It was again very cold in the night and my longjohns weren't warm enough. I must find a warmer sleeping bag in Nantes. Whatever it costs, it will be cheaper than taking hotels to keep warm.
After a few kilometers on quiet country roads, we have a long and seemingly endless path along a canal, sometimes paved, sometimes not. The attractive thing about canal paths is that they're flat - which doesn't necessarily compensate for their monotony. I find myself wishing for a something to make the time pass more quickly. Maybe a hill? A curve in the road will do, thank you.
At La Martinière we are happy to let the canal join the Loire while we head for the ferry crossing on roads that offer a little more diversion in the form of old, ivy-covered walls and gardens full of flowers.
The ivy and crumbling walls give the path a cosy atmosphere.
Capacity: 300 passengers and 27 cars (there's my lucky number again). We saw several of these interesting, bigger-than-life photos on buildings, as well.
From Couëron there is a bike path all the way to Nantes. Our experience is that signposted bike paths aren't always the best route. Usually you realize this after you have followed the signs. In this case, the signs lead the cyclist through a Roma encampment. The route isn't shorter and it isn't necessary to avoid traffic.
I don't feel in danger, but somehow very indiscreet, as if we shouldn't be here (for example when we pass areas of toilet paper blowing in the wind). According to Sarkozy, THEY shouldn't be here. "French president Nicolas Sarkozy's controversial vow to crack down on Gypsy criminals has brought the subject of Roma rights back into sharp focus across Europe. He also pledged to tear down hundreds of Gypsy camps around the country, calling them a source of trafficking, prostitution and child exploitation." The Irish Times - Friday, August 6, 2010
A Roma family stands outside its caravan at an illegal encampment in Indre, near Nantes. (The Irish Times - Friday, August 6, 2010). Photograph: Reuters
We have decorated our bicycles. The flag of Brittany is called the Gwenn-ha-du, which means white and black in Breton. It is also unofficially used in the département of Loire-Atlantique, where we are now. The area was originally part of Brittany, and contains what many people still consider to be Brittany's capital, Nantes.
In Nante's center we find the tourist office for maps and information. After following the tram track five kilometers uphill, we arrive at the campground. It isn't equipped with electricity hook-ups or wifi but outside the gates is a "resto-rapide" with free wifi and food and drink. We settle in for a session on the Internet, sandwiches and beer.
