Most of my days currently revolve around how much energy I have or don’t have. Thoughts of adventure are always with me, but contrast sharply with my longer term fatigue issues. 

Life wasn’t always like this. A few years ago I had the luxury of all the energy I needed, on tap, able to drive through France, run up mountains and just explore. 

What am I talking about? 

Well on Saturday Stage 20 of Tour De France started at Nantua. I was watching it on TV and thought; hang on I know that place, I was there before my mountain trail race in Chamonix in 2022.

I had left my home the day before, caught a ferry to Calais and driven a long way down through France. I stopped now and again at those excellent service stations and made meals on the back of my car.

After a while all that motorway driving became dull and I simply deciding to turn left vaguely heading towards Germany and Switzerland.

I got lost a bit but carried on and the scenery turned more hilly. Turned out I had entered the Jura mountains. In the summer heat the heavily wooded hills and valleys were quite something.

I drove on and was kind of startled to come across the most beautiful lake I had ever seen. This was Nantua where Stage 20 started on Saturday. I drove down to the town.

I remember I parked up and went for a wander. The tourist office recommended a few hotels and the first one I walked to was close by, with an incredible view of the lake. 

I ended up staying there a few days. I swum in the water, and sat by the shore.

I wandered around taking photos with my Sony A7 (should never have sold that camera), tried to find any food I could eat (being a gluten free vegetarian in rural France is tough) and did some final training for my race. 

I sat and watched the sun go down and the day turn to dusk.

At night the lake and town in the summer heat was quite something.

There were some moody misty rainy days also.

On the last day I climbed nearby hill and from the top I could see Mont Blanc, where I was headed.