France 2016 including Bike Tour

Flight to Chicago - All Aboard

Looks like I have a plane to take me on the first leg of the trip to Chicago...

Austin Airport in the Morning

I arrived plenty early.

Chicago from United Lounge

1st leg of the trip complete. And now the layover for the flight to Paris. Shot from the United Lounge, terminal 2.

Layover in United Club

Long layover - by design ... just in case... but not a bad place to hang out and wait. They have snacks - and wifi. :-)

Queue up for the flight

Flight to Paris about to board. Chicago Ohare. Let's get going!

Le Petite Clos

My first overnight in France. My room is upstairs. The room in the corner with the open window. Really a relaxing waypoint.

Flowers in front of Le Petite Clos

Le Petite Clos Entrance

The funny thing is, the front door is always locked but the back door is never locked.

Out my window at Le Petite Clos

Out my window at Le Petite Clos at dusk

Arrived!

Fast forward to arrival and after a long drive.1st real chance to relax after the flight to Paris was in the little inn I was staying at a couple hours south of Paris. Le Petite Clos. Some welcome coffee and cookies were offered.

Le Petite Clos breakfast table view

iPhone shot. The color of the sky out the window was not quite that shade of blue. Weather was nice though hence the open window.

Brive-la-Gaillarde from my hotel room

I'm at the small city of the start of the bike tour.

Another of Brive-la-Gaillarde from my room

Cathedral and Architecture of Brive-la-Gaillarde

city center and a short walk from the hotel.

Walkway in Brive-la-Gaillarde

Those are leaves, not litter. It was a hazy day. I liked the black and white better'n the color shot.

The hotel in Brive-la-Gaillarde

My room is on the 2nd floor (though in France it would be considered the 1st floor where the ground flow is zero) and my window is wide open.

My basic rental car

Given there were no direct transfers from Paris to Brive-la-Gaillarde I opted to go by car with a stop somewhere in between. Throw the luggage in back and take off from the airport. Easy peasy. (Originally set up in case I brought my own bike.)

Brive-la-Gaillarde streets of city center

Lunch at the hotel in Brive-la-Gaillarde

Weather was perfect for terrace dining despite the lack of people. (It was approaching 2pm if not after so the staff had cleared the tables.) iPhone shot (with a little editing)

Market days

Tuesday was apprently market day (maybe there were others?) in Brive-la-Gaillarde. I checked it out. No purchases but fun anyway.

At the market in Brive-la-Gaillarde

Brive-la-Gaillarde market

Brive-la-Gaillarde market

Cathedral in the heart of Brive-la-Gaillarde