Head Winds and Inline Skaters

91km day.
Left our AirB&B around 9am after a delightful stay. Slept really well as bed was comfortable & the area dead quiet.
Cold wind meant we wrapped up well but the sun soon came out as we made our way along the river across farmland. At Gergy we stopped to look at some of te signs explaining the major ecological diversity programme being undertaken to support increased insect life, particularly butterflies, and develop an improved habitat for kingfisher & frogs (I imagine the former eats the latter, too!) Saw a nuber of swans on nests also.

The EV6 is a bit complex on this day as much of it is under construction or improvement from the community connecting roads of old. We chose a shorter route across a bumpy farm road but then rejoined the current official route at Crissey so we could find a route around the edge of Chalon-sur-Saone as we didn't fancy time in the city. The alternative route is well signposted but I misread one sign & sent us in the wrong direction along the Canal du Centre; luckily Caroline spied another sign before we went too far the wrong way. After that we detour we stopped for a bite of morning tea in the sunshine close to Fragnes.

From there the day went a bit downhill for me as we struck strong head winds for 16-18km that really took the stuffing out of me. We also played tag with a group of about 15 over 50 year old inline skaters who were fair hoofing it along the smooth canal paths (they would have done 40km return trip).  We had tried to keep ahead of them but I needed to drink regularly, blow my nose (Spring pollen is playing hell with me!) and eat as well as take photos, so we had a few stops and they were always very cheery when we crossed paths.

We stopped just on the other side of Chagny where the canal crosses the railway line to eat our packed lunch but by the time we got to St Leger-sur-Dheune I was feeling pretty hungry again. I saw a delightful restaurant with terrace just across the canal so made a bee-line for it,with Caroline trailing along behind. Ate ravenously a main & dessert at Au P'tit Kir [if you ever in France this place is recommended] while Caroline had two eggs in a cheese sauce, which was called something wonderful in French. Yum, yum, in our tums .... we were ready to roll again this time along the D974 road & a couple of greeways into Montceau-les-Mines, stopping occasionally to look at old industrial architecture the area is known for.

Caroline's bike

Another two things that got to me today were the cows in the streams & rubbish dumped along the side of the road. Too much like home for my liking! The cows are those lovely white Charolais that look gorgeous aginst the green of the grass but three times today I saw diferent groups of cattle actually in the streams that feed the major rivers, eroding the banks & pooing .... I wonder if there is the same outcry here about stream pollution as at home? As with the rubbish - there are little laybys on these quiet rural roads that people seem to use as dumping site. We humans are bloody tragic! Oh, and here at the hotel we look out over to a lovely park but look down & the roof of the entrance way is littered with butts that must have been flicked out of windows. WTF!!

So, here we are in the new big-box shopping area of Montceau staying at Ibis Budget again. Only places to eat around here are chain eateries - MacDonald's and Courtepaille - at the latter Ibis customers get 15% discount so we trotted across there for a rather unusual meal of vege soup and bits & pieces of what meat eaters would have a side plates. Still a good carbohydrate loading for tomorrow's ride.

Big news in France today we, of course, the first round of Presidential elections. Looks like Macron and Le Pen [The Guardian] will contest the second round on May 7th. The French people with whom we have stayed or conversed with have not wanted Le Pen!! It will be interesting to be in France on May 7th.

Right - too bed. Knackered! Short day tomorrow - only 54km but lots of places to visit.