The Meuse River, between Venlo and Roermond, the Netherlands, November 2021.

I found out the hard way that the Dutch don’t have the same approach to the bridge as the French. They put one in every 20 miles (30 km), and in between, they have ferries. This turned a short 40 km bike ride into 76 km. An adventure where I still managed to get through the showers, all was not lost.

This area is charming, the villages are cute and the countryside is full of old farmhouses (many of which are horse and sheep farms). The Dutch people speak usable English in majority, even at the checkout of lost supermarkets. Just a few hours from France, I don’t understand why the French don’t enjoy it more. The weather is no worse than in Brittany and the light is superb. And for anyone who likes to cycle for miles, it’s practically erotic… you can ride for hours without risking death.