To Semur-en-Auxois

May 5, 2025

As predicted, a storm came through Saturday night bringing rain and chilling temperatures, but thankfully not the hailstorm Paris experienced. The cold drizzly weather persisted all day Sunday and except for a trip to the bakery I stayed indoors, spending the day journaling, finishing up the assignments for my French class, and catching up with friends and family.

Monday morning dawned sunny and chilly with moderate winds from the northeast. It was moving day, the start of my journey to Annecy to meet up with Cycle Blaze friends Suzanne and Janos and Team Anderson. I went through the check list Alex had provided, ticking off items as I began to shut down the house. Things were going quite smoothly until I began to load items into my panniers. I purchased a new set this year and though they are the same size as my old ones they are much stiffer and consequently less forgiving when I try to stuff things in. I considered what additional items I might leave behind but feared of ditching too much warm clothing as my destination was the Alps. In the end, I crammed everything in and was on my way.

It took a few miles getting used to riding a loaded bike again, noting some adjustments needed to give me a more balanced load. However, I was pleased with the relative ease it was climbing out of the Serein Valley for the last time. The week in Noyers had been very restorative and I give much thanks to Carla and Alex for sharing their house.

A last trip to the garden to collect flower pictures for Carla and Alex

The back patio gets nice morning sun - a great spot for coffee and listening to the church bells toll

Shiny new panniers and a baguette - looks like we're ready. On y va!

With a last look back at the Serein valley and surrounding countryside that I'd so enjoyed

I turned off D956 just before reaching Censy and soon passed through the small hamlets of Soulangy and Sarry. Then it was a long straight stretch to Châtel-Gérard, miles of open fields and lines of windmills arrayed on each side of the road. Add the wind blowing from the north and I was transported back to the “windmill ride” through Iowa farmland I took with friends several years ago. Like today, it was a route through a sparsely populated agriculture region dotted with a handful of small towns.

Today’s clouds and chill wind were a far cry from the spectacular weather I’d so enjoyed in Noyers. I stopped infrequently, long enough to snap a photo or chow down on some bread and Beaufort cheese in a protected corner along the road.

A farewell to Censy, a village I'd passed through on my first day of cycling out of Noyers

The former elementary school in Châtel-Gérard, now permanently closed

I love the little figures lined up on the front wall of the school building

And the mural on the wall of the parking garage

I was cold and hungry when I reached Bierry-les-Belles-Fontaines, but didn't have the energy to climb the hill and find a nice spot for my picnic

Instead, I found a little corner where I sat on stones and munched a little bread and cheese before adding a layer and moving on

In Athie, I came to the Armançon River and generally followed it into Semur-en-Auxois. The route took me past herds of sleeping cattle and along a small farm lane until I stopped at the picturesque town of Genay where I took a pause and stretched my legs.

Only a few miles remained to Semur-en-Auxois, a medieval town built on a high bluff above the Armançon River. I crossed the river and cycled up the cobbled streets to the center of the old village, entering the town the way I’d left three years ago.

A short farm road detour - every day on tour is better with a little gravel

The Collégiale Notre-Dame de Semur-en-Auxois towers over the city on the bluff

Looking across the Armançon to Semur, a once fortified town with towers and wall surrounding the old village

Collégiale Notre-Dame de Semur-en-Auxois

The call to my chamber d’hôte announcing my arrival was disrupted by the VERY LOUD racket of the street cleaning crew, which in addition to the bleeping sweeper truck included two gents with their ear-splitting leaf blowers. However Celine soon arrived and opened a large unmarked door that led into a courtyard, garden and terrace overlooking the town and the river below. Wow! Vivien George was stowed in the courtyard while I was led upstairs to a room that looked out over tiled roofs and turrets.

It was a wonderful place to end our first day on the road.

Vivien George was stowed in the courtyard, safe behind the large door that led into the street

Celine led me past the garden to the lovely terrace that offered jaw-dropping views of the town and river below

And to the left, the viaduct spanning the Armançon River - it has a total of 7 arches, the highest of which is 35 m

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Today's ride: 27 miles (43 km)
Total: 156 miles (251 km)

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Rachael AndersonWhat a beautiful place to stay!
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1 week ago

Susan CarpenterTo Rachael AndersonIt was an amazing location and a place with old world charm
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1 week ago