Day 2 - Nantes to Ancenis

After a comfortable night at the warm showers home of lovely Jacky and Veronique, I packed my bike, and rode into town to meet up with Jacky who kindly said he had an hour spare after a meeting to show me around.  We met outside the Cathedral which recently had a fire so not open to the public.  It stands magnetically on a hill overlooking the city.

Then through the cobbled streets to the Castle.  This moated castle is strategically next to the Loire river and we went in for a look from the inside before cycling around the outside.

We meandered through beautiful buildings, churches, a famous shopping arcade called Le Passage Pommeraye.

Jacky asked about my interests and I said art and architecture.  He said "Follow me" and he took me past a range of art installations all over the city.

We then crossed over a bridge to an area that used to be full of old factories.  These are being converted to funky restaurants and they have built cycle and walkways between the art installations.  What a happening place!

The tour continued past a bike shop where Jacky had to collect something and introduce me to the owners.  The owner said he had seen me at the train station 2 nights ago as had admired my bike!!  Jacky also wanted to show them my strange hat 😂

We visited the new modern section of town with towering apartment and office blocks before taking a sneaky look at a football field.  We said farewells 2.5hrs later and I started my journey east.  

The route was well marked and had a mixture of bitumen roads, wide paths, single track paths and often between the railway and the river.  I passed many cyclists along the route today.  Families all loaded up for a camping cycling holiday, couples, groups and solo riders.  

I stopped at Mauves sur Loire to have my picnic lunch at some tables beside the river.  

I continued on through beautiful villages, bird twittering lanes, fields of wheat and corn, large cows and saw a red squirrel.

I couldn't resist stopping at Ouden and pushing my bike up the steep hill to the information centre.  I had a look around and climbed the 150 steps to the top of the turret for 360 degree views down the valley.   

Back on my bike and up the hill to Ancenis where I conquered two firsts - a visit to Decathlon (Europe's answer to Anaconda)  for a gas bottle and a trip to the massive supermarket.  Then through town, over the bridge and then through country lanes to my tranquil campground as recommended by Veronique.  Camping Les Babins is beside the river and next to a paddock of gentle cows.  Birds are twittering, the sun is still shining, showered, fed and relaxing.  Perfect day 😊