We weren’t planning on biking far today so paid the 9euros each to have breakfast. What a miserable affair! The proprietor stood over everyone to make sure you didn’t eat too much and scowled if you went back for more tiny morsels.
We were planning on crossing to Lausanne today but found out last night that the Tour de France passes through Thonon-les-Bains, just 10kms away so we’re heading that way instead. Just out of town we came across a Hypermart so as well as some MORE breakfast , we picked up a basket for the front of my bike.
We’ve used them before, only 10 euros and so handy for throwing things in like food. After this stop we found a proper bike route and had a very pleasant ride into Thonon-les-Bains . The tour caravan had set up in the town square already and were already selling tour merchandise and organising bike games for the kids etc.
It was only 10.30, the caravan proper was due at 12.00 and the bikers at 2.00pm so because we’ve seen a tour a few years ago we decided to move on.
We were heading for Yvoire where I hoped to catch a paddle steamer. On the way we came across a yacht club teaching a lot of holidaying school kids to sail.
There were another two classes going on ,each with their own fleet. I could have stayed and watched all day.
Yvoire.. this is a medieval town and drop dead gorgeous. The tourists mostly arrive from Geneva by Ferry
So after sitting out the summer heat with a nice cold beer ( 30 today ) we moved on to my next big adventure, catching the steamer to Geneva.
The Simplon is the largest of the Belle Époque fleet. One of 8 of the most beautiful craft you could imagine. They have all been fully restored and most still run on steam
You could see through a glass window the paddle wheels turning also. These craft are not replicas, they are still operating as well as the day they were made. We stopped at 6 ports on the way to Geneva, dropping off and picking up passengers.
It took 2 hours to get down the lake to Geneva so I was very glad I had booked a hotel close to the wharf. A great improvement on last nights one but when I told the receptionist we had come on bikes she told us that she was very sorry but the only place they could store them for us was on our floor , the 3rd, in the laundry but she didn’t know how we were going to get them up there in the tiny lift.
There was no way we would leave a bike outside in a city again. Sightseeing tomorrow
Paris to Paris 