In Which David Takes a Bike and Boat Ride

A few days later, May 10, another of our impromptu bike rides involved a boat trip up the Saône river, one of the two rivers in Lyon.  We first were to ride a bit around town and then, with our bikes, take a 2-1/2 hour boat ride to Neuville-sur-Saône, about 25km up river.  We would then ride back to Lyon, combining exercise with a bit of effortless sight-seeing.

A word about the boat - it is a "Sapine", a reproduction of the old flat-bottom boats used in Gallo-Roman times on the Rhone to move people and goods.  This one has an engine as well as solar panels so you recharge your electric bike battery while traveling on the boat!

Our Boat - a Modern Sapine

The whole package of the boat ride plus a couple of glasses of wine to accompany our sack lunches cost 10 euros per person, which, as there were only about 12 of us, could hardly have paid the fuel bill on the boat.  The next day, David noticed an article in the Progress, the local paper, that the same boat was running excursions out of Neuville-sur-Saône that weekend, so we had obviously been the beneficiaries of the ‘repositioning rate’, plus the man who organized this bike ride was a friend of the man and wife who operated the boat.

After we assembled that morning, we had a pleasant ride down the bike path along the Rhône river to the ‘Confluence’, the area where the Saône joins the Rhône at the south end of Lyon.  We found the marina where the boat was moored and loaded our bikes on the boat, where they were securely fastened down by the owner.

Roger and David on the Boat Leaving Lyon

After getting under way, we were served a glass of wine to celebrate, and sat back to enjoy our ride.  

As the boat motored slowly up the Saône, we ate our sack lunches and enjoyed the scenery.  We saw a number of sights during the trip, including Ile Barbe, just north of Lyon, where there has been a religious settlement at least since the days of Charlemagne.  Anna and I have visited this island several times as it is very scenic.  

Ile Barbe in the Middle of the Saône

We passed through the lock at Rochetaillée-sur-Saône, a very small boat in a relatively large lock!  

Entering the Lock

We then docked at Neuville-sur-Saône, unloaded our bikes and pedaled back down the river to Lyon – a different and very enjoyable way to take a bike trip. 

Unloading the Bikes

Preparing to Bike back to Lyon

In Which David Enjoys a Bike Ride and then Overeats!

Two posts, including this one, will center around an informal biking group that David rides with in the area around Lyon.  Typically, our ex-landlord Roger and his brother-in-law Gérard organize these rides which usually take place towards the end of the week.  The rides are often fairly strenuous, climbs of up to 1000 meters or more and 50-80km in length.  As many of the riders have graduated to electric-assist bikes, and David is using a manual 21-speed bike, a lot of these rides are beyond him.  However, there are often shorter and less-challenging rides that David is perfectly capable of participating in.

One May 7 ride covered about 37 km through a regional park area known as Miribel-Jonage.   The area was created over 100 years ago in a marshy area along the Rhone river when a barge canal was built, followed about 1895 by an early hydroelectric dam, along with another canal and locks for freight barges.  The land is fairly level, mostly along old canal-barge tow paths.  The dam was one of the first hydroelectric projects in France and while small by today's standards, was an enormous undertaking.  It has been updated with modern generating equipment and still efficiently produces electricity.

A Postcard circa 1905 Showing the Dam

End View of the Dam Powerhouse with Art Nouveau Decoration

Early Art Nouveau Poster Promoting the Use of Electricity from the Dam

David had biked through the area a number of times, enjoying the scenery and various aquatic wildlife.  After one of these rides, which usually begin about 10AM, the group will stop for lunch at a small, local restaurant.  This time we stopped at Elie Henry et Fils, where the owner has been trying to ‘fatten up’ David for a couple of years.  As we locked our bikes and took off our gear, David noticed a ‘beef and frites’ plat on offer on the chalk board.  As he likes this dish, he decided to order it.  He should have been warned by the fact that the price was several euros more than the other dishes.

After placing our orders and enjoying glasses of water and a bit of red wine, the owner came out to show David the biggest piece of meet he had ever seen!  He asked for it to be cut in half, but the owner said that David needed to accept the challenge and ‘get on with it’, in French.

As brought to the table with accompanying frites, the slab hung over both sides of the plate!  David manfully tackled the lunch to the amusement of the rest of the group.  The meat was on a large bone, and David managed to trim off what he thought was the edible parts.  Imagine his surprise when after his plate was removed, back came a smaller plate with small pieces that had been carved off the bone and instructions to finish what he had started.  He accepted that challenge, too, and after emptying that plate also, got a thumbs-up from the owner!

Ready to Start!

Better View of the Challenge!

For the rest of the day and evening David had a distinct feeling of having over-eaten and a resolution to be more discriminating in the future when ordering!

Bread and “our” Boulangeries in France

Bread, usually a baguette, is a very important part of lunches and dinners in France.  Whether one is dining in a café, restaurant, or at home, bread is on the table.  It is not unusual to see a waiter hurrying out a café back door to a local boulangerie and returning a few minutes later with an armful of baguettes.  We also often see a customer in a boulangerie picking up a huge flour sack full of baguettes and then signing for them in a notebook.  When we are in France, we tend to observe some French customs – in particular, we have bread with our meals.  A baguette – bien sûr!

Baguettes can be purchased in grocery stores, but THE place to get bread is at a boulangerie.  Our favorite three boulangeries are all a short walk away from our apartment. 

Boulangerie des 5 Sens

The first is right across the street, the Boulangerie des 5 Sens.  We often enjoy their fresh croissants for breakfast, and their baguettes are also good.  (A side note – we’ve found that baguettes are slightly different in texture and crust at each boulangerie.)  There’s nothing quite like hurrying across the street with a warm, delicious-smelling baguette in hand!

Le Fournil de L'artisan

The second is Le Fournil de L'artisan, just around the corner and down Cour Lafayette a couple of blocks.  This one is actually a favorite breakfast place for us.  We like to get our café crèmes and pastries and sit on stools at a small table while we discuss plans for the day and watch the scenery on the street and in the bakery.  We have been frequenting this boulangerie long enough and often enough to become known by sight by the very pleasant baker/proprietor and the counter staff.   In fact, when we went in this morning, we were greeted with big smiles and our server recited our usual order to us!  Anna particularly likes their chausson aux pommes (French apple turnovers); she has decided theirs are the best she has tasted.  (David prefers their pain aux raisins also!)

chausson aux pommes - delicious!

We also often get baguettes and desserts here.  Anna popped in one Saturday just at closing time to buy a baguette, the lady behind the counter put two, rather than one, in a bag for her, then she and the baker looked at each other and refused payment.  They both smiled as she told Anna the baguettes were gatuit because they were closing.  Needless to say, it’s easy to be a loyal customer with that kind of recognition and treatment!

Interior of Chez Jules - Brotteaux

And, the third is Chez Jules - Brotteaux.  Yes, Chez Jules is a chain, but the quality and variety of their products is great.  AND, it’s open on Sunday – when no other place around us is.  It’s a little farther away from our apartment, but not that far, and we are often out strolling in that area.  It’s a great place to stop for a café and pastry – not to mention a handy place to pick up a baguette and dessert.

With such good boulangeries with delicious breads and pastries nearby, it would be a sin not to take advantage of the situation.  Right?  At least that's what we think.  Just another reason to enjoy our life in France!

Getting Back into Life in Lyon

Have we already been here for over two weeks?!  How can that be?

Well, during that two weeks, we’ve had lunch with our friends and former landlords, Roger and Dominique, at Le Marélie, our favorite creperie.  We had just arrived, and it was Dominique’s birthday so we had lots to celebrate.  

We have also had Dominique and Roger over for dinner in our apartment.  It’s always delightful to spend an evening with these folks, and it has become a tradition to have them over for at least one dinner while we’re here so that we can enjoy a nice bottle of Dehlinger Pinot Noir.  This year David brought a 2002 Old Vine Reserve vintage.  Delicious!

Then there was the April lunch with our British friends in Del Cano.  This group was originally made up of ex-RAF folks and has come to include other Brits and a sprinkling of other expats.  They have graciously welcomed us to their monthly lunches whenever we are in town, and we continue to assure them that "we are doing just fine in the colonies”.  [Side note:  Magellan circumnavigated the globe – right?  Wrong!  He actually died in the Philippines part way through, and Juan Sebastián Del Cano took over command and continued the voyage back to Spain.  It’s not always the “big heroes” who actually get the job done.]  Anyway, the Del Cano folks are great group of interesting people and conversations often cover a wide variety of subjects – although Brexit has become a frequent discussion topic.

We have also had lunch with our delightful “French daughter” (and former exchange student), Estelle.   We’ve known her since she stayed with us when she was 17.  Since her older son will soon be 20, you can tell  that that was a few years ago.  Through the years we have been embraced by her whole family, siblings, mother, aunts, uncles, cousins, and, most especially, by her terrific husband and two sons.  As always, the time seems to fly by when we are enjoying time with Estelle, and we look forward to our next get together.

Hmmm…looks like we do a lot of socializing over meals when we’re in Lyon.  Good friends, good food, and good conversations – not a bad combination!