Domestique - Getting Organised and heading out: Day 1 - Nantes to Paimbouef - Get It While It Lasts... A Big Loop Through Europe 2017

August 8, 2017

Domestique - Getting Organised and heading out: Day 1 - Nantes to Paimbouef

Thanks again to our Warm Showers hosts Estelle and Thomas. They both had to run off to work and left us with a cheery good bye and simple request to 'close the door behind us'.

We had a number of small things to get done before hitting the road and we thought we'd get away just after noon.

First on the agenda was an appointment with 'Urban Cycles' at 10 am to replace Kirsten's rear Gates cog. We had booked this appointment about two weeks ago and described what the issue was, and we even had the parts. Should have been a 30 minute job as they were listed as a Rholoff certified service shop and told us it wouldn't be a problem. Well, it turns out they didn't have all the necessary tools to do the work. They were pleasant enough and apologetic, but the bottom line is we didn't get the (worn) cog replaced and we'd have to look for another shop in another town further down the line.

When they phoned us after about an hour and a half to tell us that they couldn't do the work we happened to be right in front of another bike shop. It was Bo Cycle. It's a Rholoff certified repair shop. It had a shiny new Pinon geared belt drive equipped touring bike in it's window. It is August. We are in France. Bo Cycle is closed, as were the other Rholoff shops in Nantes. Oh well, c'est la vie.

We got one of our errands done though. French sim cards with loads of data for our phones (the price of which (low) made us weep with how we are getting gouged in Canada by the telecom companies).

Our least important errand turned out to be a strike out too. We needed to get an MSR/Primus LPG cartridge for our stove, you know the type that are pretty much standard everywhere in the world ..... except France ... home of 'Camping Gaz'. We knew this was going to be a bit of a problem, but even the French are starting to use MSR/Optimus/Primus/Jet Boil stoves and we knew that the French Decathalon sports store chain sometimes carries them. No luck in Nantes though.

So, one out of three. A .333 batting average would earn us millions in MLB, However we're cycle touring so no bucks for us and we'll have to get the last two things done latter (every pedal stroke will get us closer to Germany and Switzerland where these two issues will be non-issues!).

We finally hit the road at about 3:30. After a bit of a debate of whether to head east or west we decided on west to the Atlantic and the 'real' start of the Eurovelo 6 at St. Brevin. This would mean some back tracking tomorrow but we both wanted to 'start' at the sea.

Nantes to St. Brevin / St. Nazaire reminded us somewhat of the Glasgow to Port Glasgow area that we used to live in. A real shipbuilding, industrial and maritime history in both areas.

We had a pretty stiff headwind and made it to Paimbouef, the last town before St Brevin (beside the oil refinery and within sight of the bridge linking St B and St N and the shipyards at St. N. There was a nice campground where we set up with a restaurant (the only one open in PB) right beside it. Day one done.

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Song of the Day :

I've had this one lined up for some time ....

Le Vent Nous Portera by Noir Desire

A French classic from the early naughties. I hope the song title is a portent for our trip (The wind will carry us), although day one didn't work out like that :(. In the lead up to our trip I would played this song quite a bit, much to K's annoyance. I still think its a good fit.

I'm trying a new twist as well. As and when I can find a You Tube link for the SOTD, I'll post it here.

So here's the first one!

You might want to start the video as soon as you get =onto a new page. It can play away while you read my prose (drivel?) and look at the pic's. To me it gives an additional 'flavour' to the day ... but I guess it would, 'cause i picked the songs! Anyway, give it a try and see what you think.

Our first crossing of the Loire - by Ferry - on our way to St Brevin and the Atlantic

Most of the day was riding like this - once we got out of Nantes. There was an excellent bike path and shared road system in Nantes, but it's a big(ger) city and you still have to 'share' the road. Out here there was no need to do that

Day one camping - rained during the night but it was clear again in the morning

Today's ride: 46 km (29 miles)
Total: 46 km (29 miles)

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