Hello it’s Duck 🦆 Boneham here for the last day, the rain yesterday was again coming down in biblical proportions, fortunately we had made it to the hotel before the storm ⛈️ started. We waited in the lobby hoping to be able to go out & get something to eat 😋 we waited a long time!!

Pizza 🍕 last night was lovely, lots of carbs in prep for today, all washed down with Perrier Water. Cutting out wine to avoid dehydration has made a huge difference, a nice glass with a meal whilst on your holibobs is lovely, but with this much cycling for me Wine has been a no go area & I have to say I feel so much better for it.

Yesterday we did the 37 mile trip from Vaison La Romain to Sault, not far in the grand Scheme of things, we all met up to celebrate our achievements, one of the guys Stephen did 2 ascents of Ventoux, once was more than enough for me, so to do 2 in one day is epic. Ventoux is 21 km and every km along the route is marked with the next km % gradient 😱

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So the place we stayed in last night, Sunday I think 🤔 (I’m loosing track of the days, must be an age thing) was a Gite some of the group stayed in the Château next door, simply stunning. We are quite literally in the middle of nowhere 😊. I know a lovely lady or two who would relish this place, no people, no hassle, some fabulous riding, beautiful walks & decent wine!

Mende has been lovely and the descent on the bike into the town was 6 miles and fabulous, however, as Mende is at the base of what seems to be a mountain there is only one way out! Upwards!! 🚴‍♀️😱

Warning long blog alert – just saying 😱

I thought yesterday daytime that maybe the weather had been kind to us, however, there was a huge thunderstorm yesterday evening so we ate at the Hotel we were staying in, I’d like to say it was great however, the menu left a lot to be desired, for starter you could have Fish, fish or fish! The main course was Fish or Veal and desert was Cherry Clafoutis or Cherry Clafoutis, strangely I opted for fish, fish and the Cherry! The Street Party outside of our rooms was noisy ( as you would expect) so sleeping wasn’t really an option, which was a great shame as I feel exhausted 😴.

Leaving the lovely hotel & town in Argenton is tough, such a great place. Today we are doing 76 (miles) miles with 5700 ft of ascent (approx) 😱🚴‍♀️👍 and going to Aubusson.

We met 2 lovely people in the restaurant last night with the most romantic & beautiful love story, they met at the age of 18 and then separated, both got married (not to each other) had children & both have recently lost their partners. They met up again after 55 years & are now a couple, so happy and in love ❤️they looked perfect together.

Well having put shoes & all other wet items on the heated towel rail, everything seems to be dry. Great news!Today has been an “easy” day, 80 miles & 3000 ft of ascent. Cycling past fields of corn, wheat, barley & sunflowers scattered with wild poppies, absolutely beautiful, I think the sunflowers 🌻 will be flowering during the Tour de France.

80 miles approx & 2,400 calories 👍

68 miles, 2377 calories used,

Getting to Ouistreham proved to be an adventure in its self. Lutterworth to Euston, Euston to Waterloo, Waterloo to Portsmouth, fab weather and a broken zip on my suitcase 😱 pants & a bra slipped out on Portsmouth station platform. I wheeled over them with my suitcase…..now I have wheel marks on my lingerie!! 🤣🤣 so embarrassing but very funny.