By far the busiest site I’ve been on yet (and the dustiest). Got away a bit before 7 for the second day running, and after a brief excursion into Milly, which has the biggest/oldest covered market hall in the middle of the High Street I’ve ever seen (but forgot to photograph).

I got immediately got on fast roads keeping up a good speed. Nothing too exposed, and when I’d gotten fed up with lorries, a 3 ton weight limit appeared. This meant​ the road went right through some really quaint villages. Moigny-sur-Ecole, seemed to made of Dorset limestone, and reminded me of Corfe Castle (for some reason). It also went through Auvernaux which looked particularly interesting, however I had a HGV behind me so didn’t really get a good look.  The french roads in towns are designed to keep pressure on the cyclist, and for them to give peak output through towns. They achieve this with raised kerbs periodically in the middle of the road, which stops anything slow from overtaking. Faster things can over take in the gaps between the kerbs, but lorries and tractors follow you the whole way. The constant hiss of air brakes means you whizz through the towns – stopping seems like a recipe for disaster. Leaving early meant that I was picking up the busy commuter traffic but it was still not really a problem. One thing I have noticed, but cannot remember the name / or photographed it, is there are special parking areas and signs for car share. I’ve noticed them at junctions on to main roads, but even one town I went through had one – what a good idea!

I got to Evry, big busy roads, really lousy cycle lanes and I had a route to turn off the N7 and cut through Evry which was a big mistake, it took ages. When I eventually got back on the main road I stopped at a convenient McDonalds. It was still only 10:30 and they were only serving breakfast – which includes pancakes (it seems tha Hash Brown hasn’t reached France). Unlike in the UK they haven’t worked out that people only go there to charge their phones, as there’s no sockets! It was me and a businessman as the only customers, and I’m sure we both could have used a phone charger.

When I came out, the roads seemed quieter and there were less bike lanes to hamper progress. I started making good time. I kept thinking I would see the Effiel Tower any moment, but the map told the truth, it was still over 30km away. The cycle lanes were very mixed with the biggest problem picking up a new one at a junction, or deciding quickly that there wasn’t going to be one and head back on the road. Only then to find yourself in a narrow bit of road with a HGV behind, and you notice a two way cycleway on the opposite side of the road. It was infuriating. I eventually reached Massy, where I knew of that the Voie Verte started which ran right into Paris – popping out near Montparnasse. It’s a brilliant bit of joined up Green space, full of office workers jogging, walkers and cyclists commuting. It completely invisibly cut through the suburbs, under railways, over motorways – some bits are better than others, but on the whole brilliant (but quite slow to cycle on, with some steep hills – on one, an electric wheelchair passed me!).

Once into Paris itself, the cycle lane was supposed to take me to Notre Dame, but for that to work well – it really needs some signs (I expect the roads ministry are monitoring this blog and things will improve in the future). Instead it’s just random, and it’s easier to stick in the bus lanes (cycles & taxis), rather than try to spot a cycle lane in the middle of the road, going in the opposite direction to the traffic! In essence, the cycle lanes are too hard to follow unless you know them, I expect its fine for commuters . That said, the cars and buses were very tolerant, and pedestrians jumped out the way when me and my fully loaded bike came barreling at them at 30 kph. I took some pictures outside Notre Dame, (as it was no cycling inside). Then took the Rive Gauche (southern bank in Loire terms) round to the Effiel Tower. It was teeming with tourists and a very high police and military presence, with all of the area under the tower fenced off. I had some lunch (which I bought from the first supermarket after the Voie Verte) – anticipating higher prices in the centre and being aware of the risk of leaving a fully loaded bike outside a shop with the high security. In case I haven’t said it was hotter than ever!

I then headed to the campsite in Bois de Boulogne, which is still a dusty site but the facilities were fantastic, and €18 as your asking.