Day 34 ANGERS 07.09.2022

So, now the last day on the bike horse. We wanted to go from our non-monastic accommodation to the last stop, Angers. From there, we already have train tickets back to Tours, and the bike transport is free. We were advised by the bike rental to book in advance, as the capacity is limited. Comparable to Germany. In total, we covered about 190 km this week, more than indicated in the Loire bike guide, but our extras justify that. Fortunately, we did not realize my delusion of Nantes as the final destination. That would have been too much (about 350 km)! So we set off under cloudy sky, after Philipp, the host of the inn, had prepared a typical French breakfast for us in the large kitchen. Many different jams, a table full of various cereals, two different types of butter (salted and unsalted), yogurts, as always applesauce in various forms, coffee, tea, milk, and ..., all for €5.20, oh yes, of course a fresh baguette! Now back to the priory: So this is a monastery complex led by a prior or prioress. This property here in St. Remy had a very eventful history behind it and was then privately owned from,?, onwards. In 1988, the municipality took over everything and now a very active association takes care of all the buildings. There are quite a few, because the Benedictines were very successful in the past and owned a real treasure that was much fought over. Today, accommodation (up to 31 beds) and cultural events (concerts, workshops, exhibitions, etc.) are the focus.

Wonderful, but back to us. The sky did not improve and sometimes fine raindrops accompanied us and also some other cyclists. We had chosen the second option, away from the Loire and more through the countryside, and were very satisfied with our decision. Cycling always next to the heavily trafficked main road and along an almost dried-up Loire is not so exhilarating. It's more interesting to go through small villages and frequent changes of direction. So we reached the touristic highlight! A ferry across a branch of the Loire that we had to operate ourselves!? So, there is a small boat (max 4 people with bikes) that is connected to both banks by a long chain! If you want to cross, you have to first pull on the chain (if the boat is on the other bank) and bring it over to your side. Then someone holds the chain tight so that the bikes and passengers can get on the ferry and you pull from the boat on the chain, which is also attached to the other bank, and slowly make your way across. You quickly cover the distance of about 50 m and then do the same on the other side. Pull the chain tight, take everything off the ship, and continue.

For us, this continue meant that we were almost in Angers, but there was still a surprise waiting for us! A huge park with lakes and very large rock formations and hills and valleys?! Slate was already mined here in the Middle Ages, on a large scale. Remains of winding towers, comparable to a German coal mining area, flooded tunnels and waste heaps characterize the area where there used to be up to 30 different slate mining operations. All of this is now integrated into the Loire bike path, and there is also a suitable large event hall in the middle, very great.

So we entered Angers, even if the route guidance required a lot of concentration due to construction sites, under motorways, and heavy traffic. Karin with her phone behind me on the bike called out everything to me, and I tried to find the route ahead. It worked out great and we reached our hotel near the city center and were able to check in right away. The hotel also included a restaurant that was open for lunch, so we quickly got our room without waiting (oh yes, Booking.com is sometimes more expensive than direct booking, now for the second time on the tour!). Our bikes posed a problem because there was no storage option for them?! But we were able to park them right next to the outdoor terrace of the hotel/restaurant, and the host promised to bring them inside after the restaurant closed in the evening. My idea of leaving them outside for one night due to the effort was categorically rejected by him, and he did not consider his offer a burden. So we soon walked through the city again, which really deserves a lot of attention, even if the main attraction (Chateau d' Angers) is currently a construction site. At least five of the twelve characteristic striped black and white defense towers are covered and will probably be restored over a longer period of time. This is also indicated by the birdhouses that have been specially attached to the scaffolding in order to save the bird life at the site. From there, we continued, now partly in the rain, and took a small city tour. The energy and interest slowly wane after so many days! The evening ended in the hotel restaurant with a successful curry and Asian beer from the bottle, which is partly brewed in Germany (Weihenstephan). It was so nice that we only had to go upstairs and could flop into bed!