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| In Andemos-Les-Basin, France, is the Eglise St. Eloi (St. Eloi Church). The little church is adjacent to the beach along Arcachon Bay. This beautiful little church that is always open to the public. The vacant church feels well-preserved and abandoned simultaneously, yet it has a distinct feeling of intimacy and warmth. |
The bike rental shop finally opens at 10 a.m. The owner meets Céline and me at the door. "Come on in. I got your message from last night. I have the bikes ready for you right here," he says. After some paperwork and payment, the owner says, "Here are your locks for the bikes. Oh, and let me get you a can of Fix-A_Flat. Just in case. If you have any issues, don't hesitate to call me. Enjoy your ride. I'll see you in a few days," he says.
"Well, that was easy. I am not sure why he gave us a can of Fix-A-Flat. It is good to have even if we never use it," I tell Céline. "I am glad we decided to rent bikes here instead of renting from where we stayed. These bikes are more comfortable," she says as we ride back to her car to grab our gear for the trip.
I stuff my gear into the panniers on my bike and then tie my small pack onto the back rack. I look over, and Céline is already waiting for me. "Seems like you usually are waiting on me. I am not slow, but you are very efficient," I laugh. Before heading out, I take this photo of the two of us.
The map below depicts the general route around Arcachon Bay. Audenge is in the southeast part of the Bay, and the blue line shows the route variations. Audenge to Cap Ferret, on the southwest side of the Bay, is approximately 40 km by bicycle. We plan to follow the route in the counterclockwise direction.
It is much later than I expected when we finally hit the road. It feels great to be on a bike today. I am happy I chose to do this and look forward to exploring the area. Following the cycling trail around the Bay should be easy. There is little elevation change on the east side of the Bay, and there are only a few other cyclists, too. Despite this, I have no idea how long it will take to cycle the 40 km (25 mi) Cap Ferret. Nor do I know how sore I will be when I get to Cap Ferret. I know that people do it routinely, but I don't know how many leave around 11 a.m.. 😂
The downside of leaving Audenge at 11 a.m. is that it doesn't take long before I am hungry and looking to have lunch. Fortunately for me, Céline is on the same page. "Do you want to eat lunch when we get to Andemos-Les-Basin? We can grab fresh bread and other goodies. Maybe even oysters?" she asks. That sounds great! I am starving, but Andemos-Les-Basin is only 10 km from Audenge. I feel like it will take us all day to get to Cap Ferret if we stop, I say. "We have time," she says with a smile. I nod my head and concede. Time is what I have plenty of. 😊
In Andemos-Les-Basin, there are rows of oyster cabannes (huts). Each hut belongs to a different oyster producer. These cabins are not restaurants, but they do offer fresh oyster tastings. The oysters are usually collected in the morning. They don't get any better! Arcachon Bay is a world-famous oyster farm.
Not every hut has an outdoor patio. Atmosphere is everything, right? After parking the bikes, Céline and I installed ourselves at a table in the shade.
I ordered a dozen oysters, 6 of each kind, and bulots (whelks; in the bowl in the middle). I've eaten whelks before on a few different occasions in France. Whelks are a group of carnivorous sea snails with tapered shells, but unlike their land cousins, the escargot that tastes like dirt, Whelks are sweet and delicious.
After lunch, I explored the tiny church at the Eglise St. Eloi. In the corner, I notice candles burning. I reach into my pocket, pull out 1 Euro piece, and drop it into the can. I remember that when I was on the Camino, Cami always wanted to light a candle for her friends. Unfortunately, she could never find a church that was open or had candles. I reach for the small red candle and light it. This one is for you, Cami. I place the lit candle on the rack. Then I take a picture and send it to her...Thinking of you!
The bike ride is easy, relaxing, and scenic. Though I was expecting to see much more of the Bay. Instead, the cycling path takes me along the edge of the woodlands. Turns out this is much better than riding exposed along the Bay. The path winds in and out of the shade, which makes the ride very enjoyable, considering it is pretty warm today.
It's well after 6 pm when we finally arrive in Cap Ferret. I turn to Céline. I don't know about you, but am ready to get off this bike. My butt is sore. 😂 "Yeah, I've had enough for today," she says. The last couple of hills near the accommodations are a grind. They aren't that steep, but my legs are cooked. Climbing them zaps, what little energy I have left. Céline is about in the same place. Spending 6 hours on a bike and covering 40 km (25 mi) takes its toll. Cruisers are easy bikes to ride, but they aren't the most efficient for covering long distances. It would have taken me about half as long on my road bike.
Céline, are you up for going to the beach? It's still warm enough that a swim would do me some good, I ask. "Yes. There's a beach near here. It shouldn't take too long to get there," she says. The water is perfect. After a quick swim, I lay on the beach until the sun got low on the horizon. How are you feeling Céline? "Refreshed, but I am starting to get hungry," she says. Me too. What do you say we call it and see if we can find a place to eat. I didn't see many options, but I bet we'll find something after getting cleaned up. It may be basic since it looks like many places are closed, I say to her. It's the off-season here in Cap Ferret, and most restaurants are closed or have limited hours until July.
After getting cleaned up, the two of us walk down to the east shore. I remembered that Chai Bertrand had a nice atmosphere. It's an oyster cabin that I ate at the last time I was in Cap Ferret. Chai Bertrand is across the Bay from the Dune de Pilat. It is the highest Dune in Europe. At the 1:35 minute of the video link, the red and white lighthouse in Cap Ferret is visible across the Bay. The view across the bay this evening is lovely. Unfortunately, the dune is so far away that my pictures don't turn out. It is one of those moments to enjoy without pictures. I share another dozen oysters with Céline. This time, 6 oysters are from Arcachon, and 6 are from the Cap Ferret area. They each have a slightly different taste but I find the Cap Ferret oysters to be slightly saltier, which I enjoy. As I wrap up the light dinner, I am starting to feel the effects of the sun. It isn't dark yet, but I can feel the chill in the air. Are you ready to head back and call it a night? I ask Céline.
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