Cycling Across France: A Photo Essay
If you’ve been around for a while, you already know that this past September, I cycled a vintage Swiss military bike all the way across France, from the Swiss border to the Atlantic Ocean. The trip was emotional and difficult and infinitely worth it. And I realized this week that I hadn’t shared many of my photos.
So today, a photo essay covering a little under a month on a bicycle winding my way across the French countryside:
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All photos taken with my brand-new Sony a6000.
Comments
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gigigriffis
Thanks! Glad you enjoyed them.
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Linda
Lovely! Thanks for sharing! I especially like the fourth photo from the bottom!!! Luna’s ears are adorable! Linda
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gigigriffis
Thanks!
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Colina R
Lovely photos. Can you tell us their locations?
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gigigriffis
They’re almost all along the Eurovelo 6 biking trail (though a couple are detours a little ways off the main trail). Most the trail photos and a few of the tiny town shots I couldn’t pinpoint for you exactly, but the cities, in order, are:
Photo 1: Mayor’s office in a small town north of Saumur.
Photos 3 – 4: Colmar, France.
Photo 5: Dole, France.
Photos 11 – 12: Beaune, France.
Photo 15 (first castle): Sully-sur-Loire, France.
Photo 17 (interior shot of a countryside gite): La Coyere gites in the countryside outside Saumur. https://gigigriffis.com/beautiful-spaces-where-i-stayed-in-the-loire-valley/
Photos 19 – 20: Château de Villandry.
21 – 24: Chateau de l’Islette.
25: Chateau Azay-le-Rideau.
31 – 32: Saint-Brevin-les-Pins; the Atlantic Coast.
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Ali
Gorgeous! You’re definitely making me want to go back to France and explore more castles in the Loire Valley. The ones pictured here are really pretty. It would be nice to have more time there, as opposed to the day trip I did last summer. Maybe I’ll go back someday…
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Martin James
Great work, beautiful pictures.
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gigigriffis
Thanks!
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jumbo
Wow beautiful pictures. Great collection.
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chris harding
Hi There from New Zealand
I have friends with a canal boat in St Jean de Losnes and will spend a few weeks with them in June July 2018. I plan to buy a cross bike and pannier in Dole or Dijon so i am free to cycle to Colmar Strasbourg Geneva or anywhere. I may also bring a small 1.25kg tent as accomodation may be tight at that time.
I am concerned about security of the bike tent and stuff, if i leave it unattended in a campground.
Have you any suggestions to make please
thanks
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gigigriffis
Hi Chris,
I don’t think I’d be worried about your tent. Just lock up your bike (bike theft is definitely a possibility) and keep anything valuable on your person. I lived out of a campground in Switzerland for awhile and I’d leave most things in my tent and just keep my computer and stuff with me in a small backpack. You can also look into lockers or storage options (many campgrounds have them, I think) if you have electronics you want to leave while you go hiking or something. I used to have the campground staff lock my backpack in their office if I went hiking.
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tanya
wow, these photos make you feel like you are right there! Thanks so much for sharing them, it looked like it was a great trip.