Walk: 3km; total: 350km
A slow start to the day because we knew we didn’t have too far to ride and check-in was 4pm or later. We rode away from our apartment at 9am. The vast majority of the day was spent on a beautiful sealed off-road cycle route which was part of the French National Velo Route. However only 3km down the road we encountered road works that closed off our route. We recalibrated the e-maps and followed the diversion sign but that took us along the D673, a major highway with cars and trucks whizzing by. The e-map told us there was a road we could exit onto, however, when we reached that road it was an underpass with no access except for steep steps down the side. We took the panniers off and Greg carried the bikes down while Wendy waited with the luggage. A bit later we came across another closed road and diversion. This time the signs just dried up we so we had to use the e-map again and finally found our way over a bridge and onto that lovely cycle path.
We decided we needed to kill some more time so took a planned diversion to Saint Germain du Plain. Not a big place and not much to see other than a very old church and tower. We welcomed the seat under a tree at the church and had mornos. It was warming up earlier than usual. We discussed taking a difference way back to the cycle route but couldn’t find anything suitable so we returned the way we came. It was only an extra 7km for the round trip. We were obviously meant to go back that way, as we came across two middle-aged ladies pushing their bikes with one bike making an awful noise. Greg offered assistance and she showed us the issue - her rear tyre punctured and somehow the tube had come out of the tyre and wrap itself around the inside of the cluster. What a mess, neither of us had ever seen anything like it. Greg tried valiantly to get the tube out of the cluster without harming it further but to no avail. Finally he resorted to alternative means - the Swiss Army knife. He eventually had to cut the tube out in pieces and dig the last fragments out of the cluster. The two ladies were extremely appreciative. We suspect that when the tyre punctured she just kept riding and the tube rolled out of the tyre and into the cluster. Being an e-bike the force was much stronger than normal.
Back on the path we crossed another bridge to reach the path on the Western side of the Saône and it was also smooth and relatively flat. We were riding downstream, but the elevation was slightly up. We arrived at Tournus about 2:30pm and Greg recognised the place and thought he knew where to get a cold drink and/or an ice cream. Unfortunately, the only places open were bars where you had to ‘drink in’. Not to worry, we had seen a Tabac bar by the river so cycled back down the hill and had an ice cream and cold drink each.
It was just after 3pm when we finished, so we decided to walk the bikes back up the hill to the hotel in the hope our room would be ready, and it was. Not long after we secured the bikes, we were in our room, #10 at Le Terminus Hotel and Restaurant. It is a very nice room, and an air con that works well too.
After a rest, we went out on foot for a pre-dinner drink and enjoyed them down by the river, very civilised. Back to the hotel to shower and change for dinner downstairs. What a disappointment that was! Greg had the three course menu for €40 - snails (without shells that tasted like nothing), prawns and potatoes and sauce of no description (that was cold) and crème brûlée that was a bit too creamy! Wendy ordered a rib fillet and was served a sirloin de Charolais that was tough and sinewy all the way through. She was a few bites in when she realised that this was not what she ordered. She left a lot of it on the plate, and we think they got the message that it was not very good. Anyway, it was one of only a few restaurants open this evening, but we didn’t get any change out of €100!! The only positive was the beer was good.
Greg went for a short stroll to settle the tummy before returning to complete the night time routine.
Those stairs down to the regional road
The highway
Greg just had to take a photo of the sunflowers that snuck into the corn crop,
he couldn’t help himself
The nice smooth path we followed for the vast majority of the ride
Tower of Saint Germain de Plain
Church of Saint Germain de Plain
Greg helping the lady get rid of the tube in her rear cluster
Church of Ouroux sur Saône, a very different church in that the red door you can see is not a door at all. You enter via either side, with the original front of the church (the altar area) not used as a church, and the building you see below is the new church. Very odd.
The front of the old church
The new church
War memorial outside the church
Ouroux-sur-Saône Town Hall
Lunch stop
A very long river barge
River scenery
Have a close look at this photo - where does the stick meet its reflection
Charolais, not very tasty
There are a lot of hay bales in this paddock
Having and ice cream and cold drink before check-in
The Abbey of St Philibert, Tournus
Pre-dinner drinks on the river, 1664 zero for Greg and a Leffe Ruby (tasted like cherry cough mixture, only fizzy!) for Wendy
View from where we had pre-dinner drinks
Not your usual town vehicle
The good beer Wendy had with dinner
The steak, it looks like they tried to make it look like Australia, shoulda tried to make it more tasty instead
Slippery little suckers without their shells
Prawns
Crème brûlée
After dinner walk shot
Our hotel and room in the red circle
room #10, Le Terminus
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