Le Massif central 2011 /// Day trips

Hi, Here are a couple pics from my annual stay in a little town
called Ste Sigolene, which is located in the departement of the Haute-Loire (France),
it is within the Massif Central.

I used to go there every year when I was a kid as this is where my family is from
on the French side. As a teenager, it became my top most boring place in the world. But since
putting behind these years, and especially since picking up the bike,  I am rediscovering the area and
all it's beauty. One is never short of fantastic scenery, challenging weather, and most
of all: hills. Not hard ones as they are soft and exactly how I like them. But after 60 miles
in your legs, they start to hurt.. There is no flat to be seen, it's up down up down and a great
place to train before you attempt Alpine routes. A couple of pics below, and routes to follow.

Route Day 01: Ste Sigolene - Yssingeux - Tiranges: http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=5091782
Route Day 02 : Ste Sigolene - St Agreve - Faye: http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=5091788


Also one of the best feature of this adventure is the Aperitif with the locals. It's simply, fantastique.

    Leaving a town called Tiranges, at 850m and heading down into the valley onto Monistrol

    Lac de Devesset with the Mt Mezenc. The Mt Mezenc is the gateway to the south of France.

    St Pal de Mont, at the Golden hour

Paris to London 2011 /// 290km in 2 days

Hi,  We've ben absent for a while since the Italian trip. The Tour de France had us glued to the box.
Since Italy, we've been occasionally riding the usual Surrey hills trip to keep the legs warm.
However, on the week of the 13 July, I took the bike on the Eurostar in order to meet up with my
french friends and do our first Paris to London in 2days:

Day 1: 165km Paris to Dieppe and got the ferry to Newhaven
Day 2: 120km   Newhaven to London via Brighton

Given how turd the summer weather has been, we were very lucky, with a little overcast on the first day
and a good blue sky in the UK. It was a first bike trip with my french mates and everyone enjoyed it.
It was a little taster for more trips to come in the next year. The arrival in London was welcome by some
good pints and a party weekend. Thomas, one of the french guys decided to do the trip back from London through heavy rain.

A few pics and a map of our route.

   Early morning start, 20km north of Paris, somewhere

   The one who reminded everyone to take their passports forgot it himself and had to do to the U-turn
   of shame and join us the next morning in Newhaven.

   GuiGui and the machine

   Dieppe, waiting for the ferry

    Ditchling road, leaving Brighton

    The awaited PINT