So cheap to do. But would the U.S. deem these infrastructure ideas hostile to cars?
Part of what made the Loire bike ride so enjoyable was the bike-friendliness of everything beyond the marked route.
Continue reading “Biking the Loire: A peek at seemingly simple French bike-friendliness”Just getting a reservation on a local train was cumbersome.
When we planned our bike vacation along France’s Loire River, part of Eurovelo 6, I hadn’t expected that the train would be the hardest part.
Continue reading “Biking the Loire: The hardest part was the train”Saumur, Villandry, Chinon, Chenonceau and more.
It took us more than an hour to get out of Saumur, a town of 26,000 along the Loire River in France.
Continue reading “Biking the Loire: 5 day trips from Tours”A different way to tackle Eurovelo 6.
On this bike trip to Europe, we decided to try something different: Rather than biking from point to point along a castle-laden section of Eurovelo 6 in France, we would base ourselves in one town and do day trips.
Continue reading “Biking the Loire: Why staying in one town was the perfect choice for us”On Day 3 of our short DIY bike ride along Eurovelo 8, we pedaled from Beziers to Narbonne.
The first question of the day: how do we get back to the Canal du Midi?
Continue reading “Day 3 on Eurovelo 8 in France: We reach Narbonne”We reach the Canal du Midi halfway through this 3-day DIY bike ride in France.
The goal on this day of my Montpellier-to-Narbonne bike ride is to meet friends for dinner in Beziers. Along the way, though, my goal is to reflexively say Bonjour Madame/Monsieur every time I enter a shop or otherwise approach someone. After all, one of these friends has explained, not doing this is considered the height of rudeness (and why perhaps Americans in France are seen as rude, not the other way around.) I know I was a bit remiss on Day 1.
Continue reading “Day 2 on Eurovelo 8 in France: Sete to Beziers”You can plan your own bike ride along Eurovelo 8 in France. Here’s how.
It’s hot, the sun is beating down, we’re maybe halfway through our first day on Eurovelo 8, and I’m sick of the taste of Isostar (Europe’s Gatorade) in my water bottle. All three of us are looking for water.
Continue reading “Eurovelo 8: Montpellier to Narbonne in 3 days”
Exploring by bicycle 