AubrysInFrance: Bike ride day 1

After a lapse of four years[!], the four of us [Tom, Gérard, Roger, David] were about to start on our annual bike trip through a part of France. This time David had been given the task of coming up with ideas as to where to go. The area chosen from among the alternatives presented involved taking the train to Geneva, Switzerland. We would then bike to an overnight stop on the Rhone, and then around at least part of Lac de Bourget. We would stay overnight in Aix-les-Bains, a famous 19^th century spa town on the lake. From there, we would bike to Annecy, an old, scenic town on Lac d’Annecy. The next day we would bike around the lake, and with luck, take a train back to Lyon. This trip was a bit less ambitious than in the past, as we were careful not to attempt too much after our four-year hiatus.

Lunch at Roger and Dominiques the Day Before

Monday morning, we were scheduled to meet, with bikes and saddlebags, outside Lyon’s Part-Dieu station at 8AM, for our 8:38AM train. Anna came along to take the required photos and see us off. Weather forecasts were a bit concerning, as there were predictions of heat and thunderstorms, both of which can make cycling unpleasant. But we figured that each day’s trip was only 50-60km, so we should be able to start in the morning in cooler temperatures. The short route would allow us the time to wait out a thunderstorm under shelter.

The Four at Lyon's Part Dieu Rail Station

Ready to go at Geneva Rail Station

In two hours, we reached Geneva and unloaded our bikes and got ready to set out on our adventure. The first day we would be following part of the Via Rhona, a marked bike route down the Rhone River to the Mediterranean. Gérard’s cell phone has a GPS Ap on it that allows him to program our route, and even to select from such options as lighter automobile traffic, and amount of elevation gain. This generally worked well, as it prevented us from ever getting lost, but in Geneva, led us on to some bike trails that were steep, narrow, and winding. After that, a good part of the route wound through small neighborhoods with little car traffic.

Once out of Geneva, we descended on a 3-4 kilometer, gently sloping, paved bike path that more than made up for fighting our way through Geneva. We crossed a small dam, and wound our way through the Swiss countryside, passing through small villages. We stopped in one for a snack, where we paid in euros and got change in Swiss francs!

Bridge over the Rhone at Seyssel

Eventually we reached the town of Seyssel, on the Rhone, where we would stay for the night. It turned out to be the same hotel Roger and David had stayed in in 2012, the second year of the annual bike rides. Covid, European regulations, and changing habits among the French have led to a decline in the number of these small-town hotels. This one had changed its name and the front desk was only open at certain times. So, we went into town for a drink while we waited for the reception desk to open about 5PM.

After checking in, we took our bikes down to the secure bike-storage area under the deck. As we removed our batteries for charging that night, David had a difficult time getting his battery out. It turned out that the plastic case on the lower battery-mount had cracked! The concern now was – would the battery fit back into place and would everything work if it did fit? Luckily, Seyssel had a train station if David had to drop out, as did the other overnight towns on our itinerary.