It was hilly and it was cold but at least it wasn’t raining and the scenery was, well…. very scenic.
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Monday 13 August 2018. Plougasnou · Lanloup |116 km|
After only 40 km I had to stop mid-morning at a café in Lannion for 1½ hours to top up again – an effective range of only 80 km on two fully-charged batteries. Well, it wasn’t all that hilly, so there was definitely something going on with the electrics. I never did find out what, but I suspect that one of the batteries hadn’t charged at all the night before.
All along the rugged coastline that constitutes the ‘Cóte de Granit Rose’, or Pink Granite Coast, it was a succession of steep and rugged headlands interspersed by short stretches of beach. Not that I got to see too much of the actual granite coastal features along here, as the road I was on generally veered inland to get from one beach to the next.
The ride on in to Lanloup seemed never ending and, as it was getting hilly again, I decided to take an overnight rest in Lanloup at the Saint Roc’h guesthouse (€55 + €6 for breakfast). I’m pretty sure I was the only guest.
It took me quite a while to rouse the African gentleman (Gilbert, pron. ” Jill-bear”) who ran the place – he seemed rather surprised at first and then grateful that I actually wanted to stay!
An older gentleman who had been trundling around on a ride-on mower when I arrived was introduced to me as his father who owned the property. There was certainly no family resemblance, the father being 100% Caucasian and Gilbert 100% African, so I am guessing Gilbert was either adopted or the son-in-law.
Tuesday 14 August 2018. Lanloup · Des Ondes |164 km|
164 km is quite a long day by my standards. I managed to get lost off the Eurovelo4 for about 50 km and as a consequence even missed altogether the tourist mecca of St. Malo that I’d been curious to visit – but it was pleasant riding all the same.
When I reached the coast again on the Gulf of St. Malo after my 50 km detour, I back-tracked north for 8 km, vaguely making for Cancale, but, as the ride was already long and night was drawing in, I decided I liked the look of the municipal beach-side camping ground at Saint-Benoît-Des-Ondes, and, more particularly, the restaurant across the road from it.
The campground did not disappoint. I was put on a small tent-only pitch that was right next to the camp office, along with three hiking tourist couples. The nice lady in charge even let me use the office power outlets all night for free to recharge the bike batteries.
And nor did the restaurant disappoint either. Their daily special of Moules Meuniere (Mussels steamed in white wine) for €10, washed down by a half-bottle of the best Bretagne cider I have ever tasted. Yay!
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