Saturday 19th July, La Varenne to le Migron

We had a very late start to the day as watching the movie last night kept us up late. It poured down overnight and there was a huge thunderstorm with thunder that seemed to roll on forever. We chatted to a couple from Newcastle, NSW, Australia. They only started out yesterday and are heading in the opposite direction from us. We chatted with Chris and Bernie as Chris was cooking quesidia for dinner as we spoke. We set off after 10am and it was a fairly ordinary ride. We didn't stop for morning tea today but rode directly to Nantes. We were both feeling very tired! Maybe because of riding for almost 3 weeks with only one non riding day or maybe due to the 2 bottles of red wine and a large bottle of beer we drank yesterday.

When we first arrived in Nantes we noticed it looked very modern, totally different from all the other cities we have visited along the Loire. We looked for the train station we would be leaving from next week. And then had a look at the hotels in the area and booked one for the night before we leave. 

We had pad Thai for lunch at a Thai restaurant then headed off towards the coast. The route took us past the industrial area, not very pleasant riding. We also passed another squalid gypsy camp in the middle of the industrial area.( we passed one on the way in to Nantes with burnt out cars lining the way!). Once we left Nantes the scenery improved and we were cycling along the Loire again. We came across this house that seemed to have been built in the wrong place, however there was a sign that had something to do with an art trail and we were not quite sure.

We stopped at the Carrefour supermarket in Coueron to buy supplies for dinner before heading for the ferry to take us to the other side of the Loire.

We then had a 14km ride along the old Canal Maritime de la Basse Loire. At the first lock there was another art instillation that made us think that the house we saw was just art and not an actual house. A full sized yacht arching over the end of the lock!

The ride along the canal was peaceful with minimal traffic however we were riding into a headwind and our legs started to feel heavy. We were glad once we made it to the campground and even happier after setting up the tent and having a shower. We cycled 55km today and are now only 22km away from the end/beginning of the Loire a velo trail.😄