June 2020 Day 4

LE VAUDIOUX TO LANGRES

OUR FIRST ADVENTURE JUNE 2020

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Day 4 Rest Day Visit to Langres.

The dawn chorus wakes us again and we really don’t mind. It is beautiful with the wind in the trees too, soothing us back off to sleep. It had been a little stuffy in the tent the last two mornings so last night we left the front cover open. Typically it is cooler today. Oh and Martin changed his position in the night so I say good morning to his feet! There is a hard stone in the wrong place and no way to remove it. I swap my bag and pillow around too. Now we are on the wrong side of each other for sleeping. I wonder if that will matter tonight. 
We walk down to the site office and pick up pain au raisin and enjoy our first breakfast of the day. On the way back we pass some fab designer tents. But we soon sneak back into the tent and put some extra layers on. The forecast had been hot hot hot, so I’d taken out my leggings. Wish I had them now, but the cycle leg and arm warmers do the trick. It’s only 8.30 so it’ll warm up.
We are happy to report our legs are fine, Martin feels it a little as the constant trek on the canal doesn’t suit him, he likes the downhill runs for bottom relief. Trouble is you always need to go up to go down. I’m lucky I like it both, in moderation. I may change my mind after an alpine tour!

It’s a lazy slow morning, reading, writing, talking and eating a second breakfast. I think we used up some energy yesterday. The birds are singing and all is peaceful on our day off, but rain is forecast for later so we pack a lunch and set off on our bikes, They are unladen and light and a little skittish for a few moments as we cycle down to the local town of Langres. Yep, even on our day off we cycle! Must be crazy, but it’s such a wonderful way to experience the world.
The cycle path is quiet and green and gently downhill, which is great until we reach the end and see the town is on the hilltop. Well it is fortified so what did we expect? Up we go and our legs do not complain, but I’m glad the extra weight is at the campsite. 

Langres is well worth a visit. It is surrounded by a high wall, the only way in is through one of many stone gateways. 

The buildings are crammed inside but it has a relaxed feel. It is quiet, very few tourists and we are glad we are having the chance to visit without the crowds I expect it normally has. There are some benefits in every strange and unexpected circumstance. There are little towers and turrets and interesting buildings everywhere. 
We manage to go the wrong way around the one-way system a few times but no-one seems to mind. We find a board which shows us the layout and decide to head for the ramparts. It looks like there is a road all the way round and we think we will need to leave our bikes and walk up, but no, the road is the ramparts. 
The views are far ranging and each tower like building has a plaque to explain its purpose , one is a pigeon tower and its large, but I guess that was the only means of communication apart from horseback. 
We wander around and find a shaded bench to have lunch on. If we sit on the back of the bench we can see the view! Why hadn’t they put the bench on a plinth? Still it’s very pleasant. There are a few other people wandering around. But not many. 

We can see the clouds building up in the distance and decide to return to the campsite via a quick stop at a garage
for a chocolate bar treat. 

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I pick some wild thyme for a tisane which I plan to have after a spot of swimming. However, as we turn into the campsite the first spots of rain drop, and by the time we cover the bikes and enter our tent it is raining. It sounds heavier on the flysheet but we are happy to rest inside. We’d planned a route for tomorrow and then while I read Martin plans an alternative depending on the weather.


I found a line in book 8 of The Expanse that resonated with me yesterday, so I write some ideas for a memoir I am thinking of writing. And I do this on my phone. So clever. The technology, not me.

Martin is a little miffed at the weather as he’d carefully chosen a sunny week. Hey ho. There’s no way to control the weather and I’m happy in our orange cave and he is too, really. 


The rain is not stopping so we race to the covered picnic tables. I race back having forgot the pasta! A little wet and a little chilly we cook and eat tea. Again, the simple food is tasty, but we don’t linger too long.


Snug and dry in our tent we play three games of Tantrix. Such an annoyingly good game, a little heavy for carrying but we like it and it will accompany us on longer tours. 


We sleep on the wrong side of each other, but it’s just fine. Everything is just fine. We like cycle touring. Day 5
Short Ride with GPS Review.

The windows version and app are my 'go to' for planing my routes. Both interfaces are simple to use with plenty of map choices, including one with an overlay of all local cycle routes. Once the route is planned you can download to your device, which saves battery power.

You can find out more on their website including the different subscription levels. Here.

Another app I use is cycle.travel this is great app, that finds you quiet routes and cycle ways, which you can then download or print off as a PDF. Highly recommend.

More information on planning a visit to Langres 
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