5000km - TICK, Mont Saint Michel - TICK, Crazy rainy mud riding - TICK, Normandy - AMAZING!

 WOOHOOO - 5000KM!  We did it. MASSIVE LEGENDS!!

But let's get down to the journey of the last week.  So much action, so many amazing things to see, so many intense emotions - buckle up for a long post with a billion pics, and even a video.  There are really four parts of the last week, so let's keep things organised and go in order...

1. Leaving Saint Malo and heading to Mont Saint Michel - around 55km

We leapt out of bed (not really) early to get on the bike cause we knew we had a long ride ahead with unstable weather.  To our delight after climbing our way out of Saint Malo, waving to the local hunter who passed us with his sausage dog and shotgun, we were in gorgeous farming country, the sun started to come out, and when we crested the final hill of the morning could see the famous Mont Saint Michel out there in the sea waiting for us.  We couldn't believe it - we were only 20km in and with the clear weather we could see all the way to this gorgeous 1000 year old abbey sitting atop a hilly island off the coast of Normandy.  We followed her all the way, through some glorious paths along the Brittany coast, then through some wild bike paths as we headed into Normandy.  The weather held, by that I mean it was FREEZING, but no rain, and only some wind, so we were pretty damn happy to arrive to see this amazing site in glorious weather, and with the tide out.  INCREDIBLE.  It was a Sunday, so there were people everywhere, I wouldn't want to come in Summer - it was already too crowded for me and it's totally off season.  We scored a cheap hotel right near the island, and the new bridge that takes you out there.  Lucky for us, we were on the bike so just rode right up to it - woohoo!  I had tears in my eyes as I was finally in place I'd always wanted to go but never got there.  It was beautiful.  Majestic.  A bit eery.  Magical.

Leaving saint Malo - ready to go go go!

We finally were done with the hills, were on flat ground (and muddy ground) and we were about to hit the Brittany Coast.

The coast was gorgeous, lots of honey stoned buildings, glorious sea, a fair bit of wind, and some good and not-so-good paths!  But we stopped for a coffee when we hit the coast to gird our loins for the ride to Mont Saint Michel.

You can see here there in the distance, faintly, as I said, we first saw her up on the hills, and watched her slowly get closer and closer, it was wonderful.

Lunch break en route

A hunting sign on the bike path!  We heard many a gun shot as we rode.  Freaky.

She's getting closer...

And closer...!

And we rode right up to it, and I went in to look around - long winding streets, so many tourists, lots of crepe restaurants and tourist shops.  The famous abbey is up top, but we weren't keen to go up - we were so filled up with just being there.  Incredible.

It was back to the hotel for a dinner of 2 minute noodles and baguette (yum yum) - and to chill for the next few days ahead.  It was one of the greatest days of the trip.

2. The wet, wild, and muddy trek through Normandy to get to where we currently are - Bayeux

We left Mont St Michel with high spirits, but it was SO SO SO COLD, and rain threatened, and did fall at times, all day - we'd gone from a great day, to one of the worst days - the roads were wet, the rail trail we rode was wet and slow - we did 51km that day and after a long miserable ride we got to our really cute accommodation on farm just off the cycle path in La Ransonnière.  It was so cosy and comfy, and we'd stopped at the supermarket on the way so we could have risotto for dinner, which Mike made because I was too knackered. It soothed the soul.  

Leaving our hotel for the day ahead...

Saying goodbye to Mont St Michel on our way out

We stopped in a village for coffee and the best thing of the day - a visit to the local patisserie...

 

And here's our score - this yum pastry we'd seen but never tasted, it's like a puffed pastry sandwich filled with home made jam.  DIVINE.

On the rail trail heading towards our wonderfully warm and cosy home for the night

And on the bike for the next day's adventure

And then we come to the craziest day.  La Ransonnière to Vire - around 45km.  It was FREEZING COLD, but we were so determined - we'd decided to do 20km today to get to Sourdeval then the final 25km to Vire the next day so we weren't out on the bike for too long - we were tired with the weather and this 20km was a day of long slow climbing.  And we did it!  Woohoo!  We made it to Sourdeval (appropriately named), we were really chuffed with ourselves, knackered with the cold and climbing, but so happy.  We booked our accommodation while we had lunch, then headed over there at 2pm to check in.  When we arrived we were told that alas the place wasn't available.  Hmmmm.  I just looked at her with my mouth open, holding myself back from crash tackling her to the ground and pummelling her well groomed hair and nice jumper.  OMG, there was no budging.  And there was no other accommodation in the village.  Our only option was to get back on the bike.  And so we did.  We rode 25km through the muddiest track I've ever ridden, rain constantly threatening, and the sun going down.  We fanged it.  We slipped and slid, and we finally made it to Vire, and as we were coming in to the town, one more surprise awaited, a long steep ride down into the valley.  BLOODY HELL.  Once we hit the hill you couldn't stop and get off, it wasn't an option, it was so steep, wet, and I just breathed, calmed myself, held onto my brakes for dear life, and made it to the bottom where there were 3 workmen watching us come down.  INSANE.  We got to our posh hotel, spent a good 30 minutes washing the mud off everything, went out for a 5000km celebration dinner at the local Japanese, and slept the sleep of the gods. What a day.

The things you see on the bike path!  Christmas is everywhere here and this is gold!  It made us smile.  Well, it made Mike smile, I wasn't in a great mood with the cold and hills!

I was so excited to have made it to SourDeval - I'd already started taking pics!

I think this is the only other pic of the day - I was in such a bad mood, and so eager to get to Vire before it got dark, I didn't take many pics.

But we made it to our hotel.  And I was so happy.  And so warm. This is the day that will forever be known as the Slip Sliding Away Day.

5k Celebration dinner at the Japanese restaurant.

Vire was pretty, and festive.

This is the hill we came down on the bike - it doesn't quite capture the downhillness of it.  It took this the next morning on my walk.

3. Bayeux - hello train!

So, we slept well in Vire, got a late checkout, had a whacky heated up cardboard box lunch (don't ask, but it was actually really delicious) in a local cafe, then we hit the train station!  Yep, hello train!  We were able to sit and relax, and watch the amazing Normandy landscape fly past as we trained it to Bayeux with a great transit hot chocolate in Granville.  Woohoooo!  And as we arrived on our bikes at our apartment we'd booked, we were faced with the cutest street, with wonderful Christmas lights, light rainfall, and a feeling of satisfaction and completion.  And so happy to have four days in Bayeux to relax, explore, and rest.

Normandy landscape...beautiful

Our street we're on.  Can't believe it - it feels like we're in a French Hallmark Christmas movie

Yesterday, Friday, we took a train trip to Caen, about 15km away, to check out their Christmas Market - so cute!!

We had to have some hot cider and fried sugared dumplings

Today was a trip to the car wash to give our muddy bikes a good wash down, then checking out the cathedral here and some more shops...it was bustling in our street today, lots of Christmas shopping and eating going on - locals and tourists.

4. D-Day

Part of this beautiful landscape includes the D-Day Normandy beaches and the history that surrounds them.  Wednesday night we watched the movie on the Normandy invasion The Longest Day to give us context.  Then we spent our Thursday morning exploring The Memorial Museum of the Battle of Normandy here in Bayeux, then hopped a bus to Arromanches which is the village on Gold Beach, one of the British invasion beaches.  Mike had read up on the history of that area which included the amazing sea wall and harbour the allies  installed on the beach after D-Day to allow provisions, troops, tanks, and munitions to be supplied during the Battle of Normandy.  It was just incredible.  I was deeply moved by the beauty of the beach, the quaint village of Arromanches, and the sad, ingenious, and inspiring history of the battle.  After a walk along the beach to inspect the remains of some of the harbour construction, we spent a couple of hours in one of the best museums I've ever been to, The D-Day Museum (Musée du Débarquement).  I'm so glad I went, it has left its mark on me.  In a good way.  

Arromanches-les-Bains

The view from the museum was jaw dropping, and sobering.  I took a little video.

So Sporsfans, it's been yet another deeply textured week.  So much to see and learn.  So much to explore and experience.  So much to be excited about.  So much to integrate.  We are feeling so filled up, so satisfied with our bike year, neither of us can believe we have cycled over 5000km, what an incredible adventure, and incredible almost 7 months.  And now we move forward, I'm off to Lisbon next week for a four days with my Brazilian sister, Ally, and her family - WOOHOO!  Mike's got some time on his own in Beauvais, an hour out of Paris, and then it's really heading into Christmas. I can't believe it.