I set off in Nantes and followed the beauty of the Loire River, taking the EuroVelo 6, then turning south toward Burgundy. Riding alone, I felt both anchored and untethered, as if motion itself were enough. This was a quiet beginning—a gentle entry into solitude, into presence, and toward something waiting further down the road.

I woke to a soft blaze of sunlight filtering through my tent, the kind of light that feels like a quiet nudge forward. I look forward to having a good breakfast in Paray-le-Monial and heading inland ot the heart of Burgundy.

Vineyards, Villages, and Voice

The terrain changed—softer, but full of rhythm. Vineyards climbed up hillsides like lines of poetry. I rode through towns whose names tasted like wine: Chagny, Chassagne Montrachet, Santenay, Chagny. Stone walls lined the road like old guardians. The smell of sun-warmed grape leaves filled the air.