A DALGETY BAY based tandem club for blind and partially sighted riders has been hosting a reciprocal visit for a similar club based in Montpellier, France.
Talking Tandems developed the relationship with the French club after a member, Marcel O'Connor, was telling his wife's family in France about the cycling club in Fife to which he belonged.
"Oh," they said, "we've got one of those round here. It's called Montpellier Tandem Club Handisport."
Then, a group from Talking Tandems visited Montpellier in 2018 to ride for a week with their French counterparts. Last week it was the Fife’s club to host.
A total of 14 people from Montpellier arrived in Edinburgh Airport last Saturday.
Five of them rode out from Dalgety Bay on Monday with members of Talking Tandems at the controls on an outing across the Forth Broad Bridge, into South Queensferry, to Kirkliston, and back.
Jean-Pierre Meillan, their leader, commented: "It was a wonderful day. The sun shone. The winds were light. The rain stayed away. It was very special to ride across the Forth Road Bridge.
"We are very grateful to our Scottish friends for all their work and care in making us welcome. We hope to see them again in Montpellier soon."
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The group will stay in Fife for a week at the Aberdour Hotel and ride more than 200km in three more rides. They will also get to enjoy a tour of Dunfermline Abbey.
At the end of the week, they will be guests at a barbecue evening at the home of Talking Tandems chairman, David Ross.
David said, "I'm delighted that this is actually happening. We've had many delays down to Covid and such but it's great, at last, to have the opportunity to return the hospitality we enjoyed in 2018.
“I just hope our French guests aren't expecting our weather every day to be like that first day."
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