French Holiday

Well, that was a great break, but as ever, it seems like its over way too soon.

The Vendee

I love France, particularly the Atlantic Coast and we enjoyed a great family holiday. The Vendee doesn't provide too many great cycling challenges (other than wind), but this was not a cycling holiday.

Family time, rest, recovery, and moving my tan-lines - that's what this break was about.

Testing a "Lady Bike"

My son and I took our bikes with us while my wife hired a Gitane "lady bike" for a reasonable €39 for 6 days. Cycling around this area is a breeze - nice and flat, and unlike the UK, cycle paths that actually take you where you want to go. The only cycling related mishap was the theft of 4 bungees I stupidly left in my wife's basket while parked up at a beach.

I managed one "training" ride of approx 25 miles at pace while the rest of my mileage was going to and from shops/market/beaches. Its amazing how many bodyboards, deck chairs, towels and other assorted beach kit can be transported this way. I particularly liked some of the locals' trailers designed to pull full size surf/windsurf rigs or kayaks...

Merci, Thomas - indeed

 It was also great to see the locals' appreciation for the exploits of Thomas Voeckler in the TdF this summer. Bus shelter ads were most common, while there was a very impressive, huge ad on a road bridge over the autoroute on the way out of the region. They know how to treat their cyclists in this part of the world.