Today provided a logistical and physical challenge. Physically, although a short ride, it started with a 500 metre vertical climb as we left Menton. Logistically, upon reaching Nice we travelled almost 500 km on the TVG train to Lyon. Almost everything went according to plan.
We were storing our bikes on the balcony in our room. This is a bit odd for us but, the hotel requested that we keep them there. Even with the small Bike Friday`s wheelbase, only one bike could fit in the elevator at a time and that was standing it up on the rear wheel. Scott took each of them in turn down to the street and locked them up while we prepared our panniers for travel.
Starting off at 10:30 we rode the front street to the end of the bay toward the headland and began the up the hill section that would ultimately take us above Monaco. The road grade was very reasonable with a gain of 500 metres over the next 15 KM stretch. The traffic was a bit irritating - it might be considered consistent rather than busy but there were also a number of larger vehicles on the road often without a shoulder. The views, as always, were great and once we reached the top, roughly the halfway point of the ride, near La Turbie, there was minimal traffic until we reached Nice.
Leaving Menton we made our way to the headland in the distance.
Rachael AndersonI love Menton! We are staying for 5 nights at the end of the trip and riding the road between Nice and Menton twice. I hope my legs can handle it! Reply to this comment 2 years ago
Starting up the road, the opposite side of the headland comes into view. We could now clearly see Monaco, just before we entered a series of switch backs that took us even higher. The border is likely where the small houses turn into large towers. Note the large square building on top of the rock on the right side of this photo.
We stopped for coffee and a socca in La Turbie. The socca is a large pancake like crepe (the full size of the pan) baked in the wood burning oven. It is roughly chopped and rolled into a triangle for serving. Super hot and delicious! The market here was just closing up for the day.
Looking back as we leave la Turbie. The road was quiet on the way down to Nice. We suspect because the A8 entrances have been passed as have the entrances to Monaco.
This sign was near the top of our ride and without seeing an official col sign we thought that we would use this instead. It was Eze! The col elevation is 507 metres and has been used many times in the Tour de France.
Riding into Nice from the east. In 2018 we were also in Nice, but came in from the west side. During that trip we stayed for three nights before taking a ferry to Corsica. On this grey day we are just passing through.
The ride was excellent and we arrived in Nice two hours before our train was to depart for Lyon. We immediately made our way through the city`s roads to the train station. Not a great ride as most of it was under construction. At the station we confirmed that the tickets and schedule were all fine. We really wanted to see where we were seated on the train as Pat likes to be seated looking forward. This was impossible to confirm as the customer service area was closing up.....in the middle of the day! We set off to buy some lunch and provisions for the 4.5 hour journey to Lyon.
We arrived back at the station with one hour before departure and watched the screens for the track number to appear on the monitor. Our plan was to break the bikes down and put them in their bags on the platform beside the train. But we were not certain how much time would be available once we were permitted to go to the platform. Putting the bikes into the bags takes only a few minutes but with so much time to kill we decided to get one ready now and get one ready later.
We pay a bit more for business class as we often find that there is more storage in this section and it's definitely more comfortable for a long ride. As it turned out, the train started in Nice so finding a spot for all our bags was not an issue but our seats were facing the wrong direction! We switched them only to find we were in someone else's seat. This nice man picked another seat but at a later stop he had to move. As it turns out our original seats were fine because after Marseille the train goes the opposite way! We switched again, back to our original seats. Train travel is so complicated when 50% of the seats are facing in the wrong direction.
It was shortly after 10pm when we arrived in Lyon and we were rolling out of our station to our chain hotel, less than one kilometre away, by 10:30. It had rained hard in Lyon before we arrived by looking at the size of the puddles but it was dry and almost clear now. We had planned to stay a couple of nights here as the weather was forecasted to be rainy tomorrow.
At the entrance of the hotel we were greeted by a lady at a small kiosk. Can I help you? Yes, we are booked to stay here tonight. That is not possible - we are full! Pat showed her our reservation and she pointed out that it was for next week!! This was a bit tough to take at 11:00 at night and after twelve hours of travel! The lady very kindly found us another room for the night in a different hotel and we sucked it up and rode a further 4km. In a strange way, the ride on the dark, wet, quiet streets of Lyon was enjoyable. All`s well that ends well!
By 1:00 we were in bed and had hatched a new plan. Tomorrow we will take the train to Aix les Bains and begin a new and improved ride back to Geneva. Lyon was not for us after all.
Today's ride: 40 km (25 miles) Total: 1,081 km (671 miles)
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Scott AndersonAwful story about the booking error, but one we can easily relate to. Glad it was no worse than it wa.s. Reply to this comment 2 years ago
Kathleen ClassenWe wish we could say it has never happened to us too…but thankfully it hasn’t happened in the dark when it is raining. Reply to this comment 2 years ago
