October 5, 2023
Lyon to Tournon-sur-Rhone
via Le Peage de Roussilion
We started off screaming down the hill from the Fourvier area above the river. One of us thought it was really fun! Then cross both rivers to get to the train station. There are 3 downtown, why did we go to the furthest?
We knew we wanted to take a train from Lyon south a little ways, then get out and ride as well today. Each train station had trains going south, but if you picked a city to get off, it might only have morning and evening trains. We were looking for something which would leave us about 45 km to ride, but get us there around 10:30 or so. It took us 40 minutes both of us working the ipads trying to find the right combination.
We found a place called Le Peage de Roussilion which reduced our ride today to the 50km range. So we got to the Lyon Port Deux station with 20 minutes to spare which is perfect. You have to buy your ticket and find the elevators for the bikes to the right platform. We actually could fit BOTH bikes into the elevator (first time that has happened!), and the train came in early so we had ample time to get the bikes on. Only one bike car, and there were already 2 bikes in place, so we put my bike there, took off all panniers, and Marjory had to stand in the doorway. Only a 30 minute ride so don't feel too sorry for her!
We tried a new system of taking the panniers off prior to moving the bikes on (and off) and it worked better. Wasn't such a strain on us or the bikes lifting them on and off with an additional 40 lb. I think that will be our new normal.
We rode around Le Peage de Roussilion for a while looking for a place to buy food or even water, and finally decided to go for a boulangerie lunch. Soon afterwards we rejoined the trails near the river.
There are sometimes cars on these roads, and often they are really tiny. They call them micro cars, and when we are going uphill its a race to see who peters out first - me or them. We biked past this factory that makes some, there was a huge parking lot with thousands of cars. Apparently Polaris bought this company a few years ago, don't they make snowmobiles? I guess they can use the same engine.
We searched for a suitable lunch place - this place was rejected by my maitre'd but we soon found an acceptable location with a picnic table also near the river.
Although the overall route was flat, there were several sharp hills. One had a 10% gradient and a "dangerous decline!" sign on it. Unfortunately that sign was for going the other way. We came up to several forks like the one below, and I am waiting to see which way Komoot sends us...
We have noticed lots of differences from the Rhone tour of last year. Not as industrial - the Rhine has constant barges up and down, the Rhone seems to have none - not as populated or touristic - not as many vineyards so far - and here's a strange one: where there was a town on one side of the river, it was always echoed on the other side of the Rhine - normally with a different name, but still a town "co-located". Here is a Rhone town....
...with nothing on the other side. This has been an almost universal trait of the Rhone.
We liked this post box. Canmore needs to look into this, much nicer look than ours. Although Marjory noticed that several people share each box? Do you get to choose your postbox-buddy?
Eventually it stayed flat and these trails seemed endless.
I was waiting for Marjory to catch up here, and was going to take one those typical "she rides by" photos here, but the mosquitoes just swarmed. So this is all you get. Marjory will just have to catch up while I am moving! Don't they know this is autumn?
We entered the town of Tournon-sur-Rhone below and it looks like they really take advantage of the riverside. As we are on the cycle path, about 50 kids start cycling past us - you can see them in their yellow vests below - great to see school kids out on bikes.
Two nights here and then a longish ride to Montelimar.
Today's ride: 53 km (33 miles)
Total: 609 km (378 miles)
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