Paray-le-Monial - Montceau-les-Mines: A mining town - Brittany - Loire Valley - Burgundy - CycleBlaze

July 6, 2010

Paray-le-Monial - Montceau-les-Mines: A mining town

Camping d'Ambre was one of the best, still I didn't sleep well. But the weather's fine and we can follow the Canal du Centre all day, part of the time on a small path and then on the D974 which has very little traffic.

Morning departure
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Just follow me.
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Charmaine RuppoltThe ducklings are so cute!!
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1 year ago

We have a light headwind but not bad. Still I feel tired and that the pedaling is hard work.

Beautiful ride along the Canal du Centre
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Along the Canal du Centre
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Map of cycle routes in the region
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Charmaine RuppoltWow, lots of cycle routes available!
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1 year ago

In Montceau-les-Mines we decide to stop and treat ourselves to a hotel for a change, particularly since there are no campgrounds within a distance that we still feel like cycling today.

Montceau-les-Mines' cooling tower, Lucy III, the landmark of the city
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Charmaine RuppoltThat cooling tower looks like a nuclear plant! :/
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1 year ago

We end up at the Hotel Not(t)a Bene, a nice play on words but the hotel is expensive and not well-run. There isn't so much cycle tourism in these parts and I have the feeling we are considered second-class travelers. At the reception they grudgingly open and close the garage for our classy Bike Fridays and don't seem at all impressed by them. The nerve!

We wander around Montceau-les-Mines and find a pizzeria for our evening meal. The coal mines of Montceau were closed down in 1992. The town has a dreary feeling about it.

Today's ride: 43 km (27 miles)
Total: 1,373 km (853 miles)

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