Day 9: Sunday 25 June 2023 - Villefranche-sur-Saône to Chanas - Brighton to Barcelona by bike

June 25, 2023

Day 9: Sunday 25 June 2023 - Villefranche-sur-Saône to Chanas

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route planned 109km https://ridewithgps.com/routes/42604308

I was awake early, having not slept particularly well. Breakfast wasn't until 7 am, so I had plenty of time to get ready. By the time we had had breakfast and got all the faffing done it was about 8. Nice and cool, at around 20°, and a flat ride a mile or two out of town, before the first hill of the day. Only a 75 meter climb, and another one of about 50 m shortly after, and then a few ups and downs before hitting the river where we spent most of the day. A stunning cake shop stop at 32 KM, then through the centre of Lyon, on dedicated bike path, most of the way, which, although devoted to cyclists, were quite busy and a little bit daunting. What looks like a massive climb on the day's plan was, in fact, a tunnel cut straight through the side of a mountain. After that, we had about another 10 or 15 km of fairly industrial suburbs, with bike paths, painted on pavements, and some road riding.

We stopped at Valaison for a drink, only to find that the Road ahead closed for some reason, so had to re-plan a route a completely different way. Due to this, we ended up having lunch there, and then a very long afternoon in 34° heat, mostly along dedicated cycle paths along the river. In spite of filling out with fresh water, the water was very soon tepid. It would've been nice to have had some iced water that wasn't going to happen. We did stop for a very nice nice glass of home-made lemonade.

Eventually, we pitched up at our hotel at around 4:45 pm, and it is a very nice hotel having been upgraded after the less than ideal experience we had last week with a Campanile.

Dinner was a pre-booked place down the road which involves some ferrying of people in the van. Some people walking. All in all a very successful evening and great sociable chat to be had

Tomorrow promises "downhill all the way", although it is a very, very modest descent. Another very hot day so we will be getting an early start.