So we have finished our cycling trip in the Ardeche. Ross got to the top of Mont Ventoux, a personal goal, and rode most days around Le Cheylard through the beautiful and mountainous region around the village. Temperatures are up in the mid thirties, which isn’t entirely unexpected during summer, but it does not inspire vigorous activity until after 9pm or before 10 am.

We collected a Citroen wagon at Lyon airport, where the rest of our tour group were deposited pending their various flights to assorted places : Brisbane, Perth, Sydney and Malta. We picked up the hire car with a minimum of fuss, but with trepidation about whether the bike in its case would actually fit in the car, since it is of course the most important item in our entourage. With a bit of manipulation of seats, we got everything in, Ross adjusted to the whole reversal of the car thing, although the little warning noise that tells him he is over the lane markers is starting to drive us batty. It does have GPS, which is handy when we are trying to get out of a town and we are learning the quirks, but have a road atlas with us as well, just to make sure it is taking us in the right direction.
Drove through the lush pasturelands into Burgundy and Dijon. We tried to find a central hotel, but parking appears to be a nightmare, so opted in the end for this one, which is boringly conformist, but it has parking, a large clean bed, wifi and a bathroom you can turn around in. All bonuses in our book as we adjust to coping for ourselves!