Collonges sur Rouge
When advised by some friends, a few years BC, that they intended to take their honeymoon cycling through France I informed them that they were mad. At around the same time, when on a trip with another friend he told me of his plans one day to do a cycle trip through France, I suggested he was crazy – why ruin a good holiday I asked. But that was BC – Before Cycling. I am willing to admit my errors and accept now that back then they were right and I was not.
Which brings us to a little seedy caf in Argentat where Pam is waiting somewhat impatiently for me to finish my very average coffee. I once had a teacher write on my report card that I was heading towards a very average grade in a particular subject. With the indignation that only a 15yr old can muster I asked him ‘what the hell does very average mean’, ‘it means poor, but I didn’t want to write that and annoy your parents’. Suffice to say, I improved my game, unlike the French baristas that have all the same equipment and ingredients at their disposal as everyone else but continue to produce very average coffee.
From the seedy café we head out of town on a back road and start to climb through farm land. We had seen the broad acre farmland on the drive down from Paris, but in these valleys the fields sit within heavily wooded hills and creeks. The farm houses and buildings interspersed throughout the fields display amazing stone work.
Through a number of small hamlets and eventually to Beynat, mentioned here because it has the café of my dreams. Beynat sits on the side of a hill and has a tiny square with a pretty little fountain and shaded by massive trees, opposite the square is a small café in a well kept but very old building with tables in rows facing the square. Unfortunately, this is not our destination for the day and it is too soon for lunch.
We ride across a plateau through farmland and drop down into Meyssac, the bigger town next to the tourist town we are heading to: Collonges sur Rouge. This is another incredible medieval village famous for the red stones used in each building. The effect is remarkable. It feels like a make believe kind of place. There is a downside, being such a fully intact and small medieval village, it is essentially a tourist attraction rather than a lived in town that tourists are attracted to, so try finding a standard café or boulangerie: Impossible! This whole town only caters for rich tourists. Bummer, there goes thoughts of lunch here.
Back to Meyssac, but it’s Monday, so pretty much everything is closed, except for one boulangerie where we grab a quick snack before moving on.
The ride takes us from one valley to another which makes for interesting riding and scenery – every hill though has to be ridden like it’s a segment ...
Just like the day on Puy Mary, it seems that on the routes I create there is always one hill too many. This one is in the full sun, just past midday.
Lunch at the first café we come to in Ballieu sur Dordogne – and it is good. Pam can’t finish her lunch so I do = 1.5 bowls of pasta before getting back on bike to ride uphill to Argentat … I have a very strong focus on keeping my heart rate, and lunch, down.
The route from Ballieu took the southern bank, and then about halfway to Argentat the planned route crossed to the north to a D road, but continuing on the southern side there was a narrow road, with a signpost carrying the symbol of a bike and the words ‘itineraire preferentiel’. Essentially a bike path, all the way to Argentat, well of course we took it.
Someone in the local area has a sick sense of humour, because while it may have been low on traffic, it was a horrid stretch of road. Bumpy beyond belief. There were three levels of asphalt, with the top two levels being incomplete creating holes & ridges of various sizes. All of this was on top of an underlying surface that was itself corrugated and lumpy. After 80km of riding, to face this on a gently rising section of the ride, was very unpleasant. Yes, I’m still enjoying myself, just, but it’s taking a lot more effort to enjoy myself than it usually does.
Eventually we cross to the other side and roll into Argentat, hot, stuffed, but quietly chuffed at the sights seen and the effort expended.
The numbers:
Distance: 93km
Height gained: 1,500m
