Oli told me when we first discussed this trip that he was not good with maps - because of his brain injury - and that he was relying on me to do the navigating. 9 months ago this didn't seem like such a big deal but as time has passed I have realised that instead of my usual "it'll be all right on the night!" attitude, I have some responsibility to do the job properly.
I have tried a couple of french cyclotourisme websites for advice with limited success but hit gold this week when I found a link to Claude - a french cyclist based in Faverges (between Annecy and the Swiss border) - who is webmaster of a cycling site and responded encouragingly to my request for help. The exchange is straining my somewhat impoverished french but at least I can resort to the dictionary to translate his messages.
Within the space of a couple of messages I had a map showing me how to find the cycle path along the Rhone at Lyons and details for the route along the river to Avignon. He also made some helpful suggestions for the route from Avignon towards Nice although the comment that a particular road was best because it was "la plus tranquille" was followed by the warning that "malheureusement" it include a steep climb for 4 Km!!
Given his home in the Alps, this is probably not a problem for Claude but I think I may have to find another road.
It is unlikely that we will meet but it has been great to find a source of expert and friendly advice - particularly when a few of my other friends think that Monte Carlo is a place to keep their smaller gin palaces!
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