Last evening, during a stroll around my campsite and the surrounding area, I found myself walking along the very path I was meant to cycle today. What I saw didn’t inspire much confidence. The so-called “Véloroute La Seine à Vélo” wasn’t paved, nor even hard-packed — just loose stones and, at times, a narrow single track.
That was enough to convince me to change plans. I decided to skip that section and take the road instead. In fact, I avoided almost all the unpaved parts of the route. Even if it hadn’t been raining, I would’ve made the same choice. Unless you’re riding a mountain bike and looking for a challenge, that kind of terrain is far from enjoyable — especially on a Brompton, or a road bike.
As a result, today’s ride only loosely followed the official route. The weather didn’t help either. Despite AccuWeather’s optimistic forecast of “no rain for the next four hours,” I arrived in Les Andelys completely soaked. Apparently, a persistent mist or drizzle doesn’t qualify as rain. Thankfully, it stopped shortly before I reached the campsite — setting up a tent in the rain would not have been ideal.
The rest of the day turned out quite pleasant. Les Andelys is a picturesque town with a rich history. After a quick stop for groceries, I climbed to the ruins of Château Gaillard. Even in its current state, the fortress is striking. It’s easy to imagine how imposing it must have been in its prime.
With a bit of luck, the weather will be kinder tomorrow. I’ll continue to stick to paved roads — it may not be the official route, but it’s a lot more practical.
Today in numbers:
88 km — distance cycled
1198 — year Château Gaillard was built by Richard the Lionheart
1 — “Most Beautiful Village” (La Roche-Guyon) passed on the way
43 — years Claude Monet lived in Giverny, which I cycled through today