Let the Train take the Strain.

Day 2 July 22nd 2022

Flers - Laval 113kms


Having surpassed the hell out of ourselves yesterday, and what with discretion being the better part of valour, we took the train from Flers to Laval. We both wish now that we hadn’t. Two changes, one at Alençon and the other at Le Mans, with delays and rammed trains it really wasn’t as easy as these things should be. While the various network operators are geared up to cater for passengers with bikes they seem a little laissez faire in delivering on what they promise. On the first train there was a baggage area reserved with straps to secure the bikes so that they didn’t fall over on anyone during the journey. This was by the door and several people had thought to themselves, ‘ooh, that’s a nice handy space for my suitcase, I’ll leave it there.’ Now, French trains have on board either a chef du train or a directeur du train and what they do for their money is beyond me. It certainly isn’t very much. I had to remove all the luggage from the bike storage area before we could stow our bikes safely. Now, I did this in my own passive aggressive, begrudging way, muttering loudly in French about ‘how it could only be an absolute idiot or moron that would leave their luggage in a spot that was clearly reserved for bikes while there was plenty of empty luggage racks to be found up and down the carriage. How ignorant could people be?’ Anyway, whilst I was rearranging things, I made sure that that I placed the heaviest cases on the top racks. That’ll learn em!

The second train from Alençon was late to the extent that we risked missing our connection at Le Mans. When it finally arrived it too was rammed to the gunnels with all the bike racks full. Luckily, there were two places left for our bikes. It was an absolute shambles though and I felt sorry for the two train guards trying their best to cope with all the chaos. Where was the directeur du train, I hear you ask? Two carriages down refusing to come out of  his cosy little world despite the pleadings of his young deputies. 

We just made the connection at Le Mans and made it to the Ibis budget without too much trouble.

Comments