It’s Good to be Home
We left Paris by TGV, with Brad’s bike, to meet my parents in Lyon (my hometown!) with my bike. There, we enjoyed a second breakfast from a nearby bakery before we started packing and getting our bikes ready to go to the start of our bike route, the Via Rhôna. My parents will follow us by car during the whole trip, so we don’t have to carry everything ourselves.
My mom, Martine, thoughtfully arranged all the hotels and our first hotel in Thonon-les-Bains is perfectly located with a safe place for our bikes. My father, Michel, had the great idea to stop on the way in Annecy, my favorite city. Located in the Alps, it’s the little shops, the paved streets along the canals, and the lake surrounded by mountains that give this town an atmosphere I love.
Brad took the wheel then, driving for the first time in France along the super narrow streets… on the highway where you get honked at if you drive too slow in the right lane… and through the winding countryside to find some chalets.
We eventually arrived at our hotel and, after getting our bikes ready for the first kilometers of our trip the next day, we stopped to eat a typical French meal: Raclette and, most importantly for me, Tartiflette. You remember that Reblochon cheese from yesterday? Well, you put potatoes, lardons, and onions in an oven dish, cover that with the Reblochon and put in the oven. The cheese will melt and you’ll quickly discover a decadent specialty from the Alps!
That’s it for today… now we need a good night sleep.
A demain! (See you tomorrow!)