On Oct 9 we rode from Sens to Pont sur Yonne stopping for a break. This day took us 45 k through many small villages and farm areas.
Riding on to Montereau, we visited the town that lies at the confluence of the Yonne and Seine Rivers. Here on the Elodie we rode through the locks while dining and then sailed on to Moret sur Loing.
On Oct 8 we rode 31K to Sens. It was a cold foggy trip today. The gentle up hill took us through many farm areas with a great long down hill at the end of the trip. We stopped at the market in front of Saint Stephen’s Cathedral.
Jiogny to Villeneuve on Oct 7 was a hilly 25K ride through forest paths with many small farms and beautiful scenery.
Villeneuve is a lovely fortressed town.
This day John had the experience of learning to drive the boat.
On the 5th we rode 16K to Gurgy then 48K the next day to Joigny. Joigny is a historically picturesque town from the 16 & 17 centuries overlooking the Yonne River.
We began our bike and barge journey on Oct 4 in Auxerre, a small city in Burgundy, and ended in Paris on Oct 14. Our barge, the Elodie, housed 14 passengers and three staff, our guide Nina, our chef Jonztien, and our captain Chango. We rode 289 K through the French country side, ate like kings and slept in cosy well outfitted cabins. 
Our guide demonstrated the features of our bikes then took us on a 14 K ride to get used to them.
We spent that night on the boat in Auxerre then left the next morning riding 16K to Gurgy.
From Dublin, on Oct 2, we flew to Paris and took the train to Auxerre,in Burgundy, where we stayed in a lovely little apartment. We spent the next day investigating the sights of this very old city.
Saint Etienne Cathedral was majestic.
The Abby of Saint-Germain d’Auxerre housed a crypt and a museum that showed the history of the region from prehistoric times to the present time.
On loan to the Abby were modern statues from Auxerre Museum.
One surprising sight, as we walked across the footbridge that spanned the Yonne River, was the Elodie which would be our home for the next 10 days.
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This man was weaving crosses from grass for St. Bridget’s Day. Notice the dog on the donkey’s back.
Incredible coastline vistas.
Cliffs of Moher is Ireland’s most visited attraction. More than 2 million people a year visit this site. The cliffs rise 214 meters at the highest point and range for 8 kilometers. The O’Brien’s Tower was built in 1835 as a viewing point for tourists.
The deer we saw were so fat and the scenery so surreal.
In the photo below you can see the Skellig Islands to the right where scenes from Star Wars: The Last Jedi were filmed.
A surprise on returning to Dublin was to see that you can do your washing outside at any time of the day or night at gas stations.
James and Kerry were kind, gracious hosts who provided over the top hospitality. Their pets Tweetie Bird and Daisy Duke were delightful. Tweetie bird enjoyed snuggling into James’ hand for cuddles and Daisy Duke loved playing fetch.
Had Kerry, our Airbnb host, not suggested visiting the island of Valencia we would have missed this gem. We spent many hours exploring this islands exquisite scenery and old stone buildings. Renting a car made this possible as no buses were able to navigate the extremely narrow roads.
The scenery on the way to Dingle was dramatic.
We arrived in the town to see a group of parents cheering their kids on in a traditional Irish rowing boat competition.
The Dingle buildings are a colourful array of charming boutiques.
BeverleyandJohn's2018Travels 