So off we set to follow the course of the Rhone, or at least a cycle route more or less alongside it into France from Geneva. We woke to clear blue skies, the first time for ages at home or on holiday so that was a bonus.

At coffee time we sat outside the village cafe in Cartigny and watched the world go by, that was 2 cyclists and a dog, all enjoying the arrival of sunshine.

I was keen to sample the menu du jour that M. Le Patron was cooking, smelling very much like the pork stew that was advertised. If I had been with my colleague Lindsey I think I would have got a portion or two, but Andy is made of stricter stuff and said it was too early for lunch at 10.45 so we rode on till 12.45 and had a picnic stop of baguette , smelly cheese and tomatoes, cherries and French jam tarts. Not exactly a feast but it kept us going and this is probably going to be standard fare from now on.

We came downhill as the course of the Rhone narrowed, very Lord of the Rings, with forbidding cliffs as the gorge narrowed, and obviously with me as fat Sam Gamgee following Frodo into danger.

But no, just as far as a pleasant campsite in Seyssel and an early finish today. Sunbathing to follow the beer I think.

Track of the day: Keep Your Head Up by Ben Howard.
A song I heard first in Lisbon in April played by a beautiful young busker. During our stay in Geneva I got chatting with a friend of our host who was Pedro a clockmaker (!) from Portugal who did not have a lot of positive things to say about his own country, especially Lisbon, and when I said I thought Lisbon rough and ready and very friendly he didn’t seem to share my sentiments at all, well not in a complimentary way. Well he is welcome to Geneva, too many suits and bling for me, even if it was probably the cleanest city I have ever been to and a public transport system second to none.