Day 14 - Paris procession and Caen canals

 I had a great evening in Nice. Once I’d got my bike to my room that is. I had checked in advance whether I could store the bike safely, and was told I could keep it in my room. The problem was that the room was on the 5th floor…

The receptionist suggested that I put the bike in the lift and send the lift up to the 5th floor. Not a bad idea. Until the bike jammed the inner door of the lift, rendering the lift useless and my bike stuck inside it. Eventually the lift doors reset and I was able to retrieve the bike, carrying its colossal weight up 5 flights of stairs.

Searching out a square to sit, contemplate and people watch I made my way to the impressive Notre Dame cathedral: one final doff of my cap to French churches. 

After a few beers in a bar, I wandered off to find food. I didn’t wander far, stopping at a busy looking Lebanese restaurant. That’ll do nicely. 

I ordered the 11 mezze menu and a bottle of red. They warned me that would be “a lot of food”. Excellent, I said.

Explaining where I’d come from the waiter was then very keen to show me his beautiful steel 1976 bike, handmade in Nice. “It works fine if I don’t brake or change gear.”

Desperate to be set loose with the toolkit, I looked on admiringly and nodded sagely. 

I finished dinner and wandered - via another bar - back to my hotel, and slept well. Breakfast was surprisingly straightforward - full marks. I ate, and made for the train station. The rules for the TGV are odd - you can take bikes on but not if they’re fully assembled. I’d prepared in advance for this and had carried with me for the full 1,017 miles a bag big enough to put my bike in. 

I first needed to take the panniers and wheels off, and even then carting it to coach 11 was somewhat of a kerfuffle. Getting it then onto the upstairs of the TGV was even more so. Finding somewhere to put it was the final straw that broke the frustrated camel’s back.

Soon enough I was cruising along the Mediterranean to Marseille before heading north at 180mph to Paris. At one point, near Chateauneuf du Pape I crossed the point where I’d ridden a few days earlier. Looking to the horizon my old friend Mt Ventoux came into view. 

Since I had to change stations in Paris it seemed rude not to finish my Tour de France on the Champs-Elysees. Theoretically I had an hour to ride the 10km route from Gare du Lyon to Gare Saint-Lazard via the Arc de Triumph. I hadn’t accounted for the 10 minutes it took to get off the train, the 10 minutes it took to put my bike back together Or the 5 minutes it took to find my bearings. Or the Sunday evening crowds taking a stroll along the Seine. Suddenly it was 17:45. I was at the Arc de Triumph completely unaware that it had got so late. My train was due to leave at 17:59 and they advertise - a lot - that they will close the doors 2 mins beforehand. The station was an 11 minute ride according to Google maps (2.5km). Let’s just say I broke some rules, most notably when I rode at speed through the station concourse. 3 SNCF ‘police’ then accosted me, so I jumped off, shouted “train” at them and ran for my train. 17:54. Which platform? As I stood there looking crazed and loudly blurting “train to Caen” over and over a kind French man  pointed me in the direction of platform 19. I didn’t need telling twice. I took the risk and it paid off. I boarded the train at 17:56 but I’m unlikely to be welcomed back to Gare Saint-Lazare any time soon. 

The rest of the journey passed without incident and 2 hours later I was in Caen. Stomach rumbling, I found a shop, bought a bottle of water and a ham baguette and ate it alongside the imaginatively named “Canal de Caen a la mare”. Nourished, I rode the final 16km of my French adventure along said canal before boarding the ferry home. 

Before I sign off, a massive thank you to my wife Suzanne and daughters Alice & Clara for letting me go off for a 2 week adventure. You’re all amazing and I can’t wait to see you again tomorrow! 

Thanks also to everyone who offered good wishes before, during & after and for all your messages of support along the way.