Only two bikes so far (also no reservations required here), but more could come in Crest later.

Weather looks perfect all along my route (two nights in the tent are part of the plan) - let's hope SNCF will be helpful too. The first controller is extra friendly this morning.

#velotrain2025

2/n

My first change this morning would have been in Livron, but with the cancellation it would be a wait of more than one hour there for the next southbound TER. Changing in Valence Ville instead gets me on a faster TER, racing through Livron, allowing me to catch up on the initial delay. Good space for bicycles in this train, just nervous that they might complain about me not having a reservation...

Die - Valence Ville: 71 km

#velotrain2025

3/n

Now heading to Avignon, down the Rhône (still want to cycle this missing part of the viarhona some day).

#velotrain2025

4/n

The first engagement on this trip is to speak, tomorrow Saturday June 7, 9:30, at the Nostre Mar festival organised by SOS Racisme in Perpignan, about environmental change and how it impacts habitability in the Mediterranean Basin (in French).

Looking forward to that!

nostremar.com

#velotrain2025

5/n

Rolling along the Rhône...

In Pierrelatte, eight huge fancy e-bikes board the compartment. The important part is to immediately sort out with their owners who gets off where. Seems like the group heads for Avignon, just like me.

The curious part is that they now largely block any access to the driver's cabin, but that doesn't seem to bother anyone...

#velotrain2025

6/n

The great thing about trains full of cyclists is that everyone is ready to help the others. So all nine of us safely got off the train in Avignon Centre.

Speaking to them, I notice we'll also be together in the next train, with no possibility to reserve any space. Luckily, it will start from this station.

Valence Ville - Avignon Centre: 124 km (196 km today so far)

#velotrain2025

7/n

In Avignon Centre, there seems to be no particular urgency to provide any way else than stairs to change platform ... but there is hope that our next train actually starts from the same place. No coffee then!

#velotrain2025

8/n

Looking back at the cancelled train from this morning: how can any developer be allowed to put such a load of unhelpful information on a screen, instead of just stating "the next leaves one hour later, we apologize for the inconvenience"?

I cannot help thinking that these developers probably never travelled anywhere except for driving a car. An additional hypothesis could be that the 6:13 out of Die, as we all know, and despite looking like all others, is the only TER here that is "operated" by the AURA region, while all others are region SUD.

#velotrain2025

9/n

With my new friends from the previous train, we all installed ourselves conveniently in this TER which has 12 bicycle hooks altogether - not a lot for this fantastic route, connecting Avignon with every single town along the Golfe de Lyon coast line down to Port Bou in Spain. It is a four hour spectacular ride, sometimes with the open ocean on one side and large lagoons on the other.

#velotrain2025

10/n

Crossing the Rhône at Tarascon.

#velotrain2025

11/n

In Nîmes this train has seriously filled up, and a bit later at least one person seems to not have been able to board with his bicycle.

#velotrain2025

12/n

There are a few more bicycles on the train now than there are hooks, and the train staff tries to regulate the situation in Narbonne, leading to much debate and a major delay. Not an easy situation to manage... They nevertheless seem to try and get everyone on board of one of the two parts of the train.

#velotrain2025

13/n

Arrival in Perpignan finally 20 minutes late only, which seems acceptable for my long trip of today!

Getting on this train on a Friday afternoon, with the bicycle, somewhere else than at its start in Avignon, could have been risky.

Avignon Centre - Perpignan: 260 km (456 km today altogether)

#velotrain2025

14/n

Now boarding, on day 2, a similar train from Perpignan back to Narbonne. Mandatory reservation for the bike, and I have one - and mine is the only one in this part of a very long train. No need to take off the panniers.

Irrelevant to me, I nonetheless note that this train comes from Cerbère, not Port Bou - did they once again fail to find a Spanish-speaking driver for the 300m or so in Spain?

#velotrain2025

15/n

Left Perpignan early in order to have more time for the change in Narbonne. Never tired of seeing the Mediterranean from the train window (tonight, if all goes well, it will be the Atlantic).

Perpignan - Narbonne: 64km

#velotrain2025

16/n

Narbonne is a vast cathedral with TGVs, Intercités and TERs meeting between Barcelona, Bordeaux, Paris and Marseille. Yet it has no elevator nor escalator anywhere - big signs explain forthcoming upgrades but none of these essentials are mentioned there either. Not good when you come with a bicycle or wheelchair or other constraints of your mobility.

Since I had the time, I left my bicycle on the platform where I arrived, went to the friendly man at the ticket counter, and he revealed to me that my train would depart from just that platform.

There is an eerie once-upon-a-time-in-the-west atmosphere on the platforms in Narbonne, interrupted several times per day when trains meet and hundreds of people get on and off.

#velotrain2025

17/n

2 cyclists plus me boarding here, some others stepping off. Several staff members at the bicycle car, probably to help (?) but mostly verifying our reservations even before letting us climb the high steps and squeeze through a rather narrow doorway. Once inside, all looks good.

These intercités between Marseille and Bordeaux have a bad reputation for delays and other failures - but I have mostly made good experiences with them, and there always seem to be lots of people in them. And you can cover great distances without having to pass through Paris.

#velotrain2025

18/n

That Intercités caught some delay en route to Bordeaux, but here they really know what connection means. The train to La Rochelle waited a few minutes and it departed from the same platform.

This time we were four cyclists making the transfer together and all went well (again arranging the bikes in the slightly odd parking stall in the right order, according to the first person getting off, which is me). Also here, SNCF staff was present and made sure the people with reservations got onboard. They just called our names, no fiddling with paper or smartphone.

Excellent new train ("Coradia Liner", according to sncf-connect, whatever that means).

Narbonne - Bordeaux St Jean: 407 km (today 471 km so far)

#velotrain2025

19/n

Crossing the Dordogne just after leaving Bordeaux St Jean towards the North.

#velotrain2025

20/n

After a pleasant evening in this shiny Intercités train (unfortunately no bar service), I reached La Rochelle nearly on time.

Bordeaux St Jean - La Rochelle ville: 194 km (total today 665km)

#velotrain2025

21/n

That concludes train travel for some days. No time to explore the city either since I must find my shabby hotel, using the famously excellent bicycle infrastructure in La Rochelle.

#velotrain2025

22/n

Starting the day with pleasant, super-calm cycling on the EV1 along the canal (du ?). Only fisherfolks here this morning, watching their heavy equipment which seems to not move in any way.

#velotrain2025

23/n

These water works never stop fascinating me, here is a full crossing of canals in all four directions. I also learn that this was all flooded during the storm Xynthia in 2010.

#velotrain2025

24/n

Turning west now, still on the EV1, more open landscapes (intensive agriculture, in fact). Needed to cycle 41 km to find the first coffee, but also a supermarket, open on Sunday morning, for the picnic later.

#velotrain2025

25/n

Finally getting close to waters under the influence of the tide.

#velotrain2025

26/n

In La-Faute-sur-Mer, I can see the guy from the tourism consulting firm telling the municipality, "if you request a hard stop of cyclists at every little street entering your boulevard, you'll have the town full of car-loving people (only), wouldn't that be great?".

My suggestion: avoid this town if you have the chance.

My personal observation (in most parts of France): if you do indeed stop, and a car arrives, the driver will give you a smile and wave you over. Lovely!

#velotrain2025

27/n

Clearly, I have now reached the busy coastal stretch of the Vendée, and during a weekend. Managing access and use for all, including cyclists like me, is complicated, and mostly done well, IMHO. There is tightly managed beach access and the EV1 has really nice stretches with shade from trees.

#velotrain2025

28/n

The EV1 is winding through the managed wetlands of the Marais again before one reaches the rocky coast near Les-Sables-de-l'Olonne (no pictures of the busy town - tried to get through as quickly as possible).

#velotrain2025

29/n

Through nice and shady woodlands and some open stretches, always near some water, I reached my camp site, Les Cyprès at Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie. Very friendly place, recommended.

The ocean is behind those dunes, but after my 128 km today I was too tired to go and check the beach.

#velotrain2025

30/n

My tent worked well, my sleeping bag less so, so I had a "cold start" to Noirmoutier, across the bridge (leaving the Gois for tomorrow). The big sign worried me, but it turned out I was probably more or less "inaugurating" the brand new cycle path to the island.

#velotrain2025

31/n

Very enjoyable cycling with few people out only, on Noirmoutier, all the way up to its northern tip, l'Herbaudière.

#velotrain2025

32/n

If the cyclist runs out of water he/she turns of course to the nearest cemetery. Reaching the end point of my 80 km ride today, a velo-friendly small hotel in Barbâtre.

#velotrain2025

33/n

Tomorrow off to Nantes, for our conference "Les savoirs dans la tourmente : sciences de la durabilité et tensions socio- et géopolitiques", we are expecting a busy meeting. pathways.futureearth.org/susta…

#velotrain2025

34/n

Annual Science Sustainability Conference

Du 10 au 12 juin 2025, les acteurs et actrices de la transformation, du monde académique ou du terrain, échangeront à Nantes autours du thème “Les savoirs dans la tourmente”

^{Future Earth France Hub}

Happy to mention the very friendly welcome and excellent stay at the "Goéland" in Barbâtre, and also a good dinner at the "La Mano", just across the street.

(no, I am not sponsored in any way)

#velotrain2025

35/n

Back to the mainland today, but not across the bridge, rather taking the "Gois" a public road accessible only during the three hours around low tide. A long time, this was the only connection between Noirmoutier and the rest of France.

I left a bit early, and for now, the tide isn't yet low enough for me to cross. In the meantime I watch the engine cleaning up the short section where usually extra sediment accumulates during high tide.

#velotrain2025

36/n

The passage went well, it was interesting to see people use the access to the tidal flat in order to collect all sorts of seafood.

You cannot go fast here because of the road surface, but it wasn't actually slippery today. All other traffic was going slowly and peacefully. The Gois is an official route departementale and just over 4 km long.

#velotrain2025

37/n

Arriving on the mainland, feet slightly wet (because I insisted to go early, 1:45 hours before the low tide - the official guides recommend 1:30), I wondered whether the salt water might do any harm to my bicycle. Emptied my water bottles to rinse the disk brakes, just in case. Should have taken some lubrifiant for the chain, I notice - generally, and after that salt water passage in particular.

#velotrain2025

38/n

The nearest stations with rail service to Nantes from here are Challans and Bourgneuf-en-Retz, I opted for the latter, mostly for schedule. This allowed some 15 more km on the EV1 to the north, with some more glimpses of local oyster farming (I did not know you need so many tractors for this, and some seemed be almost as old as I am - but well kept).

#velotrain2025

39/n

The windmills are nice, unfortunately their orientation shows where the wind comes from this morning, happening to be the direction where I need to go.

This is between Beauvoir-sur-Mer and Port-des-Champs.

#velotrain2025

40/n

Not sure what people were collecting behind the dyke (Salicornia?), but there is activity in many places in these grandiosely empty landscapes with their huge sky.

#velotrain2025

41/n

At last, I had to leave the EV1 for this time, invited by this lovely sign towards the tiny station (rather just a bench and a roof near the track) in Bourgneuf-en-Retz.

Had I needed a logo for this trip, then that sign would have been a candidate. Hey, authorities, it is not hard to be a little friendly to us cyclists, here is a way to do it!

Altogether about 250 km of wonderful cycling - I will add the distances and tracks here later.

I boarded an old TER to Nantes with the usual 6 bicycle hooks (three already taken by others) - no reservation required nor possible.

#velotrain2025

42/n

Arrived Nantes (great ramps in the station) perfectly on time for my hotel and the conference. Will report the concluding part of the trip on Friday.

Bourgneuf-en-Retz - Nantes: 44 km

#velotrain2025

43/n

Last day of the trip today, leaving through the marvellous bicycle-friendly station in Nantes. This morning, I do not even need the ramps: there is no obstacle of any kind between the garage of my hotel and the inside of this modern Intercités to Lyon. This will be a long ride, over six hours, longer than the TGV service which also exists, and it will take me through parts of France I have not visited yet.

Just an (unsponsored) recommendation for the nice and extremely friendly hotel "Demain" in Nantes - a perfect place for me, without any of the nonsense in the big chain hotels.

#velotrain2025

44/n

Some glimpses from the nice morning hours rolling along the Loire. All went well along the ride to Nevers, and also, after changing direction of the train there, to Lyon.

This a long ride, Nantes-Lyon 657 km, and not fast, over 6 hours - but I do not mind this at all.

#velotrain2025

45/n

Arrived in Lyon on-time, nice family lunch as planned, but taking the TER to Valence not easy. Way too many people, and several technical failures. Also, a last minute track change for hundreds of people...

But virtually every one keeps smiling, nobody will probably ever know that I actually have a reservation for my bike here, and we are on our way.

#velotrain2025

46/n

So the TER was 35 minutes late in Valence and the connection towards the entire Drôme valley would have worked if they had let the 18:00 wait exactly 2 minutes, but they did not do that leaving quite a number of people stranded for no reason. I went and asked an SNCF person here why that was, and she said "we requested from Lyon that they allow us those two minutes, and they refused".

At this point, you know that, just like during my previous trip, you are going to get the full package of hatred from the AURA regional administration on you. It's them, not SNCF.

#velotrain2025

47/n

First, there is the ominous Crest/Die bus 18:25, one can try and negotiate taking the bicycle, but mostly, it takes a very long time and stops everywhere. Also, it will not accept your train ticket (anymore).

Then, in the same bus station, two screens show buses 18:55, one named "TER" and the other "64". Are these the same bus? When would it arrive? Does it accept the train ticket?

This time, contrary to one week ago, sncf-connect offers no help, but DB shows it, so it is probably the bus I took last time, with only two stops along the way, better comfort and a decent luggage hold (although the bicycle will still need a diplomatic effort).

There also is a real train even later, to be fair, but given the recent struggles here, there is no certainty that I will get my bike into it either.

#velotrain2025

48/n

I am not happy to close this story (and my journey) with negative vibes, but the dysfunctioning here in the AURA region is beyond imagination. The bus I waited for, and used only a week ago, just disappeared from the screens and sncf-connect now claims that it is well on its way - the driver probably just skipped Valence Ville.

That left the 20:04 TER as the last resort, but also as a simple hypothesis: with their recent zero-tolerance policy, it might well happen that my bicycle is not allowed on board.

Just to enhance the stress, they would not announce the platform until the last minute.

But I am on board now, my bike as well, we are just delayed because of incoming passengers from another train.

Had there been a minimal amount of organisation in Valence, then I would either have been on a 3 minutes delayed train two hours ago, or else been having a drink somewhere, rather than hanging around in the diesel, tobacco and what-have-you fumes of that bus station.

#velotrain2025

49/n