless down-hill ride back to basecamp. As is common the paper place setting mat served as the menu. On one side pancakes and the other pizzas. The pizza toppings covered all bases starting with margarita then straight off into a world of kebab, Spanish, French and Italian toppings. I'd worried about French opening times and here is my guide:
- 7pm opening time and everywhere is empty so nowhere looks popular
- 7;15pm I sit down in an empty restaurant
- 7:30pm the first group comes in
- 7:45pm the place is complet and they are turning people away.
Hitting the Voies Vertes and eating out a bit more has been a pleasant change of pace as I approach the two-week mark, and then I know I'll be happy to get back onto the faster-paced black stuff.
One surprise today is that the canal is wide - perhaps it was originally a river - and another was that there is no river traffic. The locks are maintained but it is gloriously empty. Despite my fear of falling in the canal I enjoyed the relaxed pace but that also meant three hours of virtually continuous time on the bike eating a simple baguette breakfast on the go and this meant the shoulders got tight.
I had lunch at my destination, Châteauneuf-du-Faou, at a modern eatery that did what I assume is a modern take on the galette. Buckwheat America style pancake (like a large drop scone), spread with either tomato or crème fraiche like a pizza, then you choose your own topping. I used this as an opportunity to try the pigs intestine version of andouille. Thinly sliced like salami which hides the foods gutsy origins a little. Tasty in small doses though I doubt I will be searching for it in future.
Day 14
♭Another day, another destiny.
This never-ending road to ... Chateaulin.♯
OK, it's a never ending road to Calvary, which is where we get the word calvary meaning outdoor depiction of the crucifixion. I'll try and find a simple roadside example when I am back on the road. Sorry, but all that talk of French Revolutions yesterday got me fired up. Today I am on the canal for a second day and at only 30 miles on the flat it will be a useful recovery day.
The canal is a broad navigable river so the narrow locks have weirs at the side of them. The current provision of these mini dams will I expect help maintain a body and depth of water and so encourage fish. Certainly, though no canal boats, there are plenty of fishermen. Across the UK, such as Dovedale in the Peak District, the damming of large streams has been used by wealthy land owners to create opportunities for fishing much as grouse Moor is still managed to this day.
OK, it's a never ending road to Calvary, which is where we get the word calvary meaning outdoor depiction of the crucifixion. I'll try and find a simple roadside example when I am back on the road. Sorry, but all that talk of French Revolutions yesterday got me fired up. Today I am on the canal for a second day and at only 30 miles on the flat it will be a useful recovery day.
The canal is a broad navigable river so the narrow locks have weirs at the side of them. The current provision of these mini dams will I expect help maintain a body and depth of water and so encourage fish. Certainly, though no canal boats, there are plenty of fishermen. Across the UK, such as Dovedale in the Peak District, the damming of large streams has been used by wealthy land owners to create opportunities for fishing much as grouse Moor is still managed to this day.
As keen as my mind and legs are to cycle, my shoulders are sore today and I can only deduce that this is down to the uneven surface of the towpath. The legs have an easy time slowly revolving but my upper body is doing alot of work acting as shock absorbers.
So, I force myself to sit down at one of the many picnic benches which double as shelters from the rain, have a cup of coffee and do some stretches. It's cool and good to have a long hot drink rather than forcing down cold water. The burner and pan weigh very little so the only weight is in the fuel which for me is about 0.75Kg which will last me until I get re-supplied from the UK; France uses a different gas canister fitting standard. With modern stoves boiling a cup of water is as quick and easy as putting the kettle on.
Though I had followed the now defunct canal from Carhaix-Plouguer to Chateaulin via Chateauneuf-du-Fou, there was once a railway that connected these places though as ever on my voyage of discovery, I only found this out after cycling through these places. A good bike ride today and my 1910 guidebook wasn't wrong when it applauded the scenery with the navigable river (the canal) winding along a wooded valley.
The canal path is well maintained and there was evidence of recent and not so recent tree planting along the towpath to enhance the already picturesque landscape. Trees along roads and boulevards is common and is often attributed to the need to provide shade to the traveller. This is seldom the case as the wealthy landowners planted for the aesthetic, to improve on the picturesque; the shade came later as an added bonus.
It was an easy day, so much so that by the time I had made camp, gone back to town for provisions and was stood in queue waiting to pay that I suddenly felt quite drained having not eaten since breakfast. Lesson learnt.
Excellent campsite again with close mown grass on smooth ground though I think the showers are already set in summer mode, by which I mean not very hot.
Click here for week three.
