Between the boom in attendance at La Vélo Francette, which will celebrate its 10th anniversary in 2025, and the arrival of the latest La Vélidale in 2024, the routes have never attracted so many cycle tourists to the roads of Gâtine. The advent of Cycling after Covid with this new trend of long-distance family adventures by bicycle in ecotourist mode now attracts cycle tourists all year round to the curves of the Gâtine. Added to the outings between friends who are former cycle couriers or between informal groups of new riders succumbing to the gravel or off-road trend, we have never encountered so many cyclists on the huge small local roads.
“We never leave anyone behind”
And yet, great paradox, the Joyeux randonneurs Gâtinais club, the only cycling club affiliated with the French Cycling Federation in Parthenay, pedals hard in the semolina so as not to stay on the side of the road. Created in 1969, it saw its workforce shrink with now only forty-eight members on board and eighteen benefactor members. Lots of white hair, at the club's general meeting, Saturday November 23, 2024 afternoon, Free Time room in Parthenay.
“We would like to know what to do in the face of this paradox. So we want to be positive despite everything and offer new things. Since last year, Bernard Cardineau has been providing new outings for mountain bikes, hybrid bikes and gravel bikes on Sunday mornings. The goal is to interest more people. In addition to our weekly Wednesday outings, we imagine setting up Sunday morning outings on smaller routes, very open outings to attract families. Even electrically assisted bicycles are welcome with us. We never ride alone, we wait for each other and we never leave anyone behind,” pleads Marguerite Bouillié, president of these Joyeux randonneurs Gâtinais who is also happily celebrating her 75th birthday.
The patchwork roads of Gâtine
This retiree from National Education admits that salvation becomes complex for clubs of this type, in a society which has changed, like this cycle touring revolution, between more individualistic practices on the one hand or, on the other hand, other, off the beaten track and structures, with friends and family.
To make matters worse, the deplorable state of certain small roads in Gâtine, stained like patchworks, makes exits difficult. This very local sport which consists of riding economically by laying patches that are generally very gravelly on the roads is a real pain for cyclists. “Many of these roads should be resurfaced, it’s still difficult and it can even become dangerous in certain places,” acquiesce Marguerite.
Nevertheless, no matter what, the Joyeux Randonneurs club continues to chart its course. On Wednesday, you can choose from four circuits of 80-90 km, 70 km, 50 km or around forty kilometers, always around Parthenay. On February 9, 2025, it will be the famous Rando du Thouet (mountain bike and hiking) with its no less famous stew. In mid-March, it's back in the spring saddle with the “brevet” of 50 km in two times 25 km, wide open to newcomers of course. And week 21, between Ascension and Pentecost, direction Bourg-Charente (Charente) to stay at a campsite and travel around by bike. If the cycle tourism revolution has reshuffled the cards, the club spirit has remained. Happy, like the name of the club.
Those interested can contact the Joyeux randonneurs Gâtinais cycling club through its president, Marguerite Bouillié, tel. 06.76.80.26.66.
