15th day: from La Rechebeaucourt to Ste. Foy de la Grande

Lolomiina: 13.09.2022

During the night, there was strong wind but it remained dry - as here in some regions we passed through, many rivers have low water due to drought, streams have dried up, and meadows and fields have burned.

A French breakfast with a British accent (toast with orange marmalade) marked the start of the day. Rowland's French Retreat in La Rochebeaucourt is easy to find on airbnb and highly recommended.

We chose the main road towards Riberac, which ensures a continuous ride with less steep climbs, but also means that the highest elevations are desired and thus, combined with the significant traffic, it is exhausting but faster.

A severe thunderstorm with strong winds and hail seems to have raged all around. Many houses were covered with tarpaulin, and many cars were dented.

Clearing in the forest caused by the storm

From Riberac, we passed through the bushes on designated cycling paths in deplorable condition, accompanied by around 100,000 tiny flies that sought refreshment from their life at the many small ponds and lakes along the way in the form of body sweat. Very annoying on uphill sections, they could no longer keep up with speeds greater than 15 km/h 😉. Even anti-mosquito spray doesn't deter these creatures. Villages along the way were beautifully restored.