Last Leg: Van & Bike Adventure through France | European Tour Episode 11

I begin this last instalment of my European trip in Falaise, I head off in the van to Bayeux, where I go for a walk around the town and local area. As I think is probably true for about 99% of people, I knew one thing about Bayeux before visiting, and it was that they made a mighty fine tapestry there a long time ago. Upon visiting Bayeux, I found that my only prior knowledge of the place was inaccurate, the tapestry is in fact not a tapestry at all, and was actually made in England, anyway, a very nice English embroidery it is. I finished the first day of the video in Honfleur, and decided to walk across a very big bridge as I quite like very big bridges. From Honfleur I went on to Jumieges and Amiens across the final couple of days of the trip, going for very enjoyable bike rides in both places.

I absolutely loved this trip, and given I set off with no preconceived ideas of where I wanted to go or what I wanted to do (a lack of planning which I normally find very stressful), I couldn’t have hoped for a more enjoyable 2 months away.

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Links

Ko-fi (If you want to support the channel): https://ko-fi.com/matryder

Bayeux walk: https://www.komoot.com/tour/1529786820?share_token=aQIVqyXQAwCR2fFysWh4OBqrzEHTop0wSSWe3WqZFPilKEMKxv&ref=wtd

Jumièges ride: https://www.komoot.com/tour/1530842885?share_token=aqXlr4IhkaFd6MHyrXgvws05UATeNsVGZt6EFzXTDsJsCsGaem&ref=wtd

Amiens ride: https://www.komoot.com/tour/1533965321?share_token=av4PrZr3i543oqLud2DsM7bF4DRKSShcZJHZN2x2pQgCVld433&ref=wtd

00:00. Good morning
01:21. Walk around Bayeux
06:50. Drawn to a very impressive bridge
12:43. Morning ride in Jumieges
17:00. Bonus bridge
21:48. Jumieges Abbey
26:48. Ride to Amiens, the last ride of the trip
32:07. Cathedral # 9813
33:10. Heading back to the UK
34:43. Summing up the trip (a few weeks later)

please remove your smart before refilling your vehicle see how much this costs another brilliant night here awesome place and it’s got a water station and a was station here in this garage and it was €2 so this is a car for I think this is a common thing pretty scary but then that’s the way it goes thank you for your prot you’re welcome thank you for your help right let’s uh go to Horn Flur not horn FL horn Flur is where I’m going tonight right now we’re going to Bea Bea or beo I don’t know how it’s pronounced one of those bloody Rush Hour we’re out we’re in Baya I check the pronunciation and that’s close enough about a seven or eight mile walk I think today which is really nice cuz it’s a lovely cool day [Music] there we have it B Cathedral it was originally consecrated in 1077 in the presence of King William then he would have been but it’s also where the Bayer tapestry was originally located on top of that it said this is the site where Harold swore loyalty and support to William who was the Duke of Normandy at the time and yes War support for William’s Ascension to the throne see you again some keep flying what a great shop that sign on the entrance to the museum for the Bayer tapestry does term it as propaganda so I mean they say history is written by the winners and I think this tapestry is firmly there well that was very interesting a couple of things though and I have to credit I told you I was listening to the audio book unruly there’s two things about the Bayer tapestry it’s considered to be a French tapestry and it’s not actually a tapestry which is strange because nobody seems be able to name another tapestry so the definition of tapestry should at least be altered to Encompass what that is which is an embroidery the other thing it wasn’t made in France it was made in Britain because they didn’t have the skills people didn’t have the skill set here to make it so it was made in Britain so it’s not a French tapestry it’s a British embroidery interesting I thought so the Battle of Hast these things was in 1066 William was The Invader Harold was the King William came over from Normandy Harold had all his troops lined up he had The High Ground so he had all the advantages the armies were the same sort of size all Harold’s troops had to do was stop Williams troops from getting The High Ground but um lack of discipline I think ended up causing a break in the line and Harold got shot in eye and then that was it right at the very end Harold leaped over William and William cut off his legs and then Harold fell into the lava and burst into flames and sadly that was the end for him I might be get mixed up with something else the tapestry itself was made just a few years after the so it’s 11th century which is incredible really considering how intact it is right now to carry on with this walk functioning water wheel that’s cool back in the town it’s got a little pizza and wherever this thing is vanilla smells nice eat this go back to the van and then head off to Hon Flur figure out where to park up there and probably have a little wander around I don’t think it’s far away going to find out very soon so I’m in honlu stay here tonight I’m supposed to be exploring the beautiful cobbled streets of the main town and it does look beautiful but on the way in I saw this huge bridge and it looks like you can walk over it so that’s where I’m headed it’s a cable Stay Bridge and when it was opened in 1995 it was the longest cable State bridge in the world I just checked this ninth or something now it’s still pretty impressive I don’t know if you can see but there’s a beaver there I didn’t even know they had beavers in France and another one over there very very interesting there we go job done now just walk all the way back there was a point just trust me there was a point so this is the sen and I think it’s the last Bridge before it enters the English Channel you can feel it rocking which is a bit unnerving very interesting Bridge I think I think all bridges are interesting I mean it’s just these thin looking cables holding it up and you wouldn’t think it could amazing really right just dropped some stuff off of the van and to head into the town a lot of Vans here an awful lot of Vans and now I’m starting to see more British ones I think it’s uh probably the time now that they’re setting off from Britain I’m glad I got the jump on it all I have to say I’ve really enjoyed the near empty towns and near empty roads this is a an interesting little place I say little it’s not that really it’s a church apparently the church here the original one was damaged and destroyed in the 100 Years War and then um being on the coast the ship Builders were left to replace it they just used wood because there’s forests nearby that was the easiest thing to do and uh you can tell when you walk around it if you uh look at the ceilings you can see it just looks like two sort of inverted ships hulls I think it’s known to be the oldest and larg larest wooden Church in France what an amazing little town it’s uh very very beautiful it’s inspired artists like Monet so I just read on Wikipedia Harbor is just beautiful right just picked up some food a little super marhe now back to the van to eat it good morning another good night nice quiet place I’m all packed up now ready to go and I’m going to Jes I don’t know there’s a ride today I don’t know whether I’ll do it today or tomorrow I might have a day off yeah we’ll see see I’m going to get there first and then decides okay so I’ve made it to now I’m going to decide what to do because I got here later than I thought and I am not feeling very energetic I don’t know whether I want to go on a ride I feel I tell you what I’m going to do I’m going to check the weather if it’s going to be sunny or nice or not raining tomorrow then I’ll do the ride tomorrow this is a great little Park up and I’ve got views of donkeys which is always a good thing nice I’ve done next to nothing just had one of those days the weather tomorrow looks all right it’s going to rain about at 1:00 that’s I’m going to get up and get going early so yes I’ll see you tomorrow morning and I’ll enjoy my spaghetti bolognese it’s one of those rehydrated ones so I’m actually looking forward to that looks all right out there I’m out I picked this town cuz there’s an ABY which looks really interesting and I was going to arrange the route so I st halfway around here let me show you stopped halfway around and had a look at it but it doesn’t open about half n so I’m just going to do the route and then go to the Abby when I get back that way I’ve a chance of beating the rain as well I think I’m going to be getting that Ferry back over at the end of the ride so I’m going to treat this ride a little differently Ross and I have a ride coming up where we’re riding from the West to the east coast of the UK overnight trying to beat the Sun so I’m trying today to maintain a higher speed and see how that feels you might have even seen this video cuz I believe it’ll uh probably interrupt this series anyway and this is right at the end so it’s likely that you have hopefully we made it hopefully we beat the sun it’s funny to be speaking about this knowing that you already know butth don’t put it in the comments and let me know cuz I don’t want you to spoil it if I can aim to uh cycle around about 15 M hour for most of this ride power will hold me in good Stead so 17 m in average speed 12.2 mph which isn’t bad really I need to stop though and have a snack or something one thing I’m not good at is uh keeping my energy levels up but yeah good so far and this is a beautiful ride I mean really is really enjoying it the Suns still up spots of rain but I mean that’s just nice just refreshing they stayed like this I’d be happy looks a bit darker over there though oh well [Applause] who you going to call SOS Phantoms I haven’t seen that yeah it’s supposed to be good I think the re boot of the reboot the rain started it’s not too bad so far awesome didn’t know I was going to be Crossing another Bridge another cable Stay Bridge Pont De Bron over the S what an awesome cycle Lane we have for it as well I believe we rode all the way along here in fact I know we did I remember those Cliffs and now we’re going to head back that way so I’m guessing we’re at the furthest point which makes sense the weather’s been kind even if it tipped it down with rain now I’d have got away with it in my mind I think northern France is exceptional for cycling I reckon you could just come over here and probably just I I could spend at least two 3 weeks just bouncing around on the North Coast here oh wow I can see the fairy is that the one I’m supposed to get just coming in I don’t even know how you get tickets oh well if I get there I get there I’m on it don’t know what I’m supposed to do but I’m on maybe I’ll just hide here I I don’t know whether I just dodged a fair or what but now to get back to the van I guess right done 37 mil 390 M of ascent average speed 11.5 mil hour so I think that’s pretty good good test and enjoyable ride and I do think it’s going to rain so I think I’ve timed it perfectly I’m going to have a cup of tea and then probably go and look at that Abby so that’s probably the last ride of this trip and just to quickly sum up this bike has been Flawless perfect and it’s coped with all the conditions I think it struggled once on some pretty nasty mountain bike type Trails but what a fantastic do all bike I love it I’m really pleased with it the Kona Sutra that’s it Kona Sutra I’ve been reading reports that they’ve closed down or they are closing down or something or other so if you want one I would get one quick and I mean obviously I’m not sponsored but I think it’s a really nice bike my knowledge is limited with bikes but um if you just want to do it all bike I would recommend it and it’ll be the bike that takes me on the TransAm different tires mud guards yeah awesome right going to go and have a look at this Abby just been doing a quick bit of research about it and it looks like the first Abby was here in about 654 but the way it is now is mainly from about 1042 It looks interesting I mean it’s in good shape for an Abbey lots of different things happened to it over the years the English occupied it at one point it kind of started its long decline but it was abandoned after the French Revolution when all of these religious places were ordered to be evacuated and they used bits of the stone to build other churches and houses all sorts of things was basically a builder’s yard by the sounds of things really is an interesting looking Place here’s the ABY I have a brochure I’m going to look into something because they always ask what country you’re from and I’m from Wales I mean I live in England but Wales is paid to gal and gal is close to Gul so I need to look into that I will do that before the day is out I wonder if there’s a link between the Welsh and the French this is the main church and this was completed in 1067 and William the Conqueror came here for its opening do they call it an opening there’s a word I know but it doesn’t matter William the Conqueror was here in 1067 fresh from his battle do you ever think when you’re walking around places like this that one day something is going to fall down it just must must it I mean look at this thing I have to say this is very very impressive so I’m looking up and pay de gals means country of some welshmen so that’s a strange way of determining the name of a country and it’s like dismissive what’s that country a it’s a country of some welshmen I’m not going to take it as that though cuz I have more um respect for the French than that right that was enough now I’ve got to do that thing I’ve got to walk back through the reception and I’ll be thinking that they’re going to think I haven’t been here long enough but I just won’t make eye contact on the way out so it doesn’t matter I mean I love all this stuff but I don’t know half an hour I think that’s a fair amount of time to be amazed all right it’s been a nice evening nice afternoon just been out for another little walk it’s actually turned out to be a nice evening I think tomorrow I’m going to amen’s somewhere near there not sure exactly where yet but tomorrow is the last day which is a strange feeling very strange feeling it seems to have gone quick but it’s been fun I think probably tomorrow tomorrow I’ll sum it up and uh let you know what I feel about this kind of trip and whether I do something similar again anyway I’ll see you in the morning goodbye good morning all ready to go I’m headed for amen or a place nearby there’s a ride a shortish one that goes through there uh interesting Cathedral by the looks of things so that’s the plan for today and then I don’t know where I’m staying tonight but probably going to head towards Cal cuz of course I got to be there tomorrow so I might as well make tomorrow’s Journey as short as possible I’ve just parked here I don’t know what it is really but it looks good I’m not going to be staying here so it doesn’t need to be level or anything and uh yeah going to start this ride just getting the bike ready the actual final ride even though I said yesterday I thought I was going for a walk today but there we go I ain’t complaining Aman’s Cathedral I mean that is impressive even by Cathedral standards what an incredible building it was built almost entirely between 1220 and 1270 so only 50 50 years so it’s a Gothic Cathedral so it’s also said to be the largest cathedral in France and it contains apparently the skull of John the Baptist who is uh a Jewish preacher who baptized Jesus in The River Jordan apparently the skull was found by a crusader in Constantinople in the 13th century and he gave it to the bishop of Amen let’s go and have a look may as well gift shop so sadly it’s not on display at the moment you know I feel like I’ve been in more Cathedrals over the last 2 months than the most Pious of Pious men very interesting though the tomb of juwes ver awesome I love juwes ver all right that’s that I would say I’m just going to get back to the van now the rain has come in only light but rain nonetheless so there we go that was the last ride which feels a bit sad but you know also it’s I suppose I think of it as an achievement that’s two months no major dramas sore a lot so yeah I’m I’m pleased I’m pleased with how it’s all gone and of course I can do do more and I’ve got a lot of good stuff coming up as well obviously the Transam and going to Florida for a family holiday in about 3 days time so that’s cool there’s other things things as well which of course you’ll find out about in due course I’ve just booked a place in St Omar it’s on the way to Cal just looks like a sensible thing to do it’s only half past 3 so yep I’m going to head off up there now thought I take advantage of a lull in the rain get for a little look around might as well it’s quite close to the center looks quite nice another one overload that’s a Gothic bit and this is not a Gothic bit probably contains the pelvis of some Saint a FEMA of St Colin I think it’s the end of my trip I think I’m on a downer I don’t mean to be I think I’m sulking in fact I don’t think it I am I’m sulking good morning all packed up now to head to the ferry terminal I’m going to be there early but uh I might be able to catch an early sailing I may as well try for it if I can so I’ll see you there well there we go I’m back in the van just about to get off the ferry so I guess that’s it the trip is over there may be um a little summary which I’ll do when I get back home I don’t feel like doing it now just I have that you know post trip Blues thing going on but I’ll get over that quick because I have lots of good stuff coming up so thank you for watching thanks for watching all of the videos and I’ll see you in the next one thanks bye so I thought I’d sum up the van trip few thoughts things that I’ve learned I was a little concerned when I set off and I didn’t know how I’d feel about it whether i’ enjoy it or whether it’d be for me you know was pretty convinced it would be and it turns out I loved it it was fantastic I really enjoyed the exploration I loved the driving strangely driving in France and Spain was really quite easy and there was lots to see uh I stayed off the tall roads which um took me through some interesting little Villages and you know I saw a lot so it was really enjoyable I think it’s not comparable to some of the other big trips like the gdmbr or the TransAm coming up I prefer that sort of trip just because I like the challenge I like having a one sort of Direction a start and a finish and I like ticking off the miles that’s always going to be my preference the van trip you’ve got a very cheap way of living and exploring and that’s what I think is the best thing about it the infrastructure in France and Spain is really good there’s lots of free places to stay and you’re made to feel welcome then you’re looking at fuel to get from place to place which is obviously fuel is expensive but not too expensive you don’t need to be going too far between stops and in actual fact I think if I did it again I would go to fewer places and spend longer in each one on bike packing trips so I’d probably pick four or five different Trails I want to do maybe three or four day long bike packing trips and then I drive there do the four days and go to another place basically use the van as a way of getting between um Trails so that would use even less fuel foodwise you know you can eat cheap because it’s it’s not going to cost you any more than if you’re a tone basically so yeah that is a sustainable thing which is makes it different to the to the long trails I loved France I loved the north of France I loved all of France Spain was very chilled out very cheap um really enjoyed it but I think I could spend I could have spent two months in France easy I didn’t need to go any further than that it’s got so many interesting places to see and I I just really enjoyed it and as for the the cycle roots and things there it’s just incredible it’s fantastic and it’s quiet you know I was at a season which which helped I could see myself on another trip just going to France maybe for a month or so I would like to head up to Germany I’ve never been to Germany Holland head up that way and I’d like to go to Scandinavia as well so there’s lots of scope and I think I am going to factor in maybe a couple of months a year traveling around in my van looking for the bike packing Trails anyway now my focus is TR in for the TransAm I’m here at the moment in Greece I’m Summit in Mount Olympus with my brother who’s over there speaking to his wife hi sta so when I get back from this is going to be training for the TransAm which I can’t wait to get started so there you go there’s my sum up my summation a successful trip I really enjoyed it it went quickly and I’m looking forward to getting back out again anyway time to drink this beer whatever that says tomorrow we Summit Mount Olympus which is awesome and I’m looking forward to doing that but for tonight we’re going to drink beer eat spaghetti in this hostel anyway thank you for watching and I might see you again cheers