20 May:

St Jean de Monts

It didn’t look promising this morning. Heavy rain and wind from the south meant I would be cycling into a headwind. Breakfast was good though, and as I packed up the bike the rain eased. After that and except for a couple of showers as I got near to St Jean, it stayed fine all day.

The Route offered the prospect of cycling along the coast to Noirmoutier-en-L’île and then, if the tides were right, the chance to cycle the 5 km causeway to the island.

There are bound to be good days and bad days and today wasn’t looking good. I decided that a slippery causeway was not  top of my pops so consulted the maps and my Garmin for options. The Garmin has gone from Zero to Hero in the last couple of days and came up with the goods again. Cut across the marshland via Bouin and Beauvoir and you can save 20-25 kms and, probably, a good soaking. The deal was done and I have had a very enjoyable, flat ride across a really interesting landscape.

 Another day, another Department

Salines where they sell salt direct from the lake, canals and marshland farms were the order of the day but, for the first time, a few interesting waders to spot. On the list today were a Turtle Dove, more avocets than you could shake a stick at and lots of Black Winged Stilts which look amazing in flight with long red legs training behind.

There was also this chap. I think its a boy!

Thankfully we we were separated by a small canal although I have heard tell of the famous jumping bulls of the Vendee……