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| View from window Les Arc |
Having spent a luxurious night at Les Arcs, a beautifully appointed chambre d’hotes in the small historic hill town of Les Arcs, we are now at the Les Arcs Draguignan SNCF waiting for a train to take us to Nice then on to Ventimiglia on the Italian border (now 25 minutes delayed and we will probably miss our connection to Ventimiglia). French trains are quite frequently delayed, and more so today due to the 2 day rail strike that ended yesterday. Bikes are not allowed on most TGV trains in France, so we must wait whilst many TGV’s thunder in and out of the station and wait 2 hours for the slower regional train. That’s OK in this instance as Julian is mending his puncture.
Punctures have been on our minds during our travels over the past few days. I admit that we left the
UK with only one spare inner tube and a puncture repair kit found in one of our rental properties as we
cleared it out, that included an empty tube of puncture repair glue. So it becomes clear just how
prepared we were for thorns and the like piercing our tires whilst cycling through some rough trails
and more remote hills of Vaucluse and Northern Provence.
UK with only one spare inner tube and a puncture repair kit found in one of our rental properties as we
cleared it out, that included an empty tube of puncture repair glue. So it becomes clear just how
prepared we were for thorns and the like piercing our tires whilst cycling through some rough trails
and more remote hills of Vaucluse and Northern Provence.
I had my first puncture near Rians which was when we discovered the glue tube was empty. Julian
changed the inner tube for his only spare one, so we had to be very careful that we kept on well
metaled roads until we were able to stock up on inner tubes and the like. We located an ‘electric bike’
specialist shop in Vidauban. Not that we needed a specialist for an inner tube and repair kit, but it is
interesting to see how many bike shops now specialise in e bikes. So by now we were pretty
prepared for punctures, which was good as humping our bikes up the steep stairs and out of the
garden of the restored villa Les Arcs we realised that it was Julian that had a puncture this time.
So this two hour delay has been quite useful and I have used the time to walk to a Hypermarket
to get a few provisions for our journey today that could, if we are lucky, take us to Milan; if not the
nearer town on Genoa and if we are really unlucky and there are no regional train in the afternoon
from Ventimiglia then we may just have to stay there. I’m sure that Ventimiglia is a lovely town,
but we have decided that as the weather is overcast with frequent downpours, we are going to
spend the day getting as far towards Venice or Ancona and hop on a ferry to Igoumenitsa in Greece.
changed the inner tube for his only spare one, so we had to be very careful that we kept on well
metaled roads until we were able to stock up on inner tubes and the like. We located an ‘electric bike’
specialist shop in Vidauban. Not that we needed a specialist for an inner tube and repair kit, but it is
interesting to see how many bike shops now specialise in e bikes. So by now we were pretty
prepared for punctures, which was good as humping our bikes up the steep stairs and out of the
garden of the restored villa Les Arcs we realised that it was Julian that had a puncture this time.
So this two hour delay has been quite useful and I have used the time to walk to a Hypermarket
to get a few provisions for our journey today that could, if we are lucky, take us to Milan; if not the
nearer town on Genoa and if we are really unlucky and there are no regional train in the afternoon
from Ventimiglia then we may just have to stay there. I’m sure that Ventimiglia is a lovely town,
but we have decided that as the weather is overcast with frequent downpours, we are going to
spend the day getting as far towards Venice or Ancona and hop on a ferry to Igoumenitsa in Greece.
As I write, huge claps of thunder resound around the surrounding hills. Theses hills just to the
North of the Cote d’Azure are more picturesque than those to the north which are rocky and scrubby,
whereas these are clothed in umbrella pines and olive groves, with interesting rock formations
jutting out and villas with turrets perched on hillsides. Everywhere we go there are signs inviting
Degustation Vente or Produit du Terrior. There surely can never be enough tourists to make any
of these places pay their way, even in the height of the holiday season.
North of the Cote d’Azure are more picturesque than those to the north which are rocky and scrubby,
whereas these are clothed in umbrella pines and olive groves, with interesting rock formations
jutting out and villas with turrets perched on hillsides. Everywhere we go there are signs inviting
Degustation Vente or Produit du Terrior. There surely can never be enough tourists to make any
of these places pay their way, even in the height of the holiday season.
Nice railway station has a new lift large enough to take both our bikes, so our transfer to the main
station was easy. I had been chatting in English to a man from Chamberay, newly retired and doing
some bike trips. Like us he saw the weather forecast and decided to take the train from Les Arcs to
Nice. It has been pelting down all morning and due to continue for the rest of the week, so we are
taking the opportunity to stay dry on trains and in Railway stations. After just a 30 minute wait at Nice,
the train to Verntimiglia left on platform 1 and we continued to watch the stormy Mediterranean with rain
pelting down all the way.
station was easy. I had been chatting in English to a man from Chamberay, newly retired and doing
some bike trips. Like us he saw the weather forecast and decided to take the train from Les Arcs to
Nice. It has been pelting down all morning and due to continue for the rest of the week, so we are
taking the opportunity to stay dry on trains and in Railway stations. After just a 30 minute wait at Nice,
the train to Verntimiglia left on platform 1 and we continued to watch the stormy Mediterranean with rain
pelting down all the way.
Ventimiglia, and we are on platform 5. No lift, but there is a walkway across all tracks in sight at
the end of the platform and some works going on there. We see a workman cross the tracks were
we intend to cross. We negotiate some broken tarmac at the works. Julian says something
incomprehensible to one of the workmen, he shrugs and ‘sort of’ nods and we walk across the
tracks. Illegal I’m sure, but anything to avoid carrying the bikes up and down stairs again.
So we are in the ticket hall of our first Italian railway station. We hear that you can take bikes
on the regional Italian trains, but the man from Chambery seemed sceptical.
We wait our turn and the lady behind the desk gives us a smile (encouraging) I say two tickets
to Milano in Italian. She asks what language I would like to speak and we continue the conversation
in English. All is straightforward. We catch the 1557 to Milano Centrale, and change at Genoa where
we have an 1 hour and a half wait.. We pay 55 euros which includes 3.50 euros for each bike. We can
see the sea straight down the main road but it is still tipping down so we opt to stay in the warmish
waiting room. Ventimilglia station is large and largely empty. Huge empty corridors massive waiting
room the size of a hall with about 8 seats in it.
to Milano in Italian. She asks what language I would like to speak and we continue the conversation
in English. All is straightforward. We catch the 1557 to Milano Centrale, and change at Genoa where
we have an 1 hour and a half wait.. We pay 55 euros which includes 3.50 euros for each bike. We can
see the sea straight down the main road but it is still tipping down so we opt to stay in the warmish
waiting room. Ventimilglia station is large and largely empty. Huge empty corridors massive waiting
room the size of a hall with about 8 seats in it.
We realise that our train is waiting at platform one 30 minutes before due to depart, so we use the
time to get the bikes on the train and organise ourselves. Take off panniers and squeeze them into
the space allocated.
time to get the bikes on the train and organise ourselves. Take off panniers and squeeze them into
the space allocated.
From Ventimiglia we hug the coast and it all looks rather tired. Dilapidated greenhouses, run down
Victorian era buildings, ugly sea defences, run down villas. Is it just what we see from the train and
is there a beautiful coastal strip that we are simply missing?
Victorian era buildings, ugly sea defences, run down villas. Is it just what we see from the train and
is there a beautiful coastal strip that we are simply missing?
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| Empty train to Ventimiglia |
We have now clocked on to the fact that in Italy, as in France, you can take bikes on the regional trains,
and that these come in all shapes and sizes, the common denominator being that they are mostly old
trains.
and that these come in all shapes and sizes, the common denominator being that they are mostly old
trains.
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| Genoa |
Genoa reminds me of Marseilles or even North Africa. We use our break between trains to find the
harbour, famous for trade since medieval times and we find ourselves going down just the sort of alley
that Julian is always warning me not to go down. We could honestly be in a Moroccan souk crossed
with the back streets of Mogadishu - except this is slightly more scary. I look for tourists, pale faces;
there are a couple in front of us, but they soon scoot down a side street, and back to the real world of
car choked streets. I just keep looking straight on, trying not to look anyone in the eyes, I wheel my
bike briskly, hope Julian is behind me and am conscious of being the only person slightly plump in
bright blue rain jacket and that everyone else is skinny and looks like they come from
another world, not just another country.
harbour, famous for trade since medieval times and we find ourselves going down just the sort of alley
that Julian is always warning me not to go down. We could honestly be in a Moroccan souk crossed
with the back streets of Mogadishu - except this is slightly more scary. I look for tourists, pale faces;
there are a couple in front of us, but they soon scoot down a side street, and back to the real world of
car choked streets. I just keep looking straight on, trying not to look anyone in the eyes, I wheel my
bike briskly, hope Julian is behind me and am conscious of being the only person slightly plump in
bright blue rain jacket and that everyone else is skinny and looks like they come from
another world, not just another country.
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| Brooding sky Genoa |
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| Statue of Christopher Columbus outside Stazione Piazza Principale Genoa |
Onward, out marathon train journey continues to Milan. I don't think that I’m all that interested in
Milan, but I’m curious to see what our first ‘real’ Italian city looks like. The Stazione Centralie is
magnificent. Monolithic carved stone. In contrast to our wonderful Les Arcs B&B, this one for
the same price is basic with a very grumpy hotelier. We have been living on the hoof for quite some
time now and have got used to booking our overnight accommodation on booking.com on the train
for the same nights accommodation. This time we did not check whether they had space for bikes.
This was a big mistake. We ended up choosing the Hotel del Sole which had a ground floor
entrance the size of a hankerchief and a very small spiral staircase to the first floor reception.
Milan, but I’m curious to see what our first ‘real’ Italian city looks like. The Stazione Centralie is
magnificent. Monolithic carved stone. In contrast to our wonderful Les Arcs B&B, this one for
the same price is basic with a very grumpy hotelier. We have been living on the hoof for quite some
time now and have got used to booking our overnight accommodation on booking.com on the train
for the same nights accommodation. This time we did not check whether they had space for bikes.
This was a big mistake. We ended up choosing the Hotel del Sole which had a ground floor
entrance the size of a hankerchief and a very small spiral staircase to the first floor reception.
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| Hotel del Sole. We never thought that we would get the bikes up the narrow staircase |
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| Tram Milan |
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| Impressive Stazione Centrale Milan |
The owner was not happy to see the bikes and kept says 'your problem not my problem' 'I can help
with luggage but no with bike' not that we were asking for his help!
Not a good end to the day to hump 2 bikes up this winding staircase and be harranged by the hotelier
who saw us a one big problem. By contrast the man on duty in the morning was the complete opposite
and even carried one of our bikes downstairs for us.
with luggage but no with bike' not that we were asking for his help!
Not a good end to the day to hump 2 bikes up this winding staircase and be harranged by the hotelier
who saw us a one big problem. By contrast the man on duty in the morning was the complete opposite
and even carried one of our bikes downstairs for us.
Another day another city and this time we headed back to the Stazione Centrale (via the bike repair
shop of course, what else would we do with our spare time? and booked tickets for Venice via Verona.
- by now I have resigned myself to spending our sightseeing time looking for bike shops.
Julian actually enjoys it!
shop of course, what else would we do with our spare time? and booked tickets for Venice via Verona.
- by now I have resigned myself to spending our sightseeing time looking for bike shops.
Julian actually enjoys it!
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| Tram Milan |
Whilst on the train to Venice, we looked on the internet for ferry tickets to Igoumenitsa. Realising that
our options were to either get a ferry that departed at 4.30pm in the morning! or wait 2 days until
Saturday when there were lunchtime ferries, we decided to take the opportunity to see Venice and
booked an Air B&B for 3 nights. Again by looking on the phone and booking whilst on the train.
The train journeys seemed to take no time with all this forward planning and booking whilst in transit!
our options were to either get a ferry that departed at 4.30pm in the morning! or wait 2 days until
Saturday when there were lunchtime ferries, we decided to take the opportunity to see Venice and
booked an Air B&B for 3 nights. Again by looking on the phone and booking whilst on the train.
The train journeys seemed to take no time with all this forward planning and booking whilst in transit!
I found the perfect place for the perfect price! Was there a catch? of course there was - I booked a
flat on the Venice mainland and not in the city! We will live like ordinary Venetians for 3 days.
flat on the Venice mainland and not in the city! We will live like ordinary Venetians for 3 days.
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