Cycle Tour 2022 – Day 9: The Atlantic coast

There's always a period on these tours where we get a little down; a time when, if we could choose so in that low moment, we might simply pack up and go home. We only recognized it in retrospect on the first few trips, but on our last trip, in 2019, we kind of knew what to expect. So feeling that little sag yesterday, and perhaps somewhat the day before, in Bordeaux, was not a surprise. Though we recognize the phenomenon, it's still hard to pin down the cause. Maybe it's just a bit of fatigue as our bodies habituate to the rigours of daily physical exertion. Or perhaps it's getting used to looking for a place to stay every evening. Or simply adapting to a different culture. Who knows, but today, I think we have turned the corner. 

It certainly helps to do a pretty spectacular day of cycling. We were on the road by 9:30, and headed lazily north toward the resort town of Arcachon—as gorgeous a beach resort as you'll ever see farther south. This Tuesday morning in early May, the beaches were pretty deserted, but I'm quite certain that in high season, these vast stretches of white sand must be packed with Beautiful People. 

The water sang its siren song to Sonia, and she, of course, was helpless to resist. Fortunately, there were ample well-shaded benches along the broad promenade where someone with a less sun-loving complexion could wait in comfort. 

We took our time riding around the Archacon bulge and then headed south toward the Dune of Pilat, which I had not heard of before researching this trip but which is one of those wild geological phenomena that are absolutely worth seeing. 

By now, we were back on the EV1 (Vélodyssée). This is a really beautiful bike path. It does do quite a bit of up and down, but nothing too dramatic. South of the Dune of Pilat, it follows the main road, and the dune is a looming presence for 6 or 7 kilometres as you head south. It really is quite surreal. Then the path turns inland from the road, and you ride through a long stretch of really lovely coastal pine forest. 

We arrived at our cozy little Airbnb in the little surfer town of Biscarosse-Plage at about 4 pm and settled in. The beach here is only a 5 minute walk away, but this evening, the offshore wind set in and it was a little too brisk for even the most intrepid Canadienne to dare the waters. Only the wetsuit-clad surfers were so brave. 

Also, a housekeeping note. I have been putting a bit of pressure on myself to post every day on this tour, and I'm not sure it's healthy. But I also know that I have a number of readers who follow the blog daily and who might be worried if I suddenly skip a day. So I just wanted to say that henceforth, I'm giving myself the option of skipping a day or two if the inspiration (or time) to blog does not inspire me. So don't panic if I miss a day here and there. :)