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Today's Route
Travelogue
After an excellent (i.e. large) breakfast at the hotel, we set off on our bikes at about 8:30, following the well sign-posted route for La Velofrancette in the direction of Caen.
The route is entirely on a dedicated cycle lane for about the first 50 km. It seems to follow an old railway line, through towns like Caen and then across farmland. Typically it's well shaded by trees, the cycling surface is excellent and the slightly uphill gradient, gentle.
The river L’Orne was always to one side or the other and we crossed several bridges, some affording lovely views.
There were quite a few other cyclists but not so many that it felt busy. Sometimes they were clearly bikepackers like is, sometimes locals out for a bike ride or simply travelling somewhere (like school) by bike.
After about 50 km though, we left the old railway and cycled on quiet but quite hilly roads. It was a slight shock to the legs but they did fine.
We stopped at Pont d'Ouilly and had lunch in a boulangerie. There was a supermarket next door but it was closed so we sat at a picnic bench by the river to pass the time. Canoeists paddled by and had fun zipping down a ramp from one side of a weir to the other. I (M1) saw a canoe with two people whizz down and something small but wearing a life jacket, fall out into the water! A child?! Au secours!!
But no, it wasn't a child. It was a dog and it may have jumped overboard rather than fallen. It seemed fine, doggy paddling in its floatation jacket and was unceremoniously lifted from the water back into the canoe to continue its journey.
After buying groceries we cycled another 4 km to our campsite, put the tent up and got comfortable in our awesome Helinox chairs.
A good first day on la Velofrancette
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