back online

Didnt realise it would be so difficult to find internet access. also didnt know that no one in France has a Qwerty keyboard so typing is v frustrating.

Day 7 - departed from Chagny this morning in blue skies and sunshine and after 10 miles on the road to Givry we are now on the Voie Verte for 40 miles - old railway line with tarmac surface - level, and quite quick. our stop tonight is Villefranche sur Saone in the heart of Beaujolais. We have already cycled past Rully, Mercurey, Chassagne Montrachet, St Aubin and Santenay. Gets more like a restaurant wine list as we head south. Should be at Cluny for lunch time and perhaps close enough for a glass or two of Pouilly Fuisse or St Veran with our picnic.

When we last wrote - on day 4 in Chateau Thierry - Oli had finished the pastries by the time I caught up with him and we had a wet ride to Montmirail where the plat du jour was Lapin a la moutarde washed down with a very nice red burgundy. The afternoon got brighter and we finished in Nogent sur Seine - finally crossed the Seine - 301 miles from Calais. There were only two ther guests in the hotel but they still gave us a room on the third floor (no lift) at the far end of the corridor. Had the restaurant to ourselves - although later joined by a couple who looked like they were on a naughty (only had one course and rushed off to their room). For Graham's benefit - Oli had Salmon in a fruit de mer sauce and I had hake in tarragon. since we were in the region of Aube en Champagne, it would have been rude not to drink the local fizz!

Still seeing war graves as we ride along and also FFR monuments to those shot by the germans - mostly in 1944. I'm reading Ben Elton's "First Casualty" which is about the first war and a great story if you see a copy. Still true today - as blair and campbell proved - Truth is always the first casualty of war!

Day 5 took us via St Florentin to Ancy le Franc - should have had the afternoon on the canal but the path was more cart track than cycle path so we stuck to the road. smart hotel with pool but not v friendly. couldn't do an early breakfast for us and wouldn't open the pool early either. However they did have a very posh restaurant - as Oli said they gave you new cutlery with each course.

Since we were now in burgundy, we had cremant to start and a lovely tonerrois red with dinner --Boeuf for me and Raie au moutarde for Oli. It is hard work trying to get all these calories in. lots of bread and croissants at breakfast, coffee and patisserie for elevenses and now settled into buying savoury pastries for a picnic lunch. there was a great charcuterie across from the hotel so we could load up for the next day.

Day 6 took us from Ancy to Chagny - again had hoped to spend most of day on canal but only managed about 40k before we were forced back the road. it was overcast for most of the day but we seemed to miss most of the rain - a couple of little showers but nothing more. It was always planned to be our longest day and after tea at Bligny sur Ouche, we cycled up a 10% hill for about 25 mins. then on to Bel Air where we could look down on all of Burgundy - great view but a little hazy. once we started down the hill towards Chagny it got a lot warmer -even on the 7 mile downhill stretch.

very good hotel in Chagny - lots of other cyclists - australians and germans - and a secure garage for our bikes. Since it was Sunday evening the restaurant choice was a little limited but found a small brasserie where we got escargots to start - allowed Oli his Julia Roberts moment with the tongs! Lovely piece of entrecote charollais for me Boeuf for Oli - Grand cru Rully was as local as we could get - worth the ride just for that!