Over the water

September 20, 2023

By ferry across the Gironde

Yesterday I introduced you to Vivian, my loaner bike.

Today I would like you to meet Scotty, the second hand bike Arlene bought for this adventure. She's rather fond of him, she says. Either Christoph will sell him on after we leave France, or it will be the beginning of a long and wonderful relationship.

Today was another explore from Royan day, and we took the bikes on a short ferry ride across the Gironde estuary, a busy ship with many, many bikes.

Then it was mostly perfect bike trails through pine forests and past more beaches to a windy, chilly lunch stop overlooking dunes and sea. I'm still impressed by the cycling infrastructure and by the number of people enjoying the amenities. I'd guess 60 percent are riding ebikes of one sort or another, but none of them are as stealthy as Vivian.

Sand dunes and yucca plants, with their sharp pointy leaves

Other stuff.

We started the day with a pre ferry jaunt to the concrete cathedral, the church Royan built to replace the one bombed to bits by the Allies in the closing months of World War Two. Tragic story. D-Day had happened, the Germans had virtually given up on the heavily fortified French Atlantic coast, but there were two major waves of air raids anyway, one by Britain's Royal Air Force in January and then by the Americans a few months later. A testing ground for Napalm, it appears.

So the cathedral was solid, simple and sobering, with bare concrete walls and arches, an impressive stained glass window and a sign outside showing the devastation after that first bombing raid.

The outside view. From afar, the roof is like the curve of a ship, rising to a high-up prow.

Outside the church. The message, if my rough translation is correct, says the concrete cathedral is "the symbol of the rebirth of Royan. Spare a thought for the 442 victims of the futile and tragic bombing raid of January 5, 1945."

Other stuff

The jaw cracking sandwich I put together at our lunchtime stop. Two slices of brioche bread around yummy tomato, left-over grilled vegetables and a halved hard boiled egg.

The mini Statue of Liberty replica along the coast. I never did figure that one out.

Today's ride: 25 km (16 miles)
Total: 66 km (41 miles)

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Hayley GoodmanArlene, great to see your TMS gear represented!
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