Baume Les Dames to Bart.

July 12, 2016

In the misty, moisty morning continue through the green of the Doubs Valley to the hotel of canards at Bart.

July 12 Tuesday 51kms

In the misty, moisty morning continue through the green of the Doubs Valley to the hotel of canards at Bart.

Join the queue at the bread van and collect our baguette from the very cordial young bread woman. Following breakfast out of the rain at the most sanitary end of the sanitaire we continue along the gorge with high limestone cliffs and deep green water reflecting bridges houses and trees.

Nectarines- beyond compare as an accompaniment to muesli and yoghurt.

Abandoned factories tell of an industrial past now gone.

The easy tarsealed track makes for good progress - a kindly pair of Germans tell us to ignore the upcoming ‘deviation’ because it is unnecessary. I tell him that as a German advising us to break the rules he was acting out of character – he seems to see the humour in this.

We lunch beside a football field in L’Isle sur Doubs, a town which seems to be undergoing total renovation- hardly a stone left unturned- literally! Wonder if the mayor is spending up his budget?

The rest of the canal Du Rhone is a breeze and we arrive in an outlying suburb of Montbelliard called Bart- not after The Simpson’s character as far as I know though in France……. The Hotel De Centre is our goal, situated on the Rue de Dung. It is a cavernous, slightly down at heel building and has a tolerant owner who allows us to dry our tent draped over his terrace tables.

Toilet finds are rare, and when found on the wrong day of the week are ‘ferme’. C’est la vie.

Not necessarily to be judged by its name.

As with previous experience in the UK (still united?) we are told to wheel our bikes into the dining room. I like the way the French indulge cycles. The concierge/manager is jubilant when he finds out that we are from NZ as his partner’s daughter lived in Glen Innes for three months on a university exchange. He is so overcome that he insists on showing me his duck collection. This comprises several glass cases full of ducks of every type- plastic, fake stuffed, real stuffed, Donald Ducks, Daffy ducks, Daisy Ducks. He proudly informs me that he has 1258. I am tempted to ask the inevitable question why? But leave it at that.

Today's ride: 51 km (32 miles)
Total: 1,549 km (962 miles)

Rate this entry's writing	Heart	3
Comment on this entry	Comment	0