The Ride
Since originally posting our route on this website, we've altered it considerably, and it no longer quite follows the map above. The reasons for the change are quite simple: we decided that crossing from Poole to Cherbourg made more sense then Portsmouth-LeHavre; we found a more direct if slightly more arduous route across France to the Alps; and, most importantly, we decided that crossing via the Mont Blanc tunnel was missing potentially the finest part of the ride: the assault to the summit of the Mont Cenis alpine pass at a dizzying height of over 2000 metres. Here's the new definitive route:
| Wed June 11th |
Topsham-Poole |
80 miles/128 km |
"Testing first day across the south coast of England"
| Thur June 12th |
Poole-Cherbourg (ferry) Cherbourg-Bayeux |
56 miles/95 km |
"Across the Channel, then a half day's ride down the Cherbourg Peninsula"
| Fri June 13th |
Bayeux-Caen-Livarot-St Evroult Notre Dame du Bois (note: Fri the 13th) |
81 miles/130 km |
"The rolling, green hills of Normandy, source of some of France's greatest cheeses"
| Sat June 14th |
St Evroult Notre Dame du Bois-Chartres-Santilly |
87 miles/140 km |
"Time to visit Chartres' magnificent cathedral? We doubt it."
| Sun June 15th |
Santilly-Orleans-Cosne sur Loire |
90 miles/145 km |
"Along the middle reaches of the Loire River, longest in France."
| Mon June 16th |
Cosne sur Loire-Pouilly sur Loire |
20 miles/32 km |
"Time for an easy half day's ride to one of the great wine towns of France, Sancerre."
| Tue June 17th |
Pouilly sur Loire-Nevers-Decize-Digoin |
90 miles/145 km |
"Crossing the broad Massif Central."
| Wed June 18th |
Digoin-Charolles-Macon-Chatillon-Villars les Dombes |
81 miles/130 km |
"Into, then too quickly out of Burgundy, as we head towards the mountains."
| Thu June 19th |
Villars les Dombes-Aix les Bains-Chambery-St Pierre d'Albigny |
88 miles/140 km |
"A very tough, long ride through beautiful pre-alpine country, the mountains beckoning before us."
| Fri June 20th |
St Pierre d'Albigny-Lanslevillard |
70 miles/110 km |
"To the foot of Mont Cenis in preparation for the assault on the Alps."
"Rest and mental preparations for the big climb ahead of us."
| Sun June 22nd |
Lanslevillard-Bussoleno-Avigliana |
50 miles/80 km |
"To the top of the world, then down, down, down: into Italy!"
| Mon June 23rd |
Avigliana-Alba |
47 miles/75 km |
"To visit our friend winemaker Mario Fontana"
| Tue June 24th |
Day in Alba |
10 miles/16 km |
"Alba, capital of the Barolo, one of the great wine regions of the world"
| Wed June 25th |
Alba-Asti-Piacenza |
100 miles/160 km |
"A long and probably baking hot day in the saddle."
| Thur June 26th |
Piacenza-Cremona-Mantova-Isola della Scala |
88 miles/140 km |
"Across the Po Valley to the rice paddies south of Verona, source of the exceptional Venetian Vialone Nano rice."
| Fri June 27th |
Isola della Scala-Montegrotto Terme |
65 miles/105 km |
"To visit Marc's mother Lori's -- and our -- dear friend Elda in Padova"
| Sat June 28th |
Montegrotto Terme-Venice |
37.5 miles/60 km |
"Reunite with our family and friends who are coming out to meet us and perhaps a glass or two of Prosecco at Florians to celebrate our arrival in Piazza San Marco."
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mmillon@mail.zynet.co.uk.