Bordeaux to Geneva 2026
Contents
In 2025 I had undertaken two fairly challenging trips which provided the satisfaction of completing them but were sufficiently arduous that cycling, eating and sleeping were the dominant activities although plenty of photos were taken along the way. The Bordeaux - Geneva trip is in the Bike Adventures "regular" category and should have been less arduous but we had some very hot days.
Note: The data and photos are finished but the text is incomplete. Too many long dinners!
Preparations
After the Italian trip I had bought another bike to add to my collection. This was a Boardman ADV 8.9 which is very good value when on sale for £1,400 (which is why I bought it). I knew that the Shimano GRX400 drivetrain will work with a 11-42 cassette which my legs would welcome while the overall weight is around 1kg less than the bike I used in 2025. I therefore decided that this relatively cheap bike would be the candidate for my 2026 cycling trips and I rode it during the winter to both give it a thorough test and stop looking like a new bike.
Having got the bike sorted the next challenge was deciding which saddle to use. The leather Selle Anatomica saddle used in Italy had noticeably deformed after a good soaking although it still remained comfortable. I clocked up a lot of miles on a 3D printed Specialized Phenom Pro Mirror saddle which looked to be a good candidate as it incorporated some ventilation and wouldn't be affected by rain. Unfortunately, as the weather turned warmer I discovered that the saddle became softer and less comfortable. By then I had acquired a heavier duty version of the saddle used in Italy so more miles were spent trying to get this into the right shape before deeming it OK to put on the Boardman.
As with the previous trips the bike travelled in a box to Bike Adventures for transport to the start while I booked a train ticket to Gatwick airport and the EasyJet flight to Bordeaux. The days before departure were a record-breaking heatwave both at home and in France which caused frequent anxious checks on the weather forecasts.
The journey to Bordeaux was tedious. I left home at 07:30 to catch a bus then two trains with sufficient time allowed for trains to be delayed or cancelled as happened on previous days. While on the second train I received a message alerting me to possible flight delays. When I arrived in the Gatwick north terminal the departure board was showing that the 12:40 flight to Bordeaux would leave at 5pm. I managed to find an empty chain in the crowded departure lounge and settled down. It wasn't long, however, before the departure board said "go to gates 681 - 698". So I went there where, for a short while, the board said go to a gate which was occupied by a flight to Beijing. Then the board said gate 45B, so another long walk followed by a wait for two hours in what felt like zero air conditioning. Finally a bus arrived! I even got on it before being told to get off. The plane was at another gate with an air bridge. So we all traipsed there and loitered for another hour before finally being able to board. There had been no sign of thunderstorms in the vicinity of Gatwick.
We finally took off about 3½ hours late and saw no signs of thunderstorms but did fly past a big cloud which towered above the plane. Arrival in Bordeaux was smooth, The local implementation of the new EES was to take a photo with no stamp in the passport and no fingerprinting. I was carrying my baggage and got out of the terminal quickly and managed to meet one of the leaders, Paul, who was waiting for us (we knew each other from previous trips) and guided him to the little terminal used by our flight where we waited for the other four on the flight to emerge with their baggage.
Once at the hotel we dropped out bags in the rooms and headed for a later than scheduled dinner after which we looked inside the impressive Bordeaux railway station and then I had to extract my bike from its box and reassemble it. It was midnight before I got into bed after a tiring day.
Day 1: Bordeaux to Bergerac
Day 1 (28th June) Summary
Distance 64.1 miles: Total Ascent = 550m (1,800ft)*
Elapsed time = 6 hrs 35 mins: Moving time = 5 hrs 22 mins
Average moving speed = 12.0 mph
This was the longest day of the trip in terms of distance but with relatively easy terrain including nearly 20 miles along a former railway. The French have been somewhat better than the British in keeping public ownership of the land occupied by closed railways so many were easily converted to good cycling routes. The hills look big but the vertical scale on the profile is 0 to 100m.
An overnight thunderstorm coincided with a very noticeable drop in temperature compared with the previous week or more. MY Garmin watch told me that I was more knackered than usual after a not very good night's sleep. I don't like thick duvets BD very thick pillows and I hadn't had time to get the air conditioning to my liking. The group comprised nine cyclists with two leaders, one of whom would cycle with the group. There should have been more, but four participants had withdrawn for various reasons. I knew seven of the participants and both leaders from previous trips so it didn't take me long to sort of faces and names.
After a general briefing we departed from the hotel at about 08:15 and followed one of the leaders as the initial part of the route was different to that provided due to road changes. First stop was in front of the railway station for a group photo before crossing the Garonne river after which we were back on route. The first few miles were on a riverside path after which we joined the cycle path along the old railway. It was relatively busy with other cyclists, runners and walkers taking their Sunday exercise. Most of the route along the railway path was heavily shaded by trees which kept that section comfortably cool at around 20C. A curved old railway tunnel was even cooler. The generous size compared with British railway tunnels was very noticeable.
The first hill was a very gentle climb at railway gradients to the town of Creon where we stopped. Most people had refreshments while I bought a cheese and ham baguette for a picnic lunch before continuing along the railway path which, my body was starting a little tedious due to the fairly constant position and effort although it was a very pleasant environment. At 23 miles the route turned off the cycle path and went northwards in search of the Dordogne river which would be our companion for the next three days. The river was a very brown colour when first encountered, presumably due to sediment washed in by a recent thunderstorm. Trash on the piers of a bridge a few miles further on showed that large floods can occur.
The day's destination was the Bergerac Ibis Budget hotel in a business part on the edge of the city. By the time I arrived at nearly 3pm the outside temperature was about 28C. While the hotel rooms were functional there was a strong hint of budget with the air conditioning refusing to go below 23C. There was an adjacent McDonald's but the van took two loads of cyclists into the city in search of better food. Arrival at 6:15pm resulted in a fair amount of wandering around searching for food as all the restaurants asked didn't start serving until 7pm. And, once finally fed, we had to arrange taxis to get us back to the hotel. Fortunately, group member Susie was fluent in French and got transport arranged although we had to wait nearly half an hour for it to appear. Sunday evening isn't a good time for catching taxis.
Day 2: Bergerac to La Roque-Gageac
Day 2 (29th June) Summary
Distance 51.3 miles: Total Ascent = 700m (2,300ft)*
Elapsed time = 5 hrs 56 mins: Moving time = 4 hrs 26 mins
Average moving speed = 11.6 mph
*Ascent according to my Garmin Edge 1040 which usually agrees closely with Google Earth. My Edge 530 usually records about 15% less climbing which is more consistent with RWGPS. I assume that the newer hardware is more accurate.
This was a shorter but slightly more hillier day which roughly followed the Dordogne river and crossed it several times. The destination was a resort hotel due to limited choice in the area giving suitable daily distances for this and the next days. While gradients were generally moderate, there were several short, but relatively steep, climbs which came as an unpleasant surprise for the leg muscles.
The Le Perigord hotel dinner was a fine example of "fine dining". The photo is of my main course looking lost in the middle of its plate. The price was in inverse proportion to the quantity. Sleep was adversely affected by a warm duvet (which could have been compensated by setting the aircon to a sub-20C temperature but that shouldn't be necessary) and a thick pillow. I ended up using a folded towel as a pillow.
Day 3: La Roque-Gageac to Beaulieu-sur-Dordogne
Day 3 (30th June) Summary
Distance 52.6 miles: Total Ascent =685m (2,200ft)*
Elapsed time =6 hrs 16 mins : Moving time = 4 hrs 38 mins
Average moving speed = 11.4 mph
*Ascent according to my Garmin Edge 1040 which usually agrees closely with Google Earth. My Edge 530 usually records about 15% less climbing which is more consistent with RWGPS. I assume that the newer hardware is more accurate.
A similar distance to day 2 but with a slightly less hill climbing (although my legs didn't think so). Fortunately, breakfast had a very good selection, so a partial compensation for the dinner.
Inconveniently, the Bike Adventures van started overheating due to coolant loss. A combination of breaks to cool down and coolant top-ups enabled it to limp to the hotel where it was arranged to be examined by a garage when it opened at 7am next morning.
The room was a bit gloomy as I couldn't find the control for the external window shutter. Sensibly it should be close to the window. I spotted it next morning: It was fixed to the bed headboard on the side I wasn't using.
Day 4: Beaulieu-sur-Dordogne to Mauriac
Day 4 (1st July) Summary
Distance 47.8 miles: Total Ascent = 1,380m (4,500ft)*
Elapsed time = 6 hrs 33 mins: Moving time = 4 hrs 59 mins
Average moving speed = 9.6 mph
*Ascent according to my Garmin Edge 1040 which usually agrees closely with Google Earth. My Edge 530 usually records about 15% less climbing which is more consistent with RWGPS. I assume that the newer hardware is more accurate.
Half way through the day there's a substantial climb of about 500m out of the Dordogne river valley and onto higher ground.
The day started chilly relative to the previous 3 days. Only 17C so I put on my socks and a gilet. We all stopped in Argentat (about 15 miles) for refreshments and to load up with a sandwich as subsequent refreshment options were uncertain. At about 21 miles the Chastang dam came into sight and marked the point where we had to bid farewell to the Dordogne river which had been our companion for three days. The valley ahead was full of water so it was necessary to climb out of the valley on what I assume was the access road for the dam construction as it was wide and reasonably graded (typically 5% to 8%).
The climb of about 350m over 5 miles was relatively pleasant as the temperature was about 20C. This was followed by similarly pleasant undulating cycling with a very noticeable change of scenery compared to the Dordogne valley. Some opted for a refreshment stop at Saint-Privat but I chose to continue at a gentle pace and have a road-side picnic when I felt the time appropriate (about 1pm).
The profile showed we had to cross a substantial valley just before the destination in Mauriac. The route followed a little-used road which had a fairly good surface on the descent of about 200m which was followed by a nasty climb of about 200m. Not only was it steeper than the morning's climb but the surface was degraded tarmac with much loose fine gravel and a few potholes. The temperature had risen to about 24C (still cool compared to the previous days) but the forest blocked any breeze and I was tormented by flies.
Meanwhile, the garage in Beaulieu-sur-Dodogne was in no hurry to investigate the van's coolant problem so the van limped to Mauriac before the day got too hot and, after dropping the bags at the hotel, found a garage which identified a split hose and ordered a replacement part. By the end of the day another van had been rented.
Day 5: Mauriac to Murat
Day 5 (2nd July) Summary
Distance 38.2 miles: Total Ascent = 1,360m (4,470ft)*
Elapsed time = 5 hrs 54 mins : Moving time = 4 hrs 20 mins
Average moving speed = 8.8 mph
*Ascent according to my Garmin Edge 1040 which usually agrees closely with Google Earth. My Edge 530 usually records about 15% less climbing which is more consistent with RWGPS. I assume that the newer hardware is more accurate.
This day included the physical high point of the trip which is Le Puy Mary at nearly 1,600m elevation. The day started cool and I had an opportunity to photograph the hotel while waiting for the garage, where the bikes were stored, to be opened.
The road drops into a valley soon after leaving Murat. It was a chilly (14C) descent and I was happy to have put on my gilet. From there it was a 1,000m of climbing over 19 miles to Le Puy Mary. Just after the climb started I was overtaken by a group of cyclists in matching clothes who gave a demonstration of how to remove and pack away their gilets without stopping (although two members hadn't fully mastered the technique). The initial 4 miles of the climb was easy (less than 3%) and included some flat sections then the gradient gradually increased. There were some signs showing the current altitude and slope of the next km but these stopped 5km (3 miles) from the summit by which time it was evident that there was much height to be gained within a diminishing distance. The middle part of the climb was through forest which provided welcome shade.
I had to push my bike up the last mile of the climb where the gradient steepened to around 15%. My legs said that they had already had enough of the continuous uphill grind. The upward lick in the profile is worst than the Alpine passes which rarely exceed 10%. The upper part of the descent needed some care due to a significant crosswind but the lower part of the descent was very pleasant. The final climb of the day had a modest gradient and wasn't challenging.
Following the final section of the route into Murat was, however, challenging as it involved some narrow and steep paths. Most of the roads in that part of the town seem to be one-way, going uphill. The hotel was a disappointment. One problem which affected everyone was that the WiFi was unusable with a very weak signal and slow speed. My room was on the sunny side of the building and was an oven without air conditioning or a fan, but I did have a reasonable phone signal. The rooms on the back of the building which faced the historic part of the town had no phone signal. The high (28C) temperature in my room wasn't helped by a very temperamental external window shutter which was up. Much pushing of buttons on the remote control eventually persuaded the shutter to go down. Once the outside temperature had dropped I then had to persuade the shutter to go up and opened the windows and the room slowly became more comfortable.
I bought an eSIM with 3GB data because I didn't want to use a big chunk of the roaming data allowance for my UK SIM so early in the month.
Day 6: Rest day in Murat
3rd July
The rest day provided an opportunity for laundry, updating this website, bike maintenance (nothing obviously needed for my bike) and searching for what is on offer in a not very big town. Wikipedia says that the population is less than 2,000 and there is a market on Fridays.
The day started with an inadequate breakfast. After having the window open all night the room was pleasantly cool until mid morning.I prised the remote control for the external window shutter off the wall near the door and put it near the window whereupon everything worked fine. The CR2032 battery probably needed replacing. I put the shutter down but by mid-afternoon the room temperature was 27C, so the benefit of the shutter was less than expected.
A few of the group opted to go cycling but my legs wanted a break although in the afternoon I walked up to the statue which overlooks the town. It was a moderately strenuous walk going up and was just as slow going down on a loose gravel path. The view from the top made the trip worthwhile.
I had a good salad for lunch at a cafe found by two of the group and dinner was at the same restaurant as the previous evening as we had found the food and service very acceptable. Dominic had been shopping to buy some muesli and fruit to supplement the hotel's poor breakfast. He had been hoping to be able to return the rental van and retrieve his own van, but the part hadn't arrived. Each day of delay meant a longer journey to do the van swap.
Day 7: Murat to Brioude
Day 7 (4th July) Summary
Distance 47.0 miles: Total Ascent = 920 m (3,150ft)*
Elapsed time = 5 hrs 57 mins : Moving time = 4 hrs 34 mins
Average moving speed = 10.3 mph
*Ascent according to my Garmin Edge 1040 which usually agrees closely with Google Earth. My Edge 530 usually records about 15% less climbing which is more consistent with RWGPS. I assume that the newer hardware is more accurate.
This should have been a relatively easy day but a substantial section of the ride trended NNE into a 15mph? northerly wind.
Day 8: Brioude to Le Puy-en-Velley
Day 8 (5th July) Summary
Distance 41.9 miles: Total Ascent = 1,110m (3,650ft)*
Elapsed time = 6 hrs 6 mins : Moving time = 4 hrs 10 mins
Average moving speed = 10.1 mph
*Ascent according to my Garmin Edge 1040 which usually agrees closely with Google Earth. My Edge 530 usually records about 15% less climbing which is more consistent with RWGPS. I assume that the newer hardware is more accurate.
This day was shorter than the preceding day but with a little more hill climbing which was mainly concentrated in a 500m ascent between 14.5 and 21 miles. The climb, however, wasn't arduous with a maximum gradient of around 8%.
Day 9: Le Puy-en-Velley to Le Chambon-sur-Lignon
Day 9 (6th July) Summary
Distance 35.4 miles: Total Ascent = 1,050m 3,450ft)*
Elapsed time = 4 hrs 57 min: Moving time = 3 hrs 40 mins
Average moving speed = 9.7 mph
*Ascent according to my Garmin Edge 1040 which usually agrees closely with Google Earth. My Edge 530 usually records about 15% less climbing which is more consistent with RWGPS. I assume that the newer hardware is more accurate.
This was slightly easier than the previous day both in distance and ascent with the main climb totally 600m was no more than 8% at the steepest, and generally less. Despite the relatively short day we were encouraged to finish well before the nominal 3pm check-in time because, once everyone was at the hotel then Dominic could go to return the rented van and collect the Bike Adventures van which, finally, had been fitted with a replacement coolant hose.
Day 10: Le Chambon-sur-Lignon to Tournon-sur-Rhone
Day 10 (7th July) Summary
Distance 49.1 miles: Total Ascent = 980m (3,200ft)*
Elapsed time = 5 hrs 36 mins : Moving time = 4 hrs 14 mins
Average moving speed = 11.6 mph
*Ascent according to my Garmin Edge 1040 which usually agrees closely with Google Earth. My Edge 530 usually records about 15% less climbing which is more consistent with RWGPS. I assume that the newer hardware is more accurate.
This was a little shorter than the previous day and less hill climbing but it became a tiring day due to the heat. Breakfast wasn't available until 8am which delayed departure until nearly 9am. I anticipated more heat than the previous day as the general weather forecast showed an upward trend in temperature and the end of the day, in the Rhone valley, was around 1,000m lower than the start and therefore around 6C warmer. And warm it was! My Garmin Tempe temperature sensor under the stem peaked at 37.8C towards the end of the ride whle the Garmin Edge 1040, exposed to the sun, reported 42C. Reasonably low humidity meant that sweat evaporated until I got into the hotel and was loitering waiting for rooms to become available whereupon sweat started pouring off my head and into my eyes. I headed to the Toilette and gave my head and face a thorough wash with cold water.
Day 11: Tournon-sur-Rhone to La Cote-Saint-Andre
Day 11 (8th July) Summary
Distance 47.4 miles: Total Ascent = 620m (2,040ft)*
Elapsed time = 5 hrs 17 min : Moving time = 4 hrs 12 mins
Average moving speed = 11.3 mph
*Ascent according to my Garmin Edge 1040 which usually agrees closely with Google Earth. My Edge 530 usually records about 15% less climbing which is more consistent with RWGPS. I assume that the newer hardware is more accurate.
This day was slightly shorter and without any substantial hill climbing. After the previous day's relatively late start and consequent finish in the heat of the day there was consensus to take advantage of the 06:30 breakfast and departure by 07:30 when the temperature was already about 22C. This also meant that the journey through the streets between hotel and the Via Rhona riverside cycle path was almost traffic free. After about 2.5 miles the riverside path was closed off so I followed a parallel rough gravel track. I was getting close to getting back on track when I met Nick and Tim coming in the other direction. They reported that the track was blocked so we therefore tried another route further from the river which had the benefit of having a tarmac surface.
Day 12: La Cote-Saint-Andre to Chanaz
Day 12 (9th July) Summary
Distance 56.5 miles: Total Ascent = 7300m (2,400ft)*
Elapsed time = 5 hrs 58 mins : Moving time = 4 hrs 47 mins
Average moving speed = 11.8 mph
*Ascent according to my Garmin Edge 1040 which usually agrees closely with Google Earth. My Edge 530 usually records about 15% less climbing which is more consistent with RWGPS. I assume that the newer hardware is more accurate.
Day 13: Chanaz to Geneva
Day 13 (10th July) Summary
Distance 50.1 miles: Total Ascent = 930m (3,050ft)*
Elapsed time = 6 hrs 10 mins : Moving time = 4 hrs 49 mins
Average moving speed = 10.4 mph
*Ascent according to my Garmin Edge 1040 which usually agrees closely with Google Earth. My Edge 530 usually records about 15% less climbing which is more consistent with RWGPS. I assume that the newer hardware is more accurate.
Everyone arrived unscathed although the final few miles within Geneva were slow and somewhat challenging. There was a celebratory drink before preparing bikes for their journeys home. My bike remained almost intact as it won't yet be going home but will be taken to the start of the Danube trip.
The Journey Home and Concluding Remarks
I booked the 09:45 EasyJet flight from Geneva to Gatwick and trains for the final part of the journey home. It was arranged for the van to take five of us to the airport before it headed for home. The skies were dark when I got out of bed and there were some distant thundery rumbles. Uncertainty about potential delays due to the EU EES resulted in a 6am breakfast (available although not officially open), a farewell to the Ibis hotel and arrival at the airport by 06:45. By that time I had received an email advising that the flight would be delayed and to keep watching the departure board. This wasn't very helpful with quantifying the delay. Getting through security was quick (the Swiss don't like water in bottles) but there was no sign of any passport control. The EasyJet flight tracker initially showed departure at 10:51 but this later moved to a more promising 10:35 and eventually the gate (C62) was announced. To get there meant getting through a passport control which served about a dozen gates and queuing only took about 10 minutes. The EES system now has prints of the four fingers on my right hand.
Once we on board the pilot explained that the delay was due to the earlier thunder delaying the plane's first trip of the day, to Nice.We finally took off about an hour late. I had a fairly good view of Geneva and later a high altitude view of Paris. At Gatwick the plane was parked at the northern-most air bridge of the north terminal which provided a healthy walk to the passport control area. The queue for the passport e-gates was fairly short and I reached the railway station with about 15 minutes to spare to catch the 11:59 train to Reading. Then it was the next train to Swindon and a short bus journey home. While I was on the second train Dominic announced that the van was at Calais waiting for a ferry. Almost faster than flying!
What did I think of the trip? More memorable than enjoyable due to the heat, particularly towards the end. The final few miles in Geneva were definitely not enjoyable. The bike behaved itself and my choice of 40mm gravel tyres were useful on the rare sections of rough track and poor tarmac (much rarer than at at home). The whole group only had 1½ punctures (the ½ being a leaky tubeless tyre) French hotels proved to be as bad as those in England in providing winter duvets during a heatwave. The majority of hotels had air conditioning but I think it's stupid to need to make a room cold to compensate for excessive bedding. I failed to burn off as much weight as I hoped due to a lot of uncertainty about the meal portion sizes (usually in inverse proportion to the price) resulting in a tendency to over-order.
Copyright John Ratsey 2025.