Downhill into Paris
Sunday morning was to be a gentle trundle into Paris, judging by the Google Maps profile, with lots of nice cycle paths to keep me safely away from the increasing traffic. On a Sunday it should be quieter anyway.
I thought I had ordered breakfast, but apparently not, so I had a couple of items from the snack machine and a takeaway coffee or two, as well as most of my remaining food. I would need a shop or a restaurant in Paris, but that shouldn't be a problem, even on a Sunday.
There was the issue of getting out of Plaisir, though. Apart from the usual challenge of finding the right road, as a cyclist it's usually best to find a minor road or path to avoid the traffic, and I thought I had one mapped out that would take me east and north along a quiet cycle path to join the road that would then take me past Versailles and onto the Seine at Boulogne-Billancourt. Then I would just follow the cycle route along the Seine to Notre Dame, where I would meet up with the rest of the team. Easy.
Naturally, it wasn't that easy, so it's as well that I didn't have to rush. Firstly, the cycle route east and north included a private road through an industrial area that was firmly locked, this being a Sunday. It might not have been accessible anyway, but I'll probably never know. It looked like I might be able to sneak through via a housing development alongside but this turned out to be impossible, too, with the only entrance being the one to the south that I entered by.
So, it was back to the road from hell that I'd been trying so hard to avoid for the last hour. And in fact, heading north this time, it wasn't so bad. I followed my instincts to go north and or east until I started seeing signs for Versailles, which wasn't long, even though I was riding through a fairly industrial area of Plaisir. Once I knew I was on the main Versailles road I could relax a bit, and concentrate on staying safe and protecting my brakes on a road that seemed more hilly than I expected.
It wasn't too challenging, just a bit stop-start, with traffic lights and a series of little climbs towards Versailles, so progress was slower than usual. But I had time in hand.
Versailles is spectacular, and some other buildings nearby are pretty grand, too, but I wasn't in a position to stop and admire them, so I didn't. Just after Versailles I had a decision to make. There was a less direct route that promised to be quieter, or I could take the main road and hope that the promised cycle path would appear. I opted for the latter, and the cycle path kept me away from the traffic, although it was rough in places, with a few nasty ramps and potholes.
I trundled along behind a cyclist who was going just slightly slower than I would have done, but not enough for me to make a point of squeezing past. Eventually, where the path spilled onto the road for a section, I overtook and got back into my own rhythm, before rejoining the path.
At some point, this path must have taken me onto a right fork, away from the main road. Whatever happened, I quite suddenly found myself in the middle of a small French town that could have been almost anywhere but the outskirts of Paris. I suppose settlements like this still exist around other major cities, too, where the through traffic doesn't venture and life appears to go on as it has for decades, if not centuries. This little town had a one-way system though, and after a circuit of the town centre and two sights of the Hotel de Ville I took what seemed the only road out.
A few hundred metres of quiet country road and I was suddenly confronted by the 21st century again, in the form of a busy street that clearly was part of a much bigger town. I realised I must be on the outskirts of Chaville (though not how I had got there), and turned left (north) to find the town centre and the through road to Paris, via Sèvres. From here it was a matter of following signs and riding along broad streets amongst the Sunday morning traffic, including a few local cyclists on their weekly club run, all stop-starting at the frequent traffic lights.
Suddenly, I was at the Seine at Boulogne-Bellancourt. I rode across the bridge, just for a look, then crossed back again and made my way towards the embankment and the cycle path. If this is the recommended cycle route, why are there so many pavé sections, steep ramps and barriers? At times, riding was pleasant and easy, at other times I feared for my bike. Pavé is much more uneven and trecherous than our cobbles, and I was glad my bike was known for its strong yet supple frame and sturdy wheels. At one point there was just a narrow, muddy grass verge beside the road; later the path was terraced by a series of high kerbs, parallel to the direction of travel but trecherous for anyone who slipped off the unmarked edge onto the next level down. And, of course, most of this was shared with pedestrians, runners, skateboarders and the occasional tour bus.
This part of the ride wasn't fun and I should probably have kept to the road, but then I would have missed seeing the river cruisers, pavement artists, bridges and other sights along the embankment, and I would never have known what I was missing. Next time I'll know!
Eventually, I reached Notre Dame, just before 1pm, to be greeted by our old friend Richard, who was having a few days' holiday in Paris and had come to see us off. It was great to see him and soon after we had settled ouside a nearby restaurant for lunch, I had a call from John, to say they had arrived, too. Fresh off the Eurostar at Gare du Nord, they had arrived at Notre Dame about fifteen minutes after I had arrived all the way from St Malo. It was almost as though we had planned it.
Once we had made ourselves heard above the traffic noise, and they worked out where we were, they joined us. The omelettes were excellent, as were the beers. Most importantly, the team had assembled, in one place, in one piece, and as ready as we ever would be to begin our next big ride.
What was day four for me was now day one of the real trip - Paris to the Pyrenees.
I thought I had ordered breakfast, but apparently not, so I had a couple of items from the snack machine and a takeaway coffee or two, as well as most of my remaining food. I would need a shop or a restaurant in Paris, but that shouldn't be a problem, even on a Sunday.
There was the issue of getting out of Plaisir, though. Apart from the usual challenge of finding the right road, as a cyclist it's usually best to find a minor road or path to avoid the traffic, and I thought I had one mapped out that would take me east and north along a quiet cycle path to join the road that would then take me past Versailles and onto the Seine at Boulogne-Billancourt. Then I would just follow the cycle route along the Seine to Notre Dame, where I would meet up with the rest of the team. Easy.
Naturally, it wasn't that easy, so it's as well that I didn't have to rush. Firstly, the cycle route east and north included a private road through an industrial area that was firmly locked, this being a Sunday. It might not have been accessible anyway, but I'll probably never know. It looked like I might be able to sneak through via a housing development alongside but this turned out to be impossible, too, with the only entrance being the one to the south that I entered by.
So, it was back to the road from hell that I'd been trying so hard to avoid for the last hour. And in fact, heading north this time, it wasn't so bad. I followed my instincts to go north and or east until I started seeing signs for Versailles, which wasn't long, even though I was riding through a fairly industrial area of Plaisir. Once I knew I was on the main Versailles road I could relax a bit, and concentrate on staying safe and protecting my brakes on a road that seemed more hilly than I expected.
It wasn't too challenging, just a bit stop-start, with traffic lights and a series of little climbs towards Versailles, so progress was slower than usual. But I had time in hand.
Versailles is spectacular, and some other buildings nearby are pretty grand, too, but I wasn't in a position to stop and admire them, so I didn't. Just after Versailles I had a decision to make. There was a less direct route that promised to be quieter, or I could take the main road and hope that the promised cycle path would appear. I opted for the latter, and the cycle path kept me away from the traffic, although it was rough in places, with a few nasty ramps and potholes.
I trundled along behind a cyclist who was going just slightly slower than I would have done, but not enough for me to make a point of squeezing past. Eventually, where the path spilled onto the road for a section, I overtook and got back into my own rhythm, before rejoining the path.
At some point, this path must have taken me onto a right fork, away from the main road. Whatever happened, I quite suddenly found myself in the middle of a small French town that could have been almost anywhere but the outskirts of Paris. I suppose settlements like this still exist around other major cities, too, where the through traffic doesn't venture and life appears to go on as it has for decades, if not centuries. This little town had a one-way system though, and after a circuit of the town centre and two sights of the Hotel de Ville I took what seemed the only road out.
A few hundred metres of quiet country road and I was suddenly confronted by the 21st century again, in the form of a busy street that clearly was part of a much bigger town. I realised I must be on the outskirts of Chaville (though not how I had got there), and turned left (north) to find the town centre and the through road to Paris, via Sèvres. From here it was a matter of following signs and riding along broad streets amongst the Sunday morning traffic, including a few local cyclists on their weekly club run, all stop-starting at the frequent traffic lights.
Suddenly, I was at the Seine at Boulogne-Bellancourt. I rode across the bridge, just for a look, then crossed back again and made my way towards the embankment and the cycle path. If this is the recommended cycle route, why are there so many pavé sections, steep ramps and barriers? At times, riding was pleasant and easy, at other times I feared for my bike. Pavé is much more uneven and trecherous than our cobbles, and I was glad my bike was known for its strong yet supple frame and sturdy wheels. At one point there was just a narrow, muddy grass verge beside the road; later the path was terraced by a series of high kerbs, parallel to the direction of travel but trecherous for anyone who slipped off the unmarked edge onto the next level down. And, of course, most of this was shared with pedestrians, runners, skateboarders and the occasional tour bus.
This part of the ride wasn't fun and I should probably have kept to the road, but then I would have missed seeing the river cruisers, pavement artists, bridges and other sights along the embankment, and I would never have known what I was missing. Next time I'll know!
Eventually, I reached Notre Dame, just before 1pm, to be greeted by our old friend Richard, who was having a few days' holiday in Paris and had come to see us off. It was great to see him and soon after we had settled ouside a nearby restaurant for lunch, I had a call from John, to say they had arrived, too. Fresh off the Eurostar at Gare du Nord, they had arrived at Notre Dame about fifteen minutes after I had arrived all the way from St Malo. It was almost as though we had planned it.
After a pleasant lunch, time for the photocall, thanks to our friend Richard.
Once we had made ourselves heard above the traffic noise, and they worked out where we were, they joined us. The omelettes were excellent, as were the beers. Most importantly, the team had assembled, in one place, in one piece, and as ready as we ever would be to begin our next big ride.
What was day four for me was now day one of the real trip - Paris to the Pyrenees.
posted by Roy Everitt at
16:43
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