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Behens to St Valery sur Somme |
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Bye-bye to Behens! After two eventful days (and nights!) we left Les Alleux to begin our cycle journey northwards back to Calais. Plenty of flat terrain to start with and the opportunity to visit one more seaside resort en route.
As ever. France's agricultural roots (sorry!) were evident. No hedgerows to the fields however. Mind you, makes for softer landings if, by chance, you tumble sideways from your bike (would we ever....!?) |
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Chips anyone? A rather large field of potatoes |
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The route to St Valery was predominantly along normal roads, but one short-cut beckoned alongside the river and involved rough surface. It's at this time any uncertainty about the ability of pencil thin road tyres to absorb the surface without harm can be confirmed. In my case negatively, as I sustained the one and only puncture of our trip as a result of opting for the 'pretty' over the 'practical' choice! |
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St Valery sur Somme is a little like Le Treport - not quite as big. You can cycle along the Estuary promenade then turn back along the High Street. then along the promenade again, then back along the High Street.... We managed this several times before ultimately deciding that lunch would just have to be at the very first restaurant we had seen.
Another excellent meal, but minus the interruptions of our four-legged friend from Le Treport. |
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En route off-road and pre-puncture |
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The area is so flat around here that cyclists abound - to the extent that, unusually for France, there are dedicated cycle paths adjacent to the main roads. The traffic, being some of the heaviest we encountered this holiday, was gratefully kept at a safe distance while we cycled. |
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Dutch, French, Belgian and even more English cyclists were present, with just as dramatic ranges of ages being evident.
St Valery seemed a popular place, not just cyclists, but plenty of visitors who were clearly prepared to make the detour around the estuary that allowed them to reach this picturesque town..
A little more information on St Valery is available if you click here (use the 'retour' link on the page you access to view more information).
Lunch over we had to press on to our next place of stay, but there was still time to visit another town en route, namely Rue. |
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High Street, St Valery |
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River Marina at St Valery |
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Advance to the next page on our route |
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Return to Map page |
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