Reaching the Saône and into the Cote de Or region

Dole to Bragny (66.6km): A delightful day – the weather was perfect for cycling as the sun was out & the wind light (got to 18C). It was just lovely to be finally able to slough off the layers of wool & enjoy being kissed by the sun; made sure we had sunscreen on our faces though!

We started out following the Doubs river but soon crossed over to follow to Saône – plenty of swans & herons to be seen and when passing by farms, we saw large groups of rooks. It was on the edge of farmland that we were plagued by insects – it being mating season they weren’t watching where they were going so some ended up in my mouth or ears!

With the weather being so good many more people were out fishing along the river & canals. The French obviously enjoy their fishing with many set up for a weekend camping on the banks of the river. I am assuming open fires are permitted here as we have seen a number of people cooking over a simple fire or come across circles of charcoal where a fire has recently been doused, some of those on the edge of forests so perhaps there are few fears of forest fires at this time of year. Not long after we left Dole we cycled along the edge of Foret de communal a Damparis – forests here are still managed for community needs i.e. fire wood & fencing. I swear there must be wood stacking schools – everywhere we go the chopped wood is neatly stacked but often in different ways. I’m wondering if there are regional or village styles?

As we came into St Jean de Losne we spotting two women in a canoe picking up rubbish (mainly plastic drink bottles) from the banks of the river. They had quite a pile of rubbish bags full so not sure how long they had been at it; we gave them a big thumbs up. Certainly plastic bottles, cans & empty cigarette packets are the waste we most often see discarded by the side of the roads; thankfully not to much rubbish along the actual cycleway. Perhaps some of the rubbish comes from the many people on boats plying the waterways – today was a busy day on the rivers. It being a Saturday many people were out enjoying a Spring day.

 

We had a cuppa & a couple of petit pastries at the pub at the bridge into St Jean but decided not to venture into the town but to continue on to Seurre for lunch. Surprise, surprise … we arrived in Seurre much earlier than expected as, instead of following the official EV6 signs we too head of those written under then in pen indicating to head straight following the canal on a shingled road through farmland, so approx. 6km as opposed to 16.5km on the official route.

At Saunieres I stopped to look at the memorial to the ‘children of the village who had given their lives for France during WW1, and there we spied in front of the Mairie a book swap cupboard. Caroline, the librarian checked it out & had her photo taken to share with her colleagues at UC. We were on rural roads for about 10km after that – not one car passed us! We then realised it was the 12-2pm ‘dead time’ – rural France is pretty empty really. Tomorrow we have to be for some time on rural shared roads so we’re hoping they will again be quiet as we’ve got quite sued to the  peace of cycle/walking only ‘greenways’.

My Surly Long-haul Trucker is a joy to ride – so smooth & responsive when I need to move forward quickly or upward. Turning sharply is a no-no when fully ladened & she’s not keen on deep gravel either but otherwise, she’s grand.. One has to pay attention when cycling along the canal & river banks – as the signs indicate, falling into a canal is all too easy! Caroline tells me that this is what she has been worrying about prior to the trip & whilst we’re cycling; the reason why she rarely rides beside me …… perhaps she fears I’ll veer into her & accidently knock her in!

Our bed for the night is in mobile home permanently set up in Bragny; booked through AirB&B with the owner working in Nice the neighbours look after the key. Lovely to cook our own meal & not have to work out menus or negotiate getting a vege meal via our meagre French. The village the home is located in is just across a bridge from Verdun-sur-le-Doubs, the town at the confluence of the two rivers, Doubs & Saône. We enjoyed a evening stroll around the town, a visit to Maison du Ble et du Pain (Museum of wheat & bread; VERY interesting with guide book & even a video on making baguettes in English) & shopping for dessert to go with our home-cooked main. Two wee lapin (rabbits) have hopped around the garden but not paid too much attention to us & the neighbour’s dogs have now shut up. All is VERY quiet. Presidential election day: Round one is tomorrow (Sunday).