Western Switzerland

From Grenoble, here I went. At a slower pace, I will give you that. After recuperating for a few days at my friend’s place, I bade him goodbye and after some pedal strokes I had come across my first turn. There I was, on my own again and with mountains and lakes and medieval towns to explore.

Yes, because the Alps aren’t quite like the rest of France. They make you climb, roll downhill, climb… And if you’re just like me, you will definitely add a climb or two just because I couldn’t properly read a map. I mean, I know I should have questioned my decision after the first or second kilometre climbing a 10% hill. I waited the third if you wish to know.

Slowly, every so slowly I made my way along the “Lac du Bourget”. I admit, my recuperation wasn’t all at fault here. The hot, sunny day coupled with the clear water of the lake gazing up at me convinced me that traveling could wait while laying around reading a book could not. This is also the day where I got to find myself a travelling companion.

Dear reader, meet my touring donkey: Mia!

As I was strolling around in a kid’s toy shop (don’t ask), I saw this magnificient fluffy donkey literally begging me to bring her with me on my trip. As you now know, I couldn’t say no to such a heartbreaking plea. I mean, who would leave her in that oh-so-sad toy shop?

The said lake

You would think that after 6 months touring in South America, I would know better. I would know not to blindly listen to my offline map directions, wouldn’t I? Apparently I’m a little slow. For those who don’t know, using a non-specialised app for planning your touring trip is literally asking for trouble. I swear, the devs writing the algorithm must’ve thought like that: “Oh so you want to bicycle now, do you? Oh cute. No, no. That straight road ain’t for you. There you go, let’s see how you fare climbing the steepest hills over and over again, and how well you wade through the muddiest and rockiest trails? There, I hope you enjoyed the view!”.

I mean, that’s quite literally what happened for the afternoon I didn’t second guessed my app. The view was amazing, I will give them that. But those trails are meant for trekkers, or maybe some crazy mountain bikers. Not for that poor overloaded me! Nevertheless, I went there and enjoyed the nicest sunset over the valley, with Geneva waiting for me on the horizon.

After resting on top of my hill and enjoying ever longer mornings (my current record is waking up at 6:30am only to leave at 11:30am) I decided it was past time saying hi to my friends and neighbours, the Swiss. I plan on crossing Switzerland from West to East and those first steps in this foreign country brought me to Geneva. Some people I talked to didn’t like Geneva so much. Well I did! From strolling around town beneath the shadow of the cathedral or under the guard of the owl fountain to the luxurious lake side promenade. The cathedral offered a rather stark and plain decoration, up until I stumbled into a side room. The latter was covered in ornamentations, everything skilfully gilded and coloured in a nice mix of hues of red and blue and green. Despite the marvels and hidden gems to be found in the city, I didn’t stay too long. The cost of a coffee there could literally sustain me for 2 days and I felt that simply drinking my water from the shade of a tree provided with all the experience I was really craving for.

As I am slowly riding to uncharted directory (from my perspective at least), I hear more and more German speaking people out there. I slowly realise that I should definitely try to learn at the very least the basics of the language if I even want to be able to order water! I mean, hand talk can only go so far… can’t it?

After Geneva, I again visited some nice medieval towns just waiting for me along my path. That’s for sure one thing I love about France, and probably from Europe overall as well!

Despite all this, I can’t wait for riding out of France. Riding in your own country feels great and reassuring, giving you a warm feeling of being at home. But there’s a simple and delightful magic in putting yourself out there, where you’re always a stranger, where every single place you stumble into is something new, something people from a different culture have created.

I’m therefore slowly working and getting down some German grammar and words, enough to provide for myself out there. I’m also slowly learning the Japanese alphabet, but that’s still irrelevant. I’m not getting there before the end of the summer!

Until next time,

With love,

Chloé and Mia