Bordeaux to St Leger de Vignague

Sunday 1st November ’09.
Bordeaux to St Leger de Vignague
Today is a ‘car free day’ in Bordeaux so everywhere was quiet which made escaping from the city very easy. At least it would have been if there was a single B&B or hotel open anywhere within a day’s cycle ride. Finally we found one way out in the middle of nowhere but he kindly promised to drive us into the local town to a pizzeria which he said was the only place that would be open. We eventually set off at about 12.30. Stopped almost immediately to buy a pain au choc and some lunch and then over the ‘old bridge’ and onto the 'piste cyclable' which took us all the way – traffic free to Sauveterre, 40 miles later. Our B&B is 3 miles out at St Leger de Vignague. The bike route was put together by Roger Lapebie who won the Tour de France a few years ago and lives in Bordeaux, so is something of a hero here. Typically being a (cycle) piste bashing Frenchman he neglected to put any benches along his route which for the likes of those who do these things at a more leisurely pace is a great disadvantage. The route is a disused railway line so a lot of it is through cuttings, a lot through forest – beautiful autumn colours and the most spectacular views across Bordeaux or Entre deux Mer wine country. It begins just outside Bordeaux and climbs at a niggling rate for about 15 miles (imagine that 15 miles with never having to use the brakes and never getting to free wheel for a breather) I cannot stop being amazed by how many grapes are left on the vines after they have harvested, apparently it is because they weren’t ready when the harvest took place but why they don’t go over it again a fortnight later I can’t think! To us they taste delicious, and can now tell the difference between a Merlot and a Cabernet Sauvignon grape!