June 13, 2023
Aix to Nice
Journey’s End
We leave our accommodation in Aix and do a reversal of the multifarious security steps we did on entry- gate clicker on desk, keys in lockbox, door looked. At the gate I call the mystery woman, Valerie ( she of the one toilet roll and that’s your lot) to open the gate. Then we’re away downhill. I want to cycle Cours Mirabeau one last time, but we end up on a cycle route to the gare that loops around.
At the station we check the screen and Marseilles 9:53 comes up- quai C. It’s over a line, but wait, there are lifts. That’s great we’ll be over easily. Not quite - the lifts are foreshortened for some reason, so bikes have to be stood on their rear wheel. It all works though, and gets us over to quai C.
When Ann booked the 9:53 am to Marseilles on the SNCF site, I was a little sceptical because it didn’t appear on Trainline, however it’s definitely a thing and we find it waiting on Quai C at Aix Gare. Empty. So empty that when we climb on, we wonder if it’s going anywhere. We check- it is. A virtually empty train going to Marseilles. With us.
The ride is short and speedy- no ticket checks, and we’re in Marseilles in no time at all. Coming out of the station - what a revelation! After SNCF has sped through barren and littered areas of industry and suburbs of sterile apartment blocks, we have a view of the old city streets, terracotta roofing all the way to the Notre-Dame de la Garde church in the distance on its promontory.
After lunch in the sun on the terrace outside the station we find the train to Nice and board with our bikes. The route carries us along some of the territory we covered last October- we particularly recognise the Esterel with its red colouring, but then heads inland to Draguignan Les Arcs, and momentarily heavy rain, before returning to the sea at Cannes.
When Nice Ville comes up we’re in familiar territory, and soon we’re standing on the quai with loaded bikes. Journey’s end . It’s been 48 days and about 1300 kilometres since our damp and chilly arrival in Saint Malo and here we are. The lifts soon have us up onto the main concourse, lined with posters recording different writers’ inspirations. Emily Dickinson seems apposite. Kind of. I like her anyway.
There are spots of rain as we head for the Promenade des Anglais, but nothing too heavy. On the way we pick up parcel tape and glue for our bike boxes. I also drop into Bouticycle, or Bootylicious if you prefer, to ask about boxes. We came here in October and they had lots of boxes. Different story now though. The manager tells me they have none and I gather from his rapid fire French, that they don’t use boxes there now. So the search will go on tomorrow.
We cycle out to Cagnes sur Mer., about 8 kilometres on the brilliant waterfront path, to where our apartment is, find the lockbox, and get undercover as the rain increases in intensity. We’re just over the road from the beach so tomorrow could mean a swim- after the bike boxes!
Today's ride: 17 km (11 miles)
Total: 1,720 km (1,068 miles)
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