Flow Vélo 4: Swimming Snakes and Castles

La Flow Vélo from Cognac to Bassac:

Tax returns? Done. Coughs, colds and flu? Done. Weather check? Sunny. Flow Vélo cycleway: here we come.

Given that we were both recovering from minor ailments, my husband suggested a gentle bike ride today. Actually, I think he wanted his lazy Sunday lie-in, because our bike rides are always gentle. So while he lazed until eleven o’clock, I pedalled to the new village bakery for fresh baguettes and prepared the picnic, sun tan lotion and hammocks. Oh, and the bikes.

A couple of weeks ago, a Flow Vélo cyclist told us that the towpath along the river Charente upstream of Cognac had been resurfaced over winter. We wanted to see the improvements for ourselves.

The Flow Vélo guide books send you along roads for the section from St Brice to Jarnac, rather than along the pretty towpath.

This is a pity but hardly surprising: we knew from our cycling trip three years ago that the rutted, pot-holed, narrow track upstream from the Gademoulin lock made for uncomfortable riding.

Crossing my fingers that my bottom wouldn’t regret our choice of route, we decided to test the towpath. A quick calculation showed that we had four sets of friends along the alternative road route. If we stopped to see them on the way, there would be little chance of us cycling any further so we agreed to do the road route on the return journey.

We joined the Flow Vélo at Châtenay bridge. On the far side of the bridge, beside the River Charente, lies Cognac’s campsite. On the Cognac side lies what was to be the first castle of the day: the Château de Châtenay.

If you’re coming by car, there’s a small car park beside the castle. Alternatively, you can park a kilometre away at the Base Plein Air, which has the advantage of toilets and a snack bar.

We were on home territory today but this didn’t stop us discovering some new spots and revisiting some much-loved, familiar places.

This, I’m sure, is why it took us an hour to cycle the first 6 km.

First up was Les Jardins Respectueux (the Respectful Gardens) at La Trache, near the St Brice bridge. It’s a beautiful hillside woodland and flood plain run by an ecological association and is open to the public (with composting toilets). Free, shady, educational and fascinating, it also holds regular events. Don’t miss it!

We parked our bikes and strolled around, admiring the exuberant spring growth. We talked to the chickens, promised ourselves to come here for the next event and examined with interest (and, I suspect, with intent on my husband’s part) the hop plants. Yes, hops, as in beer. I think my husband came away with some new ideas for our own garden.

At the St Brice bridge, which has a car park, picnic tables and water point, we ignored our Flow Vélo guide book and followed the towpath. From the path you get a great view of St Brice’s 14th-century chateau; the second of the day. The third chateau, in Gothic Revival style this time, came a few kilometres later at Gademoulin.

I was pleased to see that a new barrier at the Gademoulin lock barred entry to cars along the towpath. And even more pleased when I realised that the days of dodging brambles and nettles, of skidding in mud pools and bumping across car-tyre ruts were over. The towpath had indeed been resurfaced. What a pleasure it was to whizz along the shady riverbank, side by side, past woodland and vineyards until we reached Bourg Charente.

Bourg Charente is an idyllic village where you’ll find the Michelin-starred La Ribaudière restaurant. It’s out of my league but I did have a fleeting wish for a glass of rosé when I saw the customers enjoying the sun and river views from the patio. One day, when I’m a rich&respected author…

This isn’t a castle. It’s the Romanesque church in Bourg Charente.

Bourg Charente is also where you cross a bridge and continue along the towpath to Jarnac. Again, a new surface has replaced the former potholes, though cars can also access this part. There are three or four picnic areas, accessible for those who fancy a meal beside the water but whose bicycles are out of order.

We stopped at a log bench beside the river for lunch. It proved to be a good spot, since we were treated to the flash of a kingfisher’s bright blue wings over the water.

This was followed shortly after by the appearance of a viper. It slithered into the river from the bank under our feet and braved the current to swim in squiggly ripples to the far side. I must remember the shape it makes in the water when we take out our canoe in a few weeks’ time.

The entry to the little town of Jarnac is one of my favourite moments along the towpath. Today didn’t disappoint. Oh look, another chateau – or at least a grand house!

There were further temptations at the main square in Jarnac, beside the Courvoisier chateau – and I don’t mean the display of polished, antique cars that were parked there. More people were drinking rosé on café terraces.

We slurped a mouthful of plasticky water from our bottles and cycled valiantly on, out of the town along rue des Chabannes.

If you’re looking for chateaux, this is the road to take. I saw at least three of them, including this one – Château St Martial – and the Château les Chabannes, a little further along, which offers bed-and-breakfast.

I wonder what the Fête des Voisins (national neighbour party day) is like in this street?

We were soon back beside the river, which is much more our scene than castley get-togethers. What joy to smell elderflower from the proliferation of flowering bushes and to see yellow irises beside the water.

When we reached the Vinade bridge near the village of Bassac, we decided it was a good point to turn west and see if our friends were in check out the Flow Vélo road route.

Our friends in Gondeville weren’t in.

Our friends in Jarnac weren’t in.

Luckily, the fruit and vegetable outlet in Jarnac – La Charentaise – was open, as it is every day. We were able to console ourselves by buying some locally grown Gariguette strawberries. We would share with our friends in La Maurie. If they were at home.

No day of cycling is complete without an ice-cream. As we pedalled back to Bourg Charente, I remembered passing the village campsite on the way. We’d approved of the public air pump provided for cyclists in the car park beside it. I’d noticed a new snack bar there. And tables on a grassy terrace. And a board advertising ice-creams.

We leant our bikes against the cognac barrels and went to choose our refreshments. It’s worth noting the existence of this simple campsite with its convivial ambiance, as it’s not yet listed in the Flow Vélo guides.

With nearly 40km on the clock, we made a brief stop in La Maurie to see if our third and fourth sets of friends were at home. To our surprise, they were. Both sets. Perhaps this explains why the last 6km of the day took us four hours to complete. Such are the (very pleasant) dangers of Doorstep Cycling.