July 4 Train from Vannes to Irun
As we had some time before the train was due to leave, we decided to have a look around the town on the other side of the railway. A boring one hour walk, cut short because it looked as though it might rain.
Wheeled our loaded bikes across to the station and enquired whether we could transport them assembled with panniers attached. OK for the trips from Vannes to Nantes and Nantes to Bordeaux, but we would have to pack them up before boarding the fast train to Irun.
Train left from platform 2, and we were not allowed to cross the tracks via the walkway (as we had at Auray) but had to carry them downstairs to the tunnel and then back up the stairs to the station. Fortunately, on all our train journeys we found many Sir Gallahads willing to help to carry the bikes and to load them on the trains. The first train floor was the same height as the platform, so loading was easy. Leant the bikes against others and found our seats for the journey.
At Nantes we only had 19 minutes between trains, but left from the platform we arrived at, so no problems. Problems started when the train arrived - two narrow steep steps from the platform into the train, and then through a narrow door to access the bike storage area. I made the mistake of wheeling the bikes into the room - when we came to alight, the area was full of bikes and it was very difficult to turn them around, let alone trying to get out against the tide of passengers trying to move into the narrow passageway. Fortunately, help was readily available. The journey from Nantes to Bordeaux took 4.5 hours and was quite enjoyable, seeing the changing countryside. Much of it looked as though it would be easy riding, but not as interesting as Brittany and Normandy.
At Bordeaux we packed the bikes and panniers into their bags. We had a carriage number, but no allocated seats, as it was the start of the holiday season and bookings were heavy. When the train arrived it had umpteen carriages and we were sent in the wrong direction. Carrying two 18 kg and two 15 kg bags is no laughing matter. Afraid of missing the train, and exhausted from the long carry, we climbed aboard a first class carriage, to find that the end section of first class carriages, the section over the wheels, is second class. Put the bike bags into any spare space. Sue got a fold-down seat next to our luggage; Iain had to go a couple of carriages away to find a similar seat. Arrived at Irun, at the border between France and Spain at around 10 pm. After passing through the border check, we loaded our bags onto a trolley and went to look for a taxi to go to our hotel. Plenty of taxis, but no drivers. After a while we decided to unpack the bikes and walk the 2.5 kms to the hotel. Sue got a local to draw us a map of the route. At the first intersection, I took a turn in the right direction, but the wrong road. Asked a very pleasant couple, who told us how to get to the hotel. It was a very pleasant evening for a walk, but as our route took us into a very commercial area, with few people, we were relieved to find the hotel, just in time to get a light meal from the kitchen before they closed for the night. We were able to lock the loaded bikes in the conference room. Slept well, despite all the excitement.