Day 4 and 5

The big lump at the bottom of the shadow is my luggage.

 Didn't sleep quite as well, but well enough. A bit tired so planned a shorter day and stop b4 ferry across Bordeaux estuary. Mainly v good pistes again (see the lovely bicycle roundabout). Finally found camping at Soulac around 3pm. Tent, shower, laundry by hand.

Sunday so all shops closed. But managed enough for a frugal eve meal. Beach and paddling in ocean.

219.8 miles

Day 5

Difficult to sleep. Got up at 5am to catch early ferry across the Bordeaux estuary. Lovely morning run starting in the dark, alongside a railway track. Rabbits and what I thought might have been hare (but wasn't - just a rabbit with big ears). Proper ferry.

Into Poitou-Charentes and v different countryside - rolling agriculture after the Fibonacci forests of the south. Different roadkill too; a hedgehog, three snakes and a fox in the middle of the road.

A transporter bridge over the next big river.

Lost in Rochefort and a diversion for a Foire au Puces. Found a lovely campsite with an oasis pool - all sand. Very hot, so pool very welcome. 269

Day 3

Yvon cycled w me for first 10 miles. Dune de Pyla is still v impressive. Lovely forest bike paths all the way. Warm and sunny. 1st choice ferry across Arcachon Bassin (smelt a little of rotting fish) to Cap Ferret not running but 2nd choice ok. Camp at Lacanau. 12 lengths of pool. Cumul 166.4 miles.

The whale tail rotated in the wind. The ferry was very small and quite bouncy.

Day 2

Slept well. Tabouleh snack then off at 8am. Stopped at cafe after a few miles for croissants and coffee. 30 miles by lunch. Discovered the joy of tipping the contents of a bottle of water over my head on a hot day. The effect is shortlived though. A Basque pelota court, and me under a pair of entwined trees pictured (St Eulalie)  Ambushed some old friends, Pascale and Yvon, who offered me a bed in Biscarrosse ( thankyou so much!) . Went to the beach for drinks and a wonderful sunset.

It had been 33C in daytime and was 28C at 9pm. Slept like a log.Cumul 102.5 miles.

Day 1

Arrive Bayonne 11am. Diverion and lost 2x. Saw 4 aigrette ( lesser white heron ) in flight together. Delicious scent of yellow flowers in the heat (turns out to be broom - almost no smell when cold, but overpowering when it's hot). Very tired. Easy paths. Warm/hot.Sardines and tabbouleh for tea. Laid on my back and watched the pines above me sway. Camped at Le Gaoucher ** 3m N of Leon. 53.5 cumul

Day 0

Hot morning, reminiscent of France to me. Cycled to Meadowhall and got on the bus. Sea fret at Dover, and cold. France warm. Got fed up with the inflight movie quickly - couldn' t get the tune to "2 little boys" out of my head. Interesting to drive thro France with no responsibility at all for driving or navigating. Comfortablish coach with alimost enough legroom... difficult to sleep, even with earplugs andcushions. Sadly my lovely retirement gift of a blowup cushion (thanks to all who contributed) didn't last the whole night.A mixed clientele on the bike bus, but a lot of grey hair - apparently they have the time for this sort of thing.Stops every few hours, s o a bit like a 24hr flight with motorway service stops. Eventually hit bouchons near Bordeaux and arrived Bayonne only 1 hr late. Cumulative 7.5 miles.

Day -1

I've set this up, but I've no idea how often I'll be able to publish. Certainly not daily updates - it'll depend on either stray wifi signals or  internet cafes.

Today is the day before I set off, so I've been doing last minute packing, taking library books back, checking my passport is current etc.

Hottest day of the year so far. I loaded up the bike and rode a short distance, just to check the handling and that the luggage will stay on. I was tuckered out after about 10 minutes, so let's hope it's rather cooler in the south of France ;-)