In May 2023, Reserves Officer Jack Medley took on the monumental challenge of cycling across France from St Malo to Nice, totalling over 1000 miles.
Jack and his cycling partner Phoebe took the overnight ferry to St Malo, arriving bright and early on 13th May before beginning their journey to the far southwest of the country. Unsupported and carrying all their equipment on their bikes, the pair cycled up to 70 miles a day for almost 3 weeks.
Jack has been working at the Trust since April 2022, and currently manages the conservation work we do at Blashford Lakes Nature Reserve. Before this, he was engaged with the work of the Trust, volunteering around 10 years ago as part of the Itchen Valley Grazing project, so it was great for Jack to support the Trust in a new way. The pair have managed to raise over £600 for their two chosen charities through the challenge.
The trip presented a series of challenges from steep hills, punctures and jammed gears to torrential downpours, which on one occasion required them to shelter in a bin store. They cycled past ‘route difficile et dangereuse’ signs as they approached the alps, tackling gradients up to 14%, all the while carrying heavy panniers on their bikes. They were spurred on by chalk good luck signs written on the road of col de Goudard written by spectators of a previous cycling event.
The trip provided spectacular views of the French countryside and made the difficult days worthwhile. Jack put his wildlife knowledge into action identifying various birds and other wildlife along the way, including Scops Owl, Turtle Dove and Nightingale. A particular highlight for both Jack and Phoebe, was cycling alongside a golden eagle on a mountain edge road at Gorge de la Nesque. The route took them past some of the most beautiful sights that France has to offer, and Jack decided to add on some ‘bonus’ sections along the way, including a dog leg trip to Mont St Michel, and an early morning ride over the infamous Mont Ventoux. They cycled through quaint French towns full of picturesque shops, cafés and galleries and a campsite which looked like ‘a scene out of a Bob Ross painting’.
The pair managed to find themselves in the midst of a cycling race while travelling through L’Isle-Jourdain where the locals who shouted ‘bonne courage!’, all the while cycling a fraction of the pace of the peloton.
After 1000 miles, 20 nights in a tent and copious amounts of baguettes and pain au chocolats to get them through, the pair reached sunny Nice before celebrating with a swim in the Mediterranean Sea. Seizing the opportunity with one day to spare, they took the bikes on one last outing, hugging the coast to pass through Monaco and into Italy to be rewarded with authentic Italian pizzas. It was then time to dismantle the bikes before boxing them up and flying back to the UK.
