Lyon!!

Day 24 – Roanne to Lyon, France — 55 miles

Lyon is one of our benchmark destinations. Since leaving Dublin, we’ve pedaled through Wales, England, and across much of France— we are nearly 900 miles into this journey. Lyon is the city where we’ll rest and recover before the next section of the ride. With that destination in mind, we set out today with high energy, excitement, and anticipation.

The ride out of Roanne began with a steady ascent out of the city. Once we reached the plateau, we looked out and could see a significant change in the landscape from what we’d been riding through over the past 10 days. The rolling hills brought back memories of Marin County, California, where I grew up. Strangely, I could still feel that childhood energy while reminiscing about the bike rides I took in my late teens in Marin. I love the feeling you get when you cycle through a place that can remind you of a past part of your life—where your mind and body seem to travel back in time together. It’s one of the many joys that make cycling so rewarding.

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After riding through the countryside, we began a four-mile climb—our first pass since leaving Wales. It was a great climb, and we were rewarded with what felt like an endless descent into the Saône Valley. Unfortunately, as we got closer to Lyon, we also saw a lot more traffic. Once we reached the base of the Saône, we had one more climb before the somewhat hair raising descent into Lyon. 

Lyon looks like an incredibly beautiful city where the Saône River meets the Rhône River. We can’t wait to explore it.