La Loire à Vélo day 1 - 58km from Nevers to Pouilly-sur-Loire
Today was the first day of my La Loire à Vélo itinerary, taking me 60km from Neversto Pouilly-sur-Loire. The day would take me past Cuffy, Bec d’Alier, and include a stop at La Charité-sur-Loire to have a look around the bookshops.
The day began with a little wander around Nevers itself. It is well worth taking some time to explore the town, see the medieval buildings and palaces, and maybe visit the Musée de la Faïence et des Beaux-Arts to learn about that local style of ceramics.
Leaving Nevers on the La Loire à Vélo was a special experience, as I began by crossing this wild part of the Loire river. There’s something about leaving the town and seeing this expanse of river that gives a taste of what is to come over the coming days.
The first of the day’s riding was spent following the canal towpath from Nevers to Cuffy. Near Cuffy is the spectacular Bec d’Alier, where the river Alier joins the Loire. I walked my bicycle to the river shore to take a few photos. The sandy beach is covered in the shells of freshwater clams. Unfortunately, these are a non-native invasive species of clam called Corbicula fluminea which has had a significant impact on the ecosystem of the Loire and many other rivers across Europe.
I didn’t come across many places to stop for food or drink, but around 40 km into the ride I found this café by the path where I was able to rest for a short while and have a cold drink.
La Charité-sur-Loire is a picturesque medieval town famed for its many small bookshops. It looks beautiful approaching it from the far bank. The town and its church spire rise above the river, and a long stone bridge stretches across the river. It was a Sunday, so most of the bookshops were closed. After a short walk around town, I stopped at Datcha for a coffee and freshly squeezed orange juice.
After the break in La Charité-sur-Loire, the final leg was an easy 15 km to Pouilly-sur-Loire. I had my lodgings booked at Le Coq Hardi, a hotel on a hill overlooking the river. At the back of the hotel, the garden has views down towards the Loire vegetable plots at the side where they grow tomatoes, pumpkins, and plenty more.
Pouilly sur Loire is famed for being the home of Pouilly Fumé wine and across the road from the hotel is the Caves de Pouilly sur Loire, a local winery tasting room. If you get there in time, you might be able to treat yourself to a wine tasting. I arrived too late to take advantage of that.
When you’re tired from a day of riding, a delicious meal with a glass of local wine really hits the spot. This hotel serves incredible dishes, so I had to take photos of all the courses I ate. As a meal at the end of my first day of riding, it left me hoping that I should be lucky enough to experience more such meals on this trip.