We could hear the thunder storms passing by most of the night. The rain got steadily heavier as we were packing up and after breakfast it was still raining. The rain radar showed that it didn’t look like easing so we decided that a train trip to Sancerre would be the best option. We booked online for the 10:42 am train from Briare to Sancerre, with a stop and change of trains at Cosne-sur-Loire. We got to the station nice and early so as not to be rushed. However as our departure time ticked down to 20 minutes, we received a notification that there would be a delay of 30 minutes. The time delay got longer and longer, and after it reached 2.5hrs, we decided we would just ride, as the rain had eased off to a drizzle. Wendy went to the ticket office to arrange a refund only to be told that tickets bought online are not eligible for a refund. The combined ticket cost €24 so no big deal. We didn’t want to delay our ride by arguing with the man, so we just rode away. Later, upon reading the fine print, we were definitely not going to get any money back. Note to selves: don’t book train tickets online in Europe. The delay ended up being close to five hours as a tree had fallen over the track, including the power lines, so we made the right decision in the end.
We set off from Briare about 11:15am and found the correct path to take us to Sancerre. We stopped for the odd photo but it wasn’t good weather for taking nice pictures. At Bonny-sur-Loire we found a supermarket that had an eating area and facilities where we could have heated something up if we had wanted to. About 45 minutes later we were back on the bikes following the Loire Velo signs. We were only 2km down the track when we realised our mistake, the signs were taking us back to Briare. As we rode back the sky opened up so we quickly donned our rain jackets for the first time this tour. It was so heavy that we actually took cover under a tree. As the rain got heavier, the tree became less effective, so we took off in the rain. If you’re gonna get wet, you may as well be moving Wendy reckoned. Not long after, we were on a gravel road with lots of water-filled potholes getting very dirty. Oh well, all adds to the adventure. At least it wasn’t cold, and the bonus was that we had a tail wind, another first for the tour.
We didn’t stop again, apart for a quick photo or two, until we were at our hotel, Le Panoramic Sancerre. Both the bikes and us were covered in a fine film of white gravel. Wendy needed a quick clean down before she was respectable enough to go into reception to check in. They probably thought, “as long as they pay….” We were soon in our room, #403, on the first floor. Odd, but as the hotel is built on the side of a hill, there are three floors below reception, our floor and another two on top. Wendy booked a room with a view, and even though it was still drizzling outside, the view was pretty awesome and shows how high we had to climb on the bikes. Wendy gained a little more character on this hill climb. Thank goodness the village of Sancerre is on the hill as well.
After cleaning the bikes and ourselves we set off just after 7pm to find the restaurant Greg and Bob ate at four years ago. And yes, it was further up the hill! Auberge L’Ecurie was soon found and we thought we may not get a table as they were already pretty busy and it had only just opened. We were soon ordering our drinks and meals. The beer was good and both meals (lamb shank and potatoes for Greg, and steak, salad, and chips for Wendy) were excellent. So good in fact, we have booked a table for tomorrow night.
A slow wander home down hill, and we were ready to call it a day. Blog, teeth, shower and bed.
Briare train station
Riding beside one of the many canals we followed today
We returned to the Loire briefly a couple of times today
A duck sanctuary
Another good path
Our only bridge crossing today
Another bridge we didn’t need to cross
Another nuclear power station, we haven’t seen a wind farm
in this region as yet, just four nuclear power stations
A little wet and a lot dirty!
Ride scenery
This path (not up to their normal standard) only went for a couple of hundred meters
There were a lot of these large puddles which helped get some dirt off
Eglise St-Julien and a memorial to the children of Bannay who died in WW1, at Bannay
View from our room
View from one of the lookouts on our post-dinner walk
Our restaurant
Meals and beer
Sancerre Streetscape
Our hotel from the front
The back of the hotel with the floor numbering system and our room
Our room, #403, Panoramic Hotel
The loo has its own room within our room
Ride route
Elevation profile
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