12th September Paris. Our spectacular cycling stats summary.....

We cycled:

• 773 km in 17 days (16 days were consecutive) in 3 countries (France, Switzerland & Italy)
• minimum ride on one day 11km (last day)
• maximum ride on one day 67km (first day) - that's with paniers just so you're super impressed!

We will have crossed 15 international border crossings since leaving Australia 6 weeks ago

• 6 by plane
• 5 by bicycle
• 4 by train

Week 1 Provence - self guided
Week 2 Bordeaux/Dordogne - tour
Week 3 Italian Lakes (& Switzerland) - tour

Best coffee - Italy
Best food - France
Best bucket ride - Laveno-Mombello
Best chalets - Switzerland
Best chateaus - France
Best lakes - Italy & Switzerland (cos they share them)
Best photo - anything from Jane M's camera - she has a great eye & a great camera! thanks Dan for the input!
Best video - (with reference to our dance moves) Melissa & Alex's (see link in 10th September Como comments)
Best conductor - the Waltzing Matilda singing Swiss conductor
Best cycling holiday ever! (to date)
Best clip on koala - they were all great, we couldn't just pick one, & all so well behaved....
Best tour - they were all winners!

Thanks to all who made this possible.......
Paul
Aidan
Laura
Caitlin
Mums & Dads
Brothers & Sisters
Nieces & Nephews
Blog members
Blog readers
Work colleagues
Cyclomundo
Blue Marble
Pink Marble & Green Marble (that's a work in progress)
French locals
Italian locals
Friends
the clip on koalas
Cycling buddies in Oz & OS
God
our country, etc.

arrivederci, au revoir, aufwiedersehen, & goodbye Europe!

with love from the Janes

The aluminium horses have been put out to pasture (until the next ride)

13 - 17 September London - the final frontier

Breakfast in Paris before Chunnel Travel to stay with Jane M's Godmother.
Jane's orders for good weather continued to be honoured!

Had a bird'seye view on the London Eye

Had a laugh at the Criterion Theatre watching 39 Steps











Popped into the Palace for a look & a cuppa - the Queen says 'hello' & gives a wave not unlike Tim's from the Italian Lake trip.

Had a walk & delicious lunch in Hamstead Heath











Jane M caught up with Cousin Kate.

Off home tomorrow......

11 September Paris

We woke today to an overcast and slightly damp day.  Decided to head over to Notre Dame cathedral and happened to arrive just as a service was about to start. So we had the wonderful experience of worshipping there.  The hunchback was a 'no-show' but we enjoyed the experience immensely.  Being the anniversary of 911 they made reference to this in the service and were having a memorial service later in the day also.

After the service we found a cafe to have some quiche and gateux (met and Australian couple there too), then wandered through the rain to the Louvre.  Didn't go inside. 

Spotted the Eiffel Tower through the mist as we walked in the direction of the Champs-Elysees to take the obligatory Tour de France photos where Cadel worked his magic!

Walked the length of the Champs-Elysees to L'Arc de Triomphe just before a memorial ceremony began to commemorate 911.

After another bite to eat we walked to the Eiffel Tower.  Lined up for a while to get tickets to go up and were there as dusk fell then the night lights of Paris came on including the tower itself.

It really was quite magical!

Walking back to get the Metro we stumbled across a concert (again to commemorate 911) - full on choir and orchestra on an outdoor stage with the Eiffel Tower behind. Beautiful!

Stumbled exhausted into our apartment around 10.30pm having had a great day ON FOOT!

10th September Como to Paris

Arrivederci Italy, our group (particularly Melissa and Alex who we know are closely following this blog!!!! We look forward to the video and your visit down under!!!!!!!) & our bikes (after a short ride to a train station), Bonjour to Switzerland & then France again.

Amazing views of Swiss mountains, towns, lakes, plunging waterfalls, and bridges over ravines......

 A memorable trip on our last 1st class train travel.  We enjoyed our visitations from others in the group, who travelled as far as Zurich with us (they toughed it out in 2nd class).  The friendly contuctor even broke out into song with the chorus of Waltzing Matilda when he realised we were Australian - we joined in!  We originally had a 9 minute connection in Zurich, but as our train was running 8 minutes late at that stage, he kindly rang ahead to sort it for us.Needless to say, he scored a clip on koala for his efforts, and we got our train with 1 minute to spare!

Ah Paris! Our appartment is excellent (right above the Blue Marble Office) & we finished off our long day having an excellent meal at one of the many restaurants just around the corner.

9th September Como

We awoke to the church bell peel of the (rather) nearby church tower at 7.30.

After a leisurely breakfast, we did not even look at the bikes today having been on the road 18 days now.  'Como couch day' (or was it 'Como coma day'?).

We still managed to dip our toes into Lake Como (literally), visit the Duomo (church), have a coffee in a piazza, people watching on the promenade, window shopping, and of course having a gelato on the artificial turf watching the world go by.  A nana nap in the afternoon and we were ready for dinner.

Our last dinner was memorable: a 20 minute ferry ride along the lake at dusk to a restaurant overhanging the lake. 

We watched the sunset and the lights of towns reflect across the lake water and the silhouette of mountains surround us for a magical night. 

 The dinner was amazing - especially the antipasti buffet.  It was only right to finish the night with some grappa and tiramisu.

8th September Melide to Como

We skirted Lago Lugano, with its aqua coloured water.

Visited a gorgeous church part way up a mountain, with super views, intricate mosaics and old paintings.

Jane B even sang a little song in it & the acoustics were excellent.

A lot of avid cyclists around here - we counted 57 in the first hour & lost count after that!

We had lunch in a cafe on the Swiss lakeside and swam in the Lake in the afternoon - wonderful!  We saw the local trains up close & personal, riding right next to the track at one stage. Yet more photo opportunities!

Finally, the ride past some vineyards & cows complete with cow bells, back in Italy, to the famous Lake Como. 

Our first glimpse of the lake a seaplane was taking off in front of us, a group were kayaking, ferries everywhere & there was even a waterskiier!  Our last 2 nights are here.  We said Hi to George Clooney, but had to wash our hair, so didn't catch up with him for dinner.

An excellent dinner next to the waterfront with some of the group tonight & delicious gelato again.

Como by night is beautiful.

7th September Verbania to Melide

Today's ride took us over the Swiss and Italian borders a few times. 

We got quite good at it.

 We travelled by bike, ferry & train today, saying goodbye to Lago Maggiore & finally hello to Lago Lugano. We sang Sound of Music songs in tunnels. The traffic took some adjusting to, as there really are limited options for roads getting from A to B through mountains and around lakes.

 
Awesome views though. 












We dipped our toes Lago Maggiore on a 'beach' which is small stones next to a ferry terminal complete with pontoon, a swan, tabletennis table and a patch of grass and a cafe. A guy was sunbathing on a surfboard, right next to the ferry terminal, perhaps hoping to catch a ferry wake wave! The water is so clear and refreshing but not cold. 

We had fun shopping in the market at Luino, but having to carry whatever you buy does help one to be more restrained!

We then singlehandedly popped our bikes with paniers onto the train to Melide and made it to the hotel and changed into our new purchases for dinner with the group. Pizza in Switzerland (although we couldn't remember which country we were in for a while). Ah, it's tough, all this travel!