Day 79 St Michel to Ste Luce: Grampies pass 5000 kms!

October 5, 2013

Today would be a big day for us, we knew, because the plan was for Michel Fleurance to cycle out from his place near Nantes to meet us. Sometimes people you meet on the road or on Crazyguy can become fast friends. It cqn work different ways. For example, last year Emma and Stuart Taylor who we had met just by following their blog drove half way across England to meet up with us. And we consider Tricia Graham a fast friend, though we have met her only through her blogs, and once on the phone.

We first met Michel when we crossed paths on the Loire last year, a little east of Set Luce. Michel is a fan of trikes, and we were much interested in looking at his. Since then we have stayed in touch, with Michel following our blogs, making Guestbook contributions, and tracking our routes on GPSies. Michel has now written a number of his own blogs on Crazyguy, so we in turn have been able to follow his exploits. Not the least of these has been buying and outfitting a Scorpion two front wheel trike, plus describing numerous excursions in this exquisite Loire Valley cycling area.

So to see Michel again was a big deal for us. This time we would also get to meet his wife Jeannette and stay at their place.

We started out early, which at this time of year means cycling in the dark. We had had enough of the big road, so we searched out and followed the Velocéan track. This was fine, except for barricades that were all but invisible in the dark. Fortunately, our lights are strong.

In the flash these barriers reflect a bit, but in our headlights they could be invisible. There were a lot of them.

We stopped some time later to prepare a bit of breakfast. We attracted some Usual Questions from the man in the photo, and got to meet his dog Elliott. Sometimes UQs bug us, but mostly we appreciate the gentle concern and curiosity. That was certainly the case this morning.

We were soon in the town of Saint Brevin les Pins, where we found a market going on. At the market were several local specialties, and we made photos of five of them:

Seafood is big here, but unfortunately we are not into it. Jeannette later explained that seafood, even more than bakery, was an attraction of this place for her. Clearly Michel was a bit attractive as well!

These black topped things are a bit like cheese cake. We did not try one, but maybe we will still get a chance, in Nantes

Also in St Brevin, of course, is more than one bakery. There is nothing remarkable about them, for France that is. However, I snapped this photo because I am starting to freak about the fact that all too soon even an ordinary French bakery (or any quality bakery) will be impossibly out of reach as we are dumped back into North America.

Just a bakery, one of thousands: Snniff!

Our run along the south shore of the Loire now began, as we headed ovezr to encounter Michel, who would have earlier set out from Saint Luce, on the far side of Nantes.

The beginning of this run, at St. Brevin, is significantly the beginning of Eurovelo 6, here called La Loire a Velo, which runs to Angers. St. Brevin is the junction of several of these routes, as they proudly describe on a large sign.

Not sure if a house or a church overlooking the water

The mysterious path ends. We have photographed its beginning and end, without fully understanding what it is.

St Brevin is a major bikeway interchange point

Here EV 1 and 6 hang out together. Its strange to anthropomorphize bike paths, but we deal with them so much, its easy. So here we are thinking its nice to see these two old friends of ours hanging out together!

Apparently these are to catch shrimp and small fishes.

Troupeaux are herds, so I guess this is the gefahr of the day. The graphic does not exactly convey the idea of great dangerous herds, though. The on the ground reality was in fact a deserted farm track.

The first and only major town along the river is Paimboeuf. We had hoped to find a creperie here, since this is really almost Btittany, but we did not spot one. We did however spot the Byzantine style church, which uniquely ha that decorative roof style we have seen in Germany, and also a mosaic type interior.

The Grampies rejoin with Michel Fleurance

Michel now holds the patience record for slow cycling with the
Grampies

Steve demonstrates falling asleep while hill climbing in the Scorpion

Together we continued back toward Nantes. When Michel declared a "technical" break for us (for a pee) I took advantage of that magical time when you have to stand still (if you know whats good for you) to observe this dragonfly:

We crossed the Loire by ferry at Le Pellerin, which means the Pilgrim. Significantly, on the other side Michel pointed out the bar le Paradis, which seemed fitting.

Paradise on the other side of the Pilgrim ferry

Michel of course understands cycling, and had brought along lots of snacks. This was great, since having failed to find a creperie we were starving. We gratefully accepted Michels pate, baguettes, St Michel biscuits, and anything else that could be found in his bag! We also made Michel detour to take us to a creperie. Only then were we ready to proceed!

Michel got a laugh from some of our hick ways. First off, I kept talking about the Super U grocery stores. Super U is strong in rural France and is not much seen here. This way, even without the blog, Michel could tell we were fresh from the Boonies. Next, as we gobbled up Michels baguettes we put Vache Qui Rit (Laughing Cow) soft cheese on the bread, together with the pate. No French person would do something that crazy! Michel of course understood that a cyclist will eat anything they can put their hands on. It was so comfortable being with one of "our own".

Famous pate used by Michel to revive Grampies

Michel of course easily lead us through Nantes and to his place in St Luce. At the house we met Jeannette, who despite her French sounding name is from Colorado. The Michel and Jeannette love story is a touching one. She originally came here on an exchange program. Michel met and obviously was taken with her. However she returned to the US and would never answer any letters. Only when she reappeared, as an "au pair" did Michel find her again. The reason for the unanswered letters: the difference between the US and French way of writing the numeral 1, 7, and perhaps 4! Michel and Jeanette were married and now have four children and four grandchildren. The grandchildren is what qualifies Michel to be "Popi" in his blogs!

Jeannette and Michel came up with a lovely evening meal for us. It was only after gobbling up most of this that I realized that each of the elements was "typical", while yet avoiding anything they knew we could find weird. One thing that Jeannette made was a gateau Nantais, which is a cake laced with rum. This recalls the slave trade, which is a big part of the history of Nantes. Thanks Michel and Jeannette, for this wonderful welcome.

Outside Nantes, a permanent gypsy encampment. With the advent of the EU, people from eastern Europe have increasingly come west

Modern buildings on the south side of the river, across from Nantes

This stone bridge made a great photographic study

The box of the famous Rohloff hub, as seen live in Michels garage

The famous trailer hitch, custom made by Michel for the Scorpion

Typical French foods, quiche, cheese for dessert, and gateau Nantaise; from our supper table

*********** BONUS Michels Sights Along the Loire ****************

As we pedalled up the Loire, Michel naturally pointed out interesting things to look at. Here are some of them. What they are will hopefully be found in the photo captions, though as I write this the captions are not done. Coming soon, or hopefully already there by the time you read this!

A Japanese artist built this house on a smokestack as a counterpoint to the nearby real smokestacks (next photo) Read more about this here . It's in French, but one could Google translate or just check out the pictures.

Audubon; founder of the famous foundation in the US was from right here. He is actually little known in his native region.

The Tour de Plomb was used for manufacturing lead bullets

Concrete boats in the canal, thought by Michel to be dummies used as decoys during the war

The house in the Loire, another strange art installation in the estuary

Nantes was heavily involved in the slave trade in the 1700s. Here by the waterfront, small plaques each signify one of thousands of slave shipments (see an example below). Nearby is a declaration of human rights, forever banning slavery

Today's ride: 92 km (57 miles)
Total: 5,405 km (3,357 miles)

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