Typically, having designated today as a full alpine rest day, I woke up before the sun was even over the horizon. From the tent I could hear waves gently lapping at sea shore, so got up and took a walk along the deserted beach. As I was walking, the sun popped over the horizon and Read more

Waking to the sound of rain on a hotel window is far more preferable to hearing it tapping on the canvas of a tent. It had been a quirky stay, but we were glad of being able to wait in the dry until the worst of the weather had blown through. We set out from Read more

We left the Hotel du Port feeling pretty rested and well fed. To minimise our contact with others, I took a short walk in the cool of the morning to the bakery so we could enjoy another breakfast in bed before getting going.  The road was quiet and the temperature just right as we joined Read more

Despite the dampness of the morning, the baker was serving croissants and baguettes from the boot of his car outside the campsite, which provided a minimal effort, delicious breakfast in bed.  In town, I had a cheeky coffee in the square while Clare sourced our provisions for the day. What we really needed was a Read more

Wow. What a storm. It seemed to go on all night and we could still hear distant rumbles at first light. The rain however had passed and we got packed away amid puddles and fallen branches. We were on the trail by 8am as today was to be the ‘big climb’ up to the summit Read more

As with climbing in the mountains, there comes a point where the cycle tourer needs to rest. Today was that day. We were both very keen for a day off the bike that involved minimal excursion and maximum calorific intake. It was time for an alpine rest day. We were tired. We were already prepped Read more