Ride Day 42—26 Oct 2005—24750 Boulazac (Périgueux) -- Circle

@font-face { font-family: "Times New Roman"; }@font-face { font-family: "Arial"; }@font-face { font-family: "ArialMT"; }p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; }table.MsoNormalTable { font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; }div.Section1 { page: Section1; } <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial;">With perfect weather and outstanding roads, this was simply wonderful riding.<span> </span>The only exception was the last segment coming back on D3 and D710 toward and through Périgueux, which was a reasonably adrenaline-pumping experience from all the traffic.<span> </span>Fortunately, a few miles before centre-ville, we found a bike path along the river that gave some respite, but it ended just before centre-ville itself.</span>

<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial;">Our ride started off with an unexpected tour of some very nice homes in the neighborhoods of Trélissac that covered the hill overlooking the Isle River valley.<span> </span>Périgueux is within this valley.<span> </span>The reason this was unexpected was because we were lost.<span> </span>We did eventually negotiate the maze of neighborhood streets and end up exactly where my wife had intended that we would go.</span>

<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial;">Throughout the ride today, the fall colors and textures of the fields was truly easy on the eyes. </span>

<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial;">We stopped for lunch in Brantôme at a very picturesque spot by the river that runs through the town.<span> </span>This is just an outstanding looking town, especially with the water and fall colors.</span>

<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial;">As we rode along the north side of the Dronne River on D78, D106E2 and D106, the rock formations were really something, with a few looking like faces.</span>

<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial;">Overall, simply outstanding riding.<span> </span>It’s an area worth returning to, which we have in fact done a number of times since 2005.</span>

Background:

<br /><br />My wife and I have been doing self-supported tours in Western Europe (a majority in France) since 1993.  This series of rides covers our 2005 2 month route through parts of France.  Our beginning and ending point is near Chadurie (south of Angoulême) where our friends have a farm with Gites and Chambres d'Hotes.<br /><br /><br />We rode our Dawes touring bicycles purchased in 1993 heavily loaded with 700Cx32 tires.  All of our riding was on paved roads, mostly with very little traffic.<br /><br /><br />If any questions, feel free to email me at jeffkadet@netdiving.com<br /><br /><br />Jeff