August 1, 2025
Day Ride to Versailles
I still can’t believe that I was the one who suggested to Alex that we take a bike ride to Versailles in search of Invaders. He’s captured nearly all of the living Invaders in Paris, save a few hard-to-get ones such as the one atop the Eiffel Tower. He’d been looking for new Invader territory and I was keen to take Vivien George out for real ride. A trip to Versailles, home to more than 25 Invaders as well as a big palace, seemed like the ideal outing.
I originally mapped out a rather meandering route that wound south on the Veloscenic cycle route before curving back up to Versailles. However, I reconsidered in the interest of time - we had a dinner reservation in Paris and I knew would Alex not want to head back to Paris before capturing ALL the Invaders. In the end, I left the outbound route planning to RWGPS.
I arrived at Alex’s at 10:30 and he sheepishly rolled out with Carla’s Decathalon city bike, a last minute replacement as his own bike had a persistent flat tire. We made our way to the Veloscenic and after a very short stretch on the cycle path we were flying through the outer burbs of Paris on designated cycle lanes. It was glorious - I was humming along and with Alex attached to my wheel I imagined myself leading the TdF peloton. Oh, how foolish I was!
Unbeknownst to me, our route to Versailles took us up the legendary “Côte des Gardes,” a route used by the royal armies to travel from Paris to the Palace at Versailles. The approximately two kilometer route averaging 7% is not only a staple in the Paris-Versailles road race but was also included in the 2024 Olympic Marathon and this year’s Tour de France. It is a challenging stretch, and one I was not prepared for. Overdressed and fueled by only an overly sweet chocolate almond croissant for breakfast, I struggled up the first steep section and totally bonked on the last bit, which topped out at 13%. Feeling light-headed, I found a shady spot to sit, take off a layer and hydrate before completing the last bit on foot. I could accept that a month off the bike had taken a physical toll, but the mental lapses reminded me that pre-ride preparation always makes for a more enjoyable outing.
Ever the gentleman, Alex sat with me while I gained my bearings and we walked up the hill together. A screeching downhill and another three miles took us into the heart of Versailles where found a shady bench to enjoy our lunch before embarking on our Invader mission.
In planning the route for today’s ride, I had added way-points marking the location of all “live” invaders, those that had not been destroyed. All were located outside the palace gates and most were found in two clusters within the historic district of the city. To my delight, each gave a nod to the history and lore of Versailles - from the crown of Louis XIV to the hall of mirrors to the beheading of Louis XVI.
After a highly successful and fun-filled afternoon in the heart of Versailles, we headed back toward Paris, flashing a few stray Invaders on the way out of town. The return route took us on a delightfully long and sweeping downhill through the former royal hunting grounds, now a national forest. We reached the Seine at a bend near Boulogne-Billancourt and soon were cycling down the familiar streets of the 15th Arrondissement.
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After a couple of hours sprawled on the couch, I was ready to meet Carla, Alex and our friend Mickey for dinner at a Moroccan restaurant near Parc Georges-Brassens. They were each excited to be starting their August holiday, something I hoped to begin shortly. Today’s ride was a reminder of how much I’ve been missing Vivien George while also stressing the importance of a good breakfast and proper hydration!
Today's ride: 29 miles (47 km)
Total: 1,163 miles (1,872 km)
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6 days ago
6 days ago