Wobbling Winos: Day77: Geunrouet to Malestroit.

Day77: Geunrouet to Malestroit. 71 km, 3:36.

Sylvie and Bruno our hosts last night gave us a little package of raisins to keep us going today before they waved us goodbye, so kind of them. They were really sweet and went out of their way to make our stay enjoyable.

It was a beautiful morning with no wind, so the reflections on the still water were amazing.The banks of the canal were edged with beautiful purple, yellow and white flowers and we even managed to see the flash of an emerald kingfisher flitting across the river. There were large trees bordering the tow path that provided some welcome shade which we needed as it got quite hot today with temperatures rising to 27 C.

Most of the route was a good gravel surface with a few stony sections. All very manageable on our trusty steeds. We have been impressed with the cycling paths in Brittany so far. The signposting and the surface of the path is good and there are picnic tables every 10 km or so.The gardens at the lock houses are beautiful and exquisitely planted window boxes in full bloom have been placed in every conceivable place along the lock.

We touched in at Redon en route, to pick up a map to Vannes from the TI and to book our TGV tickets from Vannes to Paris. As it was almost lunch time, we picked up some pate, salad and a baguette for a picnic lunch along the way. This is a beautiful town and the Saint- Sauveur Abbey has a Romanesque tower that was built in in the 11C. A large part of the Abbey was destroyed in a fire in 1790 and rebuilt, this is why the Gothic bell tower stands separate from the Abbey. The colorful port that is filled with barges and yachts and is bustling with activity. The Old houses with their salt lofts line the canal and bear witness to the salt trade in the early years.

We stopped for lunch at an outdoor activity centre along the canal where there was a lot going on; rock climbing, kayaking and walking. We were surprised that we saw very few cyclists touring along this stretch. There were some but not as many as we encountered along the Danube.

As we got closer to Malestroit the canal opened up and we saw people swimming in it for the first time. Our accommodation,La Gycine a Chambres de Hote, was a lovely restored farm house 2 km before Malestroit behind Lock No 24. This sustainable set up with chickens, a goat and a wonderful veggie patch is run by a warm, friendly couple Miriam and Sebastian.

We cycled 2km into town for a delicious supper at Grain de Sel, a lovely little restaurant behind the Church on the main square, where we had Joue de Porc ("the cheek of the pork") which we enjoyed very much. While we were having supper a French couple and their 2 year old daughter, who we passed along the canal, strolled by. They had noticed our Unite Against Poaching cycling shirts and asked us what they were about, which was fantastic. So good that they are attracting attention.

There is a lovely laid back, unpretentious feel about Brittany which is immediately apparent.We have found most things to be quite a bit cheaper as well. We are really enjoying the people and the beautiful wild, unspoilt countryside along the canal.