We recently got fully equipped with decent bicycles for both of us and a seat on each for Laila and Max. Laila has a new seat, the Hamax Siesta that goes on the back of Daddy's bike which she was very apprehensive about getting into at first, we had a horrible afternoon the week before our holiday where we had to force her into it screaming otherwise she would never have tried it! After about 5 mins she decided it wasn't so scary after all and loved every minute from then on!
The first seat she had was the front mounted ibert safe-T bike seat which we bought for when Daddy used to take her to nursery back in Bath, but its been a long time since then so understandably she was scared. Max inherited this seat and it's now on my bike, he just loves it, he helps with my gears and dances about just when I'm pedalling uphill, it's all fun!!
It's been a long time since I did any proper cycling, if you've ever been to Bath you would know why! Hills put me off! But I do love it, I always loved it when I was young and want the same for my kids.
So having heard that the Vendee was brilliant for cycling we decided we would take the bikes on holiday. The region is pretty flat and they have tons of purpose built cycle paths with service stations, parking facilities, signposted routes etc. everything you might need.
In our week there we did 2 big cycle rides, we would have happily done a 3rd but it was too hot at the end of the week so we didn't want to expose the little ones to too much sun.
Ride 1: St Jeans de Monts
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| our approximate route from campsite bottom left, we did a big loop anti-clockwise |
From our campsite, we rode through the woods with lovely gentle slopes and ended up by the beach. We stopped here for a little gouter before riding along the esplanade on the seafront and turning back inland to the campsite. It took us about an hour and a half, with photo stops and the break in the middle. Max played with the speedometer thingy during the ride so we're not sure how many kilometres it was exactly, but we reckon about 10-15km!
Ride 2: Île de Noirmoutier
This is what the french call a "presque île", an "almost island"! As in it's not completely cut off from the mainland. This island has a road (Le passage du Gois) from the mainland you can drive over at low tide only, and helpfully they built a bridge which you can drive over at any time! This years Tour de France will be leaving starting on the Gois and crossing over to go round the island in the first stage.
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| Salt marshes |
We drove onto the island and parked in the main town of Noirmoutier-en-l'Île where we had our lunch, then we got on the bikes and did a big circuit round, it took us about 2 hours, but again not sure how far it was. Noirmoutier is famous for its sea salt and its new potatoes. Which happen to go very well together! The salt marshes make lovely scenery and attract all sorts of birds too, even though all I could name was a white heron!
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| This is the part of the island we did |
We rode up to the village of Le Vieil which is very quiet and picturesque with a lovely beach and a very sweet little town hall (Le Mairie). Then along the coastal road with another beach stop and back round to the town.
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| Beach Le Grand Vieil |
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| Le Grand Vieil |
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| Le Mairie |
The last stretch was the hardest and scariest part, we turned into full on winds just along the waters edge with a nice 6ft drop off the jetty into the sea! I was a little worried about being blown off the path into the sea and had to frantically ring the bell at some walkers for them to move so I didn't have to overtake them! They were nice enough to then take a picture of us at the end!
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| The Jetty |
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