France - get prepared we are on our way!!

Hi Ho Yous Folk.

We are in the final preparations for our next journey. This will be a little less strenuous and a little less adventurous than our last couple of trips but should be no less enjoyable. We are cycling from St Malo (northern France) to Nice (southern France) - 1000 miles or more or 1600 km ish.

About 10 years ago I was diagnosed with a dicky ticker and during the last trip down the Pacific Highway from Vancouver to Mexico, I noticed that things were getting worse - for one thing Gilly was beating me up the hills!! I went back to my cardio man and the outcome was that I had a bypass op. I have spent the last year trying to get my body working and strengthened and hopefully I am now sort of OK perhaps not back to my fighting strength but well on the way. I am keeping my fingers crossed that I am fit jenough to do the daily mileage without getting too tired.

A new body requires a new bike - I am the proud owner of  a Genisis Longitude set up as a trekking/expedition bike with 700c  wheels.  True to form, Gilly wanted a new bike  as well - she now has a Trek 7.4 also with 700c wheels. .John, Gilly's brother,  is joining us for his first long tour, he has spent a week in Holland, a long weekend on the Isle of Wight and joined us on the Severn Thames trip a couple of months ago. John has gradually upgraded his bike from a basic Raleigh 8 geared bike to a touring spec bike.

Sandy's                                Gilly's                       John's

The Route

France en Velo is a book written about a route developed for Saddle Skedaddle (a cycle holiday company). The route takes us from St Malo to Nice initially southwards and then to the east over the Central Massive before dropping down into Nice. The book has split the journey into a number of legs outling each day and recommending campsites and eating places as we go. This means we have  little planning to do as it is all done for us. Great book. 
After spending a night in a friends house in Poole on Monday 17th, we sail for St Malo on Condor Ferries at 07:00 on Monday 18th. This will be a year to the day after I was wheeled into the Operating theatre to be cut up at Derriford Hospital in Plymouth. I tried to book our crossing with Brittany Ferries but they did not want my booking - it appears that they get more money from cars with families than they do from cyclists in August. We have travelled quite often with Brittany Ferries but I think they have now lost my custom!!
We will spend about 5 weeks on the journey stopping off to see some friends in the Lot and spending a few days resting in Nice. I guess we will be back around the end of September.