La Loire à Vélo day 13 - 56km from Montjean-sur-Loire to Nantes

Today was 56 km from the farmhouse B&B on Île de Chalonnes to Nantes. However, my knee was painful from the start. For a little way after passing Mauges-sur-Loire, there’s a fun stretch of river with regular art installations next to the cycle path. These seemed a regular occurrence until I pulled into the town of Ancenis after about 30 km.

At Ancenis, I checked my route, and the impression I got was that the route would gradually become more built up on teh approach to Nantes and might not be too exciting. In effect, I was looking for a good excuse to jump on a train to finish this stage into Nantes. There was also a lot I wanted to see in Nantes, so by doing the final 30 km on the train, I knew I would have a lot more time in Nantes.

Once I was in Nantes and able to drop my luggage I was on a mission to get to Les Halles de la Machine, which is a unique experience. It is a workshop that builds giant mechanical creatures; some animals such as a giant spider or an elephant; some are more fantastical. They produce huge shows using these creatures. Notably, they are the workshop that built the mechanical horse that was ridden by Jeanne d’Arc in the Paris Olympics opening ceremony. Some of these mechanical beasts are large enough that members of the public can ride on them. It’s an unforgettable experience.

In the evening, I ate at Chez Maman, a very cute restaurant full of movie memorabilia, old children’s toys, and books.