13 June 2025 ( sunny and very hot) 42km

Woke at 5.30am and pack up was seamless. After getting all our gear together inside the tent, we shot over to the family room, where we were charging our power banks and enjoyed a coffee, then back to the tent to pack that down.

Always try to keep noise to a minimum as campers are still sleeping, although we only ended up with about six small groups. Good campsite and nice people. 

By 7.50am we were riding into La Croute, where the supermarket was. Food stored and riding. Expecting 34 degrees today. 

Cool looking treehouse. This Dad really went to town.

It seems most of the rivers in France flow from east to west and so do the bike trails that follow them. The bike trails are a cycle tourers dream, keeping you away from traffic and pointing you in the right direction so you don't have to keep checking directions. 

However, at the moment we want to head south, so every now and then have to take a busy road to get us to the next river trail. This is what happened this morning, but it was a great surface and we bombed along enjoying the exhilarating feeling of going fast.

Pulled off the road into a small village car park at Millancay with a bench, in the shade, just made for us. Julia noticed the bonus of flowering jasmine all around us and the scent in the air.

As we ride we get to enjoy the perfumes of all the roses en route and the wild honeysuckle.

Enjoyed our delicious breakfast and back to it.

The day was warming up, but Julia had done at brilliant job with the route all the way to Chatres sur Cher. For ninety five percent of it, we were riding in the shade, through our largest forestry area to date. Very peaceful on the bike.

 As we were passing Mennetou on a cycle trail, I happened to look up at what looked to be a very old town. Made our way off the cycle path, and inside the huge stone archway and found ourselves in a 13th century residential village. It was stunning.

Cobbled streets, magnificent old houses, stunning church, a well in the centre. You really were transported back in time. Except for the shit flowing down the streets, from people throwing it out onto the cobbles. And people bringing out their dead. Thankfully that part had been left in the 13th century.

Just down the road conveniently placed was a supermarket. Bought food for lunch and dinner and not too much further on, found a rest area with a bench in the shade, where we ate lunch. 

Campgrounds close over the afternoon in France. A typical example might be 8am to 1pm and 4pm - 8pm. So we found the camp we'd earmarked and selected a shady spot.

Ju soaked herself under a hose, whilst I had a shower, too warm for today, but it enabled me to have our power bank on charge. Also had a shave.Outside it was now over 33 degrees.

Freaking hell.

Watched as about six cycle tourers went past about 1.30pm. Too hot for that in the middle of the day.  There are severe thunderstorm warnings for tonight, so we'll see what happens. 

During the afternoon we had dowsed ourselves in cold water from the hose. I cleaned chains and cogs and we sat as still as we could. Blinking would raise a sweat. Still watching cyclists riding by on tour. 

Hard part for Julia with this camp is its right next to the Cher river, which is bloody horrible, so no chance of a swim. 

Ju here: We are now on the Cher river trail which we plan to take to Vierzons and Bourges, where we will have to divert again. We hope that by sticking to the river there might be swimming options, but have to say, all the waterways we have seen so far look thoroughly uninviting.

The plus side of the north/south roads is we seem to get plenty of shade, as was the case this morning. Which with the temp at 29C by 10am was much appreciated.

When we reached the Cher river trail at Langon, it was stark, hot sunlight with very little shade.

Upon arriving at camp, we started looking eagerly for the pool that was mentioned in the reviews. Turns out the pool is actually the public one back in Mennetou. We noticed a hose attached to a tap and thought, “that'll do us!”

I was into my togs and straight under. This campsite is pretty deserted so we lay out the ground sheet and lounged around under the trees in our wet togs.

With it having been seven years since we were last in France, you tend to forget certain things. One peculiarity over here is that south of about Chateaudun, suddenly toilet paper is no longer provided at camp toilets, or public toilets. Sometimes they put paper in the facility, but not in the cubicles so then you have to grab what you think you need before you go in to do your business. Not very convenient to find this set-up in the convenience. But better than no paper at all.

These extremely hot days have forced us into a new routine. Get up, pack up and hit the road early before it gets too hot. Grab breakfast at the first town and look to get into camp around midday. It's just too hot to cycle in the afternoon. In fact it's too hot to do anything except swim or laze in the shade.

I doused myself with the hose three times before the manager opened up the disabled shower for us where I got a wonderful cold shower for about ten minutes, trying to cool myself down for the night. Unfortunately the effect only lasted about half an hour.

We finally busted out our new camp stove to make dinner. A tasty concoction of 2 min rice (Italian flavour), tinned salmon, tinned corn and chopped up tomatoes.

It is now 8pm and 33C although Google tells me it feels like 34C. Thank goodness there's plenty of shade at this campground, which overall is very nice and our cheapest one yet at 9 Euros.