Niort to Fontenay le Comte

Metéo is lousy - so make an early start (08:00 local), while there's still sun through early cloud. As the morning wears on, there is first cirrus haze over the fair weather cumulus, then mackerel sky. I can see the warm front coming in off the Atlantic, and I'm riding into the wind of its approach.

Sample of the prettiest bits of the marais.

The marais country - water-meadows cum fenland - is pretty, with lots of wildflowers, and willow hedges, but the looming weather dissuades me from lingering to admire.

At Ste Christine, I'm watched by a mother cat and her 4 six-month old offspring. They look seriously at me from the verge, but stalk off before I can retrieve the camera.

It just gets windier - when I've still got 4-5 miles to go, there are spits on the wind, and it's blowing so hard across my path that I can hardly keep the bike on the road. As ever, while there is a simple and direct route on the map, the suggested route goes through the most insalubrious industrial bit of town, and involves left turns in busy traffic.

I get to the hotel just as the rain arrives. Dinner is marbré du canard avec foie gras and rognons de veau, followed by tart tatin. And a pichet of the local red.