May 12, 2023
Saintes to Cognac
Sunny morning mixing the Flow with the road.
Sunny skies greet us when we wake and that’s the way at least half the day goes. It’s a beautiful start after so much dodgy weather. In addition, Catherine’s breakfast is a delight, making this stay one of our best.
We farewell her and head down to the river- Ann pointing me in the opposite direction to the one I want to take. She and Komoot are on to it though, and pretty soon we’re out of town on the quiet D128. We had intended turning off to the Flow Velo route, but this D road is so easy- very few cars, great surface and flat, that we just keep on keeping on. It’s pleasant in the full sun for a change and the change of landscape from the marshlands we’ve become accustomed to is uplifting.
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The countryside is in flower and new crops of maize are springing up. We also begin to see vineyards, some quite recently planted. In many of the small towns there’s little sign of life, but the key activity for a number of the lifestyle blocks we see, is lawn mowing. We find not a single shop of any sort open and though we spot the occasional school, it’s hard to figure out where everyone could be. Most small towns have a church, some simple and very well maintained.
Eventually close to Cognac at Salignac sur Charente we decide to opt for the official off road route. It’s ok, a bit lumpy and potholed in places but we’re no longer worrying about speed.
Once in Cognac, we take a brief look about before heading up to our accommodation. It’s a bit of a mix- creaking stairs, shared bathroom and toilet down the hall. On the other hand we can cook in the kitchen. And there’s two quite friendly cats.
Today's ride: 45 km (28 miles)
Total: 906 km (563 miles)
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