SalGoesCycling  ·  France

Lyon — Creaking Wildfire

Lyon & Annecy, France

The Ride

The plan was to visit Place Bellecour, take in the gorgeous views of the surrounding architecture and the Notre-Dame de Fourvière Basilica up on the hill, and just ride. Ms. Wildfire and I were ready.

We soaked in the views along the banks of the Rhône, crossed the Guillotière Bridge, and kept going. Along the way, Parc de Parilly was lovely to pass through. Locals were out running, cycling, playing racquet sports. The kind of scene that just makes you smile. We rode through Lyon's 7th arrondissement and into the city centre. Crowded, yes, but absolutely worth it.

Lyon has a way of making you feel like you are exactly where you are supposed to be.

And Then... The Creak

On the way back, closer to the hotel, Ms. Wildfire started making a creaking noise. A proper, rhythmic, impossible-to-ignore creak. It is no fun riding when your bike is clearly trying to tell you something.

I had planned to cycle to Annecy the next day. It is supposed to be one of the most beautiful, bike-friendly places around and I had been really looking forward to it. But with Ms. Wildfire creaking away, I made the call to join my colleagues on their trip instead. Sensible decision. 

The Bus Booking Disaster

Picture this. It is early morning. I have ten minutes before we leave. Half-asleep, I go ahead and book the bus. Very productive. Except I booked the 6:45 am bus instead of the 7:45 am one. We arrived at the station at 7:30. The 6:45 was long gone. I had to make another booking on the spot. Twenty-seven euros, just like that. Lesson learned: do not book anything while still half-asleep. Dafaq!

Annecy

Despite my spectacular morning, Annecy was brilliant. The water is genuinely crystal clear, like absurdly so. Swans everywhere. And there was this one-of-a-kind bird nest that I just had to stop and photograph. The town centre was absolutely packed, which honestly did not surprise me. I have a feeling the further you get from the centre, the quieter and more magical it becomes. Something to explore on the next visit, with a fully-functioning bike.

🍷

It is summer. We are in France. Obviously, it had to be a goat cheese salad and a glass of wine. The colleagues went for pizza. Everything looked absolutely delicious .😋 

So, What Is My Take?

Lyon is great for cycling. The paths are well-marked, there are cyclists everywhere, and that makes the whole experience feel easy and enjoyable. If you get the chance, grab a Velo city bike and just go. You will not regret it.

And one more thing. Do not leave Lyon without buying the cheese. Seriously. 

Have you cycled around Annecy? I would genuinely love to hear about it!

salgoescycling.blogspot.com  —  Ms. Wildfire & Sal, somewhere in Europe

Wildfire gets a near-criminal record in Sweden.

MS. WILDFIRE GOES TO SCANDINAVIA

Stockholm on Two Wheels: Expressways, Excellent Salads & One Near-Criminal Brompton

Three days, two countries' worth of carbs, and one police escort we did not plan for.

Day One ~ Arlanda to Sigtuna

📍 Arlanda Airport → Sigtuna🚴 ~22 km⛰️ Gloriously flat☀️ Vibe: Chef's kiss

Landed at Arlanda. Unfolded Ms. Wildfire. Found the cycle path on the third attempt. Sweden, we are already getting along.

The fact that a cycle path begins right from the airport is one of those small things that makes you want to write a thank-you letter to an entire country. I wish every airport did this: land, click the bike together, and off you go. No taxi queue, no lugging bags onto trains. Just open road.

The cycle path that had me fall in love with Sweden before I even left the airport.

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A quick tip on the airport: all the direct buses and airport trains carry a hefty Arlanda surcharge (130 SEK, since you asked). The smarter move is a bus to the tiny village of Märsta (a couple of cafés, a grocery shop, perfectly pleasant) and from there a very reasonable train into Stockholm city centre at 42 SEK. But since Ms. Wildfire was with me and the weather was being cooperative, we made our way straight to Sigtuna.

The roads are flat, sparsely populated, and so quiet on the cycle path that I'd actually get a little thrill when another cyclist appeared on the horizon. Kindred spirits.

I am completely in love with Sigtuna. Quaint cafés, cobbled streets, and that particular Scandinavian ability to make everything feel simultaneously cosy and effortlessly stylish. The meal sealed the deal: at Strandvillan's café on the Sigtuna beach walk, I had a chicken and feta salad and a Chokladbollar with my coffee. The Chokladbollar alone is reason enough to visit Sweden. Write that down .

Strandvillan’s café, Sigtuna. Left: the salad. Right: the reason I came back to the counter twice.

                                            My STRAVA for the day .🚴‍♀️

Day Two ~ The Uppsala Incident

📍 Arlanda airport  → Uppsala🚴 ~37 kms (plus a deeply unnecessary detour)⛰️ Flat🚔 Vibe: Unplanned police escort

Day Two was always going to be about Uppsala. What it was not supposed to be about was Swedish traffic law. And yet. Here we are.

Here is what happened. I was in my zone, that particular flow state that only cycling gives you, and I made a bold navigational choice. I decided to trust my instincts over Google Maps. I found a broad, wide path and committed to it. There were no signs saying no pedestrians or cyclists. There was just a smooth surface, a slight unsettling quality to the vehicles around me, and then: honking. A great deal of honking.

Something wasn't right. I checked Google Maps. I was on an expressway.

I took a U-turn. The Swedes, who are generally extremely woke and civil, absolutely blared their horns at me. Fair enough, honestly. But then the police arrived. Ms. Wildfire and I were pulled over, escorted to a small side road, and had our credentials noted. No fine. Just a very memorable moment and a story that will be told at every dinner party for the foreseeable future.

Ms. Wildfire officially has a near-criminal record in Sweden. Pffffttt. I managed to embarrass a bicycle."

Anyhow. We dusted ourselves off and continued from Knivsta to Uppsala, which turned out to be absolutely gorgeous and therefore very good at making you forget your crimes.

Uppsala: home to one of Sweden's most famous universities, thousands of students, and my greatest ever salad.

Uppsala is a university city with the energy to match: students, tourists, and a castle on the hill. Güntherska Hovkonditori & Schweizeri is a must. Outdoor and indoor seating, a view of the river if the street isn't too crowded, and the kind of food that tastes like someone actually cared about every ingredient. The best part? Complimentary water and coffee refills. I live in Qatar where water alone costs 4-5 USD at a café. I almost wept .😜

The salmon and goat cheese salad at Uppsala Domkyrko. The most satisfying salad I have ever had. I stand by this claim completely.

After wandering around this gorgeous city for longer than planned (as one does), I took the sensible option: bus back to Märsta, then an easy, peaceful ride to Arlanda. No expressways this time.

                                                 STRAVA done for the day .🚴‍♀️✔️

Day Three ~ Stockholm Proper

📍 Arlanda → Stockholm City🚴 ~25 km⛰️ Flat and well-marked🎶 Vibe: Taylor Swift is somewhere in this city

Weekend morning. Sunlight. Cyclists and joggers everywhere. I love a city that actually uses its outdoor infrastructure. Seeing other people out on the paths on a Saturday feels like a small quiet celebration of being alive.

I passed through Solna, the Swedish Museum of Natural History, the Domkyrkodistrict, and treated myself to a humongous salad . The café owners then directed me to a lovely  café for coffee, which had the most delightful little takeaway salad boxes. Details matter, Sweden.

Left: The Green  Goddess salad . Right: the café boxes that made me irrationally happy.

And then Gamla Stan. Old Town Stockholm, golden afternoon light, cobblestones, that view from the water that genuinely never gets old no matter how many times you see it in photos. It was a warm sunny Saturday, which meant the square was absolutely packed, which meant poor Ms. Wildfire could not get a clear shot without someone wandering into frame. The hazards of being a travel companion who is also a bike.

Gamla Stan doing what Gamla Stan does. Wildfire tried her best . The  magnets were darn cute. Obviously I bought several.

It was also the weekend Taylor Swift was performing in Stockholm, which meant the trains were packed in the most wonderfully chaotic way. We found a spot on the Arlanda Central to Märsta service, and the evening closed with a proper Swedish meal at the airport . Perfect, from start to finish . 

🍽️ 

SAL'S PLATE: STOCKHOLM EDITION

• Strandvillan Café, Sigtuna: Chicken & feta salad + Chokladbollar with coffee. The chocolate ball alone justifies the trip.
• Uppsala Domkyrko: Salmon & goat cheese salad. The best salad I have ever eaten. Full stop.
• Güntherska Hovkonditori & Schweizeri, Uppsala:Premium food, river views, and free coffee refills. A gift to humanity.
• Stockholm, Day 3: The humongous salad at a café whose name I forgot in the joy of eating it. Worth finding.

Before You Go: Three Things Worth Knowing

1. Always follow the bike route on Google Maps. Do not freestyle navigate on roads you don't know. I cannot stress this enough. Ask Ms. Wildfire.
2. Eat everything. Swedish food is exceptional: fresh, quality ingredients, and portions that mean business. Treat yourself at every opportunity.
3. The terrain is your friend. Almost entirely flat, well-marked paths, and genuinely pleasant cycling all round. Great for Bromptons, beginners, and everyone in between.

And that's that for Ms. Wildfire's Swedish chapter.
Sweden, you were magnificent, patient with my expressway adventures, and absolutely delicious.

TUSEN TACK 🥰