We had perfect weather for the ride from Donastia to Bayonne. Sunny, no wind, not hot and not cold. The road hugged the beautiful coastline, which looks a lot like Oregon's coastline this southern part of France. And in a big way it is nice to get back to France. Croissants taste like croissants and they lack the cloyingly sweet topping that Spanish seem to enjoy.
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The harbor in Hendaye, France
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Hendaye is an idyllic town. Lots of surfing, it appears
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Surf's up!
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Interesting rock formations
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Not a bad view anywhere along this coast
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Our ride took us back through Saint-Jean-de-Luz, then Biarrtz and then into Bayonne.
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In Saint-Jean-de-Luz
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Arriving in Bayonne
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A cathedral in Bayonne
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We arrived in Bayonne and got checked into our nice but ancient AirBnB place. We stashed the bikes and went to the Gare de Bayonne so Jon could buy train tickets to Geneva for Wednesday. Then we went to the finish of the TDF stage, which was already packed with throngs of fans.
If I'm honest, you can always see more of a bike race on TV. I think I mentioned that before. I'll be updatedely honest: watching the race in a throng of crazy fans isn't all that great even though there is a lot of frenetic energy. Lorie and I have watched many, many stages of Grand Tour races, but always at the top of a mountain or along the route somewhere. This is the first time that we've watched at a finish line and I'm not going to do it again. It is just too crowded and everyone is pushing and shoving to get a view. Enough of that editorializing!
Here's a video of the racers as the go past us, 300 m from the finish. At this point they were going about 75 kph (that's nearly 47 mph)!
Tuesday is a day off for everyone. We will get Jon's bike ready for travel, and spend some time exploring Bayonne, which by all early appearances is a beautiful town.
More to follow as we continue our northward journey to Bordeaux!
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