Date: 29 September 2014
Route: Beaugency -Pussigny
In the saddle: 08:30 – 20:15
Distance:  150 km (at least)

I got up early as I just wanted to get out of the campsite! It was drizzling slightly as I packed everything up, and I had to put my bike lights and yellow safety jacket on as it was so misty.

It was a lovely easy route towards Blois (and later, Tours) following the river Loire. Being right next to the river also meant that the cycling was flat. Hurrah!

I also passed by my first vineyard of the trip! As I was going through the town, I was struggling to work out why the name sounded so familiar: Vouvray. Then I saw the vineyards, and wondered no more! 🙂

I stopped off in a lovely picnic area in Monteaux for my lunch (yes, that’s a LOT of bread, I know, but I would need it for today’s mammoth distance!):

I hit Tours in the early afternoon. My route took me right past the Cathedral so I managed to get a picture:

I reached my intended destination just as dusk was falling, but there was no campsite or youth hostel in the village contrary to what my book said. I cycled round and round hoping one would magically appear, and an old man walking his King Charles Spaniel stopped me and asked what I was looking for (in French).

I tried to explain I was looking for a place to stay (in diabolical French) but he said there was nothing in the village. Seeing my desperation, he suggested I could come and stay with him and his wife, which was incredibly kind. (All the while his dog would not stop licking my leg!) I politely declined (I didn’t want to be a burden), and he suggested I could also go and sleep in the church just down the road. I did seriously consider it (had a look around and it seemed pretty cosy) but I knew that all my battery packs and phone needed recharging otherwise I wouldn’t be able to use them tomorrow, so I went back to my book and looked up places in the next town. I called ahead, and luckily there was a room available in another chamber d’hôte so I pushed on (absolutely exhausted by this time) to Pussigny. Arrived there just after 8pm, meaning I’d been on the go almost 12 hours! After a hot shower and some stove-cooked dinner, I slept amazingly well, very thankful for my bed!