As yesterday’s leg bulletins suggested a return to a leg count greater than three we decided to get up fairly early this morning and catch the 7:27 am Chaumont to Joinville train. This arrangement would give us a number of options should we suffer a reduced leg count during the day. The weather was having difficulty in deciding what it wanted to let us enjoy today so decided on warm and a little overcast. Our very kind hostess insisted that we could not leave without breakfast and produced a bag of goodies for us to enjoy during the stroll.

I discovered a yale key in the pocket of my trousers the other day. We have no locks of our own in France so it needed very little thought to conclude that this key needed to go back to Joinville where an eager lock was waiting to receive its attention.

We decided to save our “takeaway breakfast” for lunch and so went into Joinville to find some “breakfast  breakfas”t for breakfast, forgetting that bars are not open at 8:00am this plan didn’t really work very well.

As Janet didn’t want to waste any leg capacity today she sat in a closed bar as I returned to our last place of residence to return the key.

Our pre Chaumont residence had the kitchen window open and there was a very inviting smell of coffee on the air giving my nasal coffee detectors a lot to think about. It was probably as well that Janet was not with me as we would probably have stayed and gossiped and not got going at all.

So, after buying some buns, we returned to the canal to continue the official strolling.

The great thing about strolling along a canal path is the pathetically easy navigation skills needed. As long as the canal is still on one’s correct side it is a fair bet that one is going in the right direction. It is also quite difficult to wander to the wrong side without noticing that it has happened.

We didn’t really need our map today except for the last little bit of the stroll so it was tucked away safely, but readily to hand .

We realised at about 11:00 am that we would have to really put on some pace in order to catch the 13: 45 train back to Chaumont.. The weather was getting hotter by the minute and, as we have only just returned to nearly the correct number of legs, the only sensible thing to do was to  slow down and find a bar in which to take refuge until the sun pushed off to the west a little more. It was as we eagerly dug out the map in order to find the lay out of the village into which we were strolling that its absence was discovered. Bereft, we stood under the beating sun. Being the proud possessor of two fully functioning legs I set off to find our absent friend. What a relief to find the cheeky little chap sleeping on the the roadside verge just on the edge of the village.

When we strolled into Rouvroy-sur-Marne it wasn’t obvious whether or not we should find anything open, so we pretended that it didn’t matter and the small bottle of water would be enough really. When we spotted an open general store with a bar attached to it I can’t describe the sense of delight which stole over us both as we entered the cool interior and took our ease. A Belgian couple on a cycling holiday came in a little after we did to escape the sun and to refresh themselves. It was quite strange to hear these people chatting to us in English then swapping to French and back again with total ease when their native tongue was Flemish.  We learned that the best Dutch is spoken by Flemish people. Indeed, when Flemish people go to the Netherlands they are sometimes not understood.

Now that we had decided to get back to Chaumont using the later bus leaving Froncles at 16:50 we could relax, eat ice cream and have an enjoyable time.

This relaxed atmosphere meant that we could watch a boat passing through a lock and the majestic rising of a small bridge. A cement lorry was obliged to watch as well. The driver of the cement lorry also had the pleasure of watching the level crossing poles close so that he would have the extra pleasure of watching a goods train go through as well.

The sound of grasshoppers was everywhere. Some of the little blighters had obviously lost their GPS and maps as they were hopping about on the cycle path. The little chap in the photo topok quite a shine to me and had a go at climbing up my leg. I found this attempt at alpinism quite endearing  but Janet said “He’ll get into your shorts and who knows what will happen!”. So, we’ll never know what would have happened.

Approaching Froncles we could see some very well attended gardens. A couple were looking after their flowers and vegetables but we could see no houses. There were some caravans hidden in the trees so it is a mystery. At the canal side someone had made a flowerpot man with a flag to wave at passing boaters.

We spotted an unusual sight as we trundled, a canal side seat.  As these things are quite rare we sat on it just to make sure that it worked. We ate half an apple each and set off once again.

We arrived in Froncles and made our way to the station. The bus driver checked our tickets very carefully and we sat down in air conditioned luxury.

If the leg forecast for tomorrow remains fair then we shall stroll again.

All this shilly-shallying around Chaumont has caused some confusion in our places of residence. The Janet leg position has found us just a little at odds with our places of accommodation. We are chez nous at Chaumont, but not yet in Chaumont in the balinade department. The last day or two, tomorrow and Sunday will be a real benefit for SNCF and should get us back to where we would have been if we had remained sound in all eight limbs. We have turned into a spider, it would appear.

So, having added to the confusion in a feeble attempt to put all that to rest and from a strolling point of view, we set off strolling this morning from Froncles, having arrived there from Chaumont by SNCF ter  bus.

We have become very fond of this part of France, Haute Marne, and its little villages. We would very much like to come back and explore all of the stuff which we have had to miss out because we are without a wheeled and motorised conveyance.

Back at the canal once more we feel at home and ready to stroll. How we will manage after Langres, when we have left the canal I don’t know. It has been very interesting to see how the major route for commerce we saw at the beginning is now largely unused, except by a few pleasure craft. The commercial canal turned away from us and towards the Rhine at Vitry-le-Francois. So we have seen no commercial traffic at all for the last few days. All the locks are beautifully maintained with the paths running along them being fabulous cycle ways.

We are getting closer and closer to the source of the Marne now and the broad valley and open spaces we found at the start of this section of the stroll is beginning to narrow and to close in on us.

On rounding a bend in the canal we could see a fabulous line of trees reflected in the canal.

The weather today has been cool and sunny, Janet’s leg has been more comfortable and we didn’t make any navigational errors so we got to Roocourt in plenty of time to get the bus back to Chaumont.

Roocoourt is very pretty and on a hill. We had a good old stroll from one end to the other. We started at the bottom and strolled to the top where the houses petered out into farmland. We had hoped to find a bus stop during our stroll in order to give us confidence that a bus would make an appearance and that, by standing in the proper place, we would be able to sit on the bus and be delivered to our destination. Some of the village we have passed through are hives of activity, Roocourt was not one of these busy places. Asking for directions is jolly difficult when there are no people. At the end of the village, and our tether, a teenage boy was opening the garage door for his father to park the car. He told us that the bus stop was at the other end of the village. We just had not spotted the perisher on the way up.

If all goes well we will be officially in Chaumont tomorrow ready for the next leg of the stroll, LANGRES.

If anyone spots any typos please let me know. I type this stuff fairly quickly at the end of the day and, as I am lazy, directly onto the the server rather than into something which will hold my hand.

At our chambre d’hote we enjoy wonderful breakfasts everyday. One of the highlights is the boiled egg machine. One places a number of eggs into the device plus a quantity of water depending on the number of eggs to be cooked. There is one switch on the machine with three positions, off,on and on. There is no clear difference between the two versions of “on”. The idea is that when the eggs are perfectly done the machine will emit a buzzing noise, all the water will have then evaporated from the device and the eggs can be placed into the awaiting egg cups ready to have their tops chopped off and have a piece of bread stuffed into the resulting hole. The machine was left in the  chambre d’hote by a German guest who failed to make it work. Since then many have tried but all have failed. My first attempt produced an egg as hard as a high velocity round. The second attempt produced a completely raw egg.

At last the day has dawned in which we shall finally arrive, officially, in Chaumont. It was not certain that this day would ever happen when we were tottering about on our three legs earlier in the week. This whole saga was beginning to feel a bit like the way the royal family manages its affairs with official birthdays and real birthdays and all that nonsense.

Public transport peculiarities meant that we had a lazy morning and didn’t start strolling until about 13:00.

Having had no lunch we strolled for about 30 minutes until a sheltered seat made itself available. We sat and ate for another 30 minutes before setting off again.

Once more the canal is keeping us company.

Having said that there were no working barges on this section of the canal one turned up as we approached Bologne.

The weather was hot again today. There was very little wind and shade as the greenery was on the side of the canal with no path.

The map showed a canal tunnel. The map did not show a path through the tunnel, which was quite disappointing as we were planning today’s stroll. As we passed by the end of the tunnel on our way to Roocourt in the bus, we could see what might possibly have been a path going into the tunnel. This possibility was a very inviting prospect to explore as it hinted at cool darkness for a few hundred metres at least.

This was beginning to look very promising, a cycle path was making its way down to the tunnel mouth.

It was a mighty relief to see the path going all the way through the tunnel and, by now, we were feeling distinctly seedy from the endlessly beating rays of a merciless sun.

We were quite pleased to see the houses of Chaumont appearing through the trees above the fields of hay. Chaumont is built on the top of a U shaped ridge of hills, the canal is in the valley. The sun was really beginning to feel hot and there was still no sign of shade on our side of the canal.

When at last a long hedge appeared I thought that Janet would burst with joy.
In order to get into Chaumont we had to climb up a fairly steep one way street, clinging to every leaf of shade as we went. It was wonderful to emerge at last into a leafy park and admire a fanciful fountain.

And so, at last, we are in Chaumont. we are here in fact and in stroll.

The day, which might never have been, has finished with a wonderful meal in a small bistro followed by a glass of plum brandy at l’Amiral.

We are on our way again. Today’s stroll has been very enjoyable but unremarkable.  Nothing went wrong, either in the navigation or health sections of the day.

We left Chaumont on foot this morning in the weather pattern which seems to have been with us for some time now.  There is overnight rain which lasts in showers until the early afternoon. This is followed by overcast, but pleasant, conditions which then turn into hot and muggy stuff from 3:30 ish. The sun comes out in the evening and it is really nice to be out and about.

A lot of work is being done to the railway station so it is quite a  shambles at the moment.

The rain was quite heavy as we strolled out of the centre and made our way past quite elegant houses into the suburbs. As it was nearly midday we decided to get some lunch as there would be very little opportunity afterwards in the countryside. The restaurant we entered was not quite ready for customers but we were ushered into the seating area and given a menu. We chose vegetable soup with braised beef to follow and waited eagerly for it to appear. After some time two empty bowls were placed before us. When the soup arrived it was in enormous bowls and in a quantity to match. Having waded through the thick salty soup we sat back to recover. The soup was followed by enormous plates filled with stewed ribs of beef, green beans, other stuff and a monster bowl of chips. We decided not to go for the pudding as they were all of the substantial variety and, if the other course was anything to go by, would be of a quantity to make strolling impossible.

Finally making our escape from townie type things we crossed over a small bridge bedecked with flowers .

The rain had abandoned trying to intimidate us and had gone away to bother someone else. We were able to pack away the rain stuff and head out once more towards the canal.

Our almost constant companions on the stroll have been skylarks. We heard them at first as we approached Offa’s Dyke back in April and, but for Surrey where they were silent, we have heard them nearly every day until just a few days past. The countryside is changing subtly each day. A week ago we were still, just about, in open arable country with huge broad skies. Now we are in a different landscape of wooded hills.  The Marne is becoming smaller too as we approach its source.

What a stroke of luck, the canal has not moved.

The canal has been quite empty for a few days now and as we were remarking on this we could see a representative of the Australian navy rising majestically above a lock parapet.

We had noticed a chap riding up and down our path on a small moped. We had seen a girl, dressed in much the same way as the bloke, riding a similar moped in the other direction.  We then noticed that the automatic lock opening stuff was missing in this section as were the red and green warning lights at the lock entrances. All was revealed when we saw the moped bloke opening the sluices and the lock gates. We wondered if the bloke was part of the Australian outfit as it was that boat which was going up the locks.

The lift bridge here is quite unusual as it lifts at all four corners. We spotted the bloke we had seen on the moped in the control room of the lift bridge so were beginning to wonder if  he could really be part of the Australian Expedition.

We seemed to be leap frogging the Australian boat all afternoon and wishing them G’day. The boat was theirs and they have been travelling on the French canal system for three months. They have enjoyed the rain and cool weather and have three more months of cruising around to come. They also told us that they had had difficulties in negotiating some of the locks. Apparently one of the locks on another branch canal had collapsed making it necessary for them to do a huge detour. The locks we have seen look so massive that it is hard to believe that they could just collapse.  It was a shame that they had to keep moving as a cup of freshly made tea would have gone down a treat today.

It appears that the bloke on the moped is the manual lock opener and he accompanies the boat through this section of locks.

The canal made a huge loop around a hill and it looked as though there just might be a tunnel we could use to cut off these extra unwanted miles.

The tunnel we could see didn’t look quite as inviting when we saw the train going through it. There was another further along but, although the railway was disused, there were some severe warning notices posted saying that people entering the SNCF property would be punished by some strong words.  As neither of us like to be subjected to strong words we carried on down the proper path.

As we drew nearer to Vesainges we were beginning to flag. The sun was quite warm now and we needed a long cool drink of something.  From a distance the town looked small and pretty. We have learned that ‘small and pretty’ usually means no shops or bars so we had very little hope of finding anything to drink or an ice cream to lick.

We squeezed the last drops of energy out of our trembling legs in order to climb the low slopes into Vesainges. All seemed shut, nothing! Then, we could see a sign outside a building in the distance. Perishing satellite dishes, why do they look so much like shop or tabac signs at a distance!

Tomorrow we carry on from Vesainges and stroll to Langres. It looks as though the next section of the stroll, from Langres, will be just as difficult as this one has been to find accommodation. Janet is working the other netbook to death trying to find somewhere for us to lay down our weary ancient persons to rest for the rest of the week. Fingers crossed then!

Phew! We have just about caught up with ourselves. We are where we are supposed to be and it feels very good indeed.

I have heaps of pictures of unknown flowers so I’ll stop adding then now.

Our stroll today was an afternoon and evening affair. We found the conditions rather hot and humid and quickly needed to refresh ourselves. What a stroke of luck that Rolanpont was open for business.

Once again the stroll was enjoyable but uneventful. Yesterday two people on bicycles passed us. Today these same two people passed us on their bicycles.  At the next lock they were waiting for us as well as resting from their labours. After an entertaining chat they were off once again, soon to disappear around the next bend in the canal

Today’s (or yesterday’s really) blog is particularly short and dull as we had to do some intense research in order to find accommodation for the next few days. At around midnight we have found a riding school bunkhouse followed by something else. So that’s it for today.

This post is a day late so any reference to today means yesterday and so on and on and on. Also I have noticed that responses to pictures don’t seem to appear on the blog. I can see the response but can’t make it visible, yet! So many apologies to anyone who has added stuff about pictures, particularly if they illuminate my scanty knowledge.

I wrote the following stuff hunched up on a small bunk bed, sitting on an incontinence mattress.

Our canal following habits were to be broken today and we realised that we have been following this particular canal since before Reims. I think that it must have been about 14^th June that this canalism began and, as it as to end soon, we made the most of today’s proximity to this old friend.

When we got to the start of the canal side this morning the path was blocked off at a bridge by a fence and a very fierce notice. We had a look around the other side of the bridge and could see that a short slide down the bank, using an overflow pipe as a foothold, would get us back on course. Having negotiated the way down successfully we could see that the local people had ignored the very fierce notice and had used the gap between the fence and the bridge wall as a way through. Fiddle dee dee! We said.

Langres was a very imposing sight on its hill on the skyline as we looked back at it. An interesting part of this project has been seeing our next destinations slowly appearing in the distance and then slowly disappearing behind us to be replaced by the next landmark as we move on.

The canal path continued in much the same manner as it has done over the previous three weeks. As we drew to the 5Km tunnel, where we would leave, we became aware that the path was more and more overgrown, boggy and uncared for.The map suggested that we would be leaving the canal path by climbing up a staircase onto a minor road and then crossing over a bridge. On approaching this staircase it was obvious that our insurance was going to be inadequate for the risk.

The tunnel mouth was beckoning to us by this time. We dropped our rucksacks to go and get a good look at the tunnel mouth and see if there was a better path upwards than the overgrown staircase. We could see a light in the tunnel which was getting bigger and bigger. Suddenly a British narrow boat popped out of the tunnel mouth. Printed on the side a sign said “Tony and Doreen from Weybridge”. Janet hailed them saying “Hello, I’m from Woking!” The bloke replied “I’m sorry to hear that!”. Collapse of stout party.

Our accommodation tonight is at a Gite d’Etape. It is an equestrian centre and there is a summer school where young people can learn how to ride and take care of the ponies. As there are lots of young people about it is a very lively atmosphere. We are the most ancient people here, by at least 40 years I would guess. I sat on a flimsy bench which attached itself to me as I attempted to swing my legs out and over. One person very kindly asked me if I needed assistance. I could imagine people helping the poor old chap out of his chair and then anxiously watching him totter off for some cocoa.

Our dinner was very tasty, although the odd fly did put in an annoying appearance now and again. As our dinner drew to a close the thunder and lightning, which had been threatening our supper, started followed by torrential rain. People started running about to do horsey things becoming very excited by it all.

Our bed linen is scanty and we have bunks. We are not out in the torrential rain, we are well fed and we have a kettle. Bliss!

We have had a fabulous day today. We arose from our bunks and, after the usual morning ablutions, enjoyed a light breakfast before setting out for Fayl-Billot.

As we left the stable yard  behind we could see some unusual conveyances in a shed. I know that these things are in use because one of them had been filled with stuff for a picnic. The people on the summer school were to be going out today for a trek and a barbecue.

We were very pleased that the authorities in Culmont take protection of important buildings seriously.

We did not have the canal to guide us today so we needed to do more detailed planning than before. The route was quite straightforward except for a section through the woods. The map suggested that there were parallel paths running in the direction which we needed. The paths were there, after a fashion, but needed  enthusiasm to make progress.

We have been noticing that there are neatly stacked heaps of wood everywhere. I noticed that a farmer stacking his wood had an MF165 tractor more less the same vintage as mine. What a treat it was for us both to talk about them.

Fayl-Billot is not a large town but very nice. The first thing that one notices is that there is a basketry museum and a number of shops selling and making basketry products. In addition, the municipal flower beds have basketry edges and basketry statues. If you are a basketry enthusiast then Fayl-Billet is certainly the place for you.

The basket in the picture below is taller than Janet. Janet is not a tall woman but even so it is a very impressive sight.

Our bed and breakfast for tonight is completely different from that of last night. We have enjoyed a drink with our fellow guests and dinner out with our hosts. The room is huge and wonderful in every way.

We still have no accommodation for tomorrow night so now we must really get to work and decide where we are going and sleeping tomorrow.

After a late night we arose at 7:00am, not 7:00 pm as I said last night, to get a good start to the day. Our hosts, French and Dutch, and the other couple here, French, speak excellent English. So it seemed to be agreed that we would all speak together in English which was very kind of them all.  At breakfast the same convention applied, which I found quite touching and made us feel really welcome.

We managed to get ourselves organised at last and headed out once more towards Italy. Janet does not find hard boiled eggs very palatable, which is a stroke of luck for me as Laura boiled two of the delicious perishers to put in my lunch department for later in the day.

If you find yourselves near Fayl-Billot stay here.

The road leads us on once again. The air was fresh and cool and we had visited a baker, harmony was everywhere.

I love this part of France, it reminds me so much of Gravels Bank and Shelve. The  height is more or less the same, the scenery is more or less the same and the barbed wire fences are also much the same. There is no gorse, but, is that a bad thing as there are lots of  walnut trees instead?

Our easy route forward was along a quiet country lane, the more challenging route was through a wood. By going through the wood we may, possibly, save 100 metres, no competition then!

Overcoming nettles appears to be the woodland revels we enjoy. Today the nettles were not superabundant. This lack of nettle abundance made us careless, carefree and stung by the occasional specimen nettle hiding amongst other more docile herbage.

The woods are full of these large orange beauties, if anyone knows what they are, don’t just tell me that they are slugs, I really would like to know more stuff.

At Pierrefaites we ran out of steam and needed some sustenance. I think that we discovered a bowling alley.

There are numerous memorials on the roadside, The memorial in the picture above is that of a French person killed by the Prussians, Franco-Prussian war?? Finding this memorial whetted my curiosity for these ever present edifices. I saw a similar memorial hidden in some nettles on the other side of a ditch and had a go at reading it. Having been stung by the guardian nettles and sliding into the ditch I was surprised to find that it was a memorial to a person who loved his family.

I really like Citroen vans and the two in the photo were particularly fine examples.

The stroll today was wonderful, we could have been in Shropshire on a pleasant afternoon.

Closer, ever closer to Switzerland.

Today’s stroll is a little out of sequence. We have had to miss out the section between Vitrey-Sur-Mance and  Port sur Saône  but will return on Monday in order to enjoy that section. Getting accommodation in Vesoul over this weekend has been a challenge as the Vosges section of the Tour de France needs to find beds for its competitors, and bus timetables mean that we cannot return to Vitrey-sur-Mance until Monday.

We set out on today’s stroll without a proper map. We had been to the tourist office and the assistant had furnished us with a leaflet on which was printed a sketch map describing a cycle route. The last time we tried strolling without a proper map resulted in a stroll having a length 10 miles more than necessary so we were ready for anything today.

We prepared ourselves  by eating a very good lunch in Port-sur-Saone. After we had eaten we described our proposed afternoon stroll to the proprietor, her husband suggested an easier and shorter route than that recommended on our sketch plan.

We found the start of the track and decided that the recommended easier and shorter route was probably going to be more difficult and probably end up being longer without a map or any local knowledge. We were really glad that we took the cycle route as the stroll was wonderful.

We began by following the Saone. It is a very wide river indeed and therefore difficult to miss.

We are still hearing skylarks and today we may have spotted some kites and a stork. This was turning out to be even better than we had expected

The stork was very shy and was probably leading us away from its nest. Although the ‘kites’ were wheeling about lots and lots my photographic skills produced only distant specks.

When we had to, very reluctantly, leave our new friend the Saone, we met Saint Jean Népomucène standing on a bridge.  Apparently this chap was slung off a bridge and into the Vltava by King Wenceslas IV of Bohemia in 1393. Since then he has become the patron saint of bridges.

The path has been incorporated into a disused railway line at its Vesoul end and the two run in parallel for quite a distance.  We were surprised to see a vehicle of some kind coming down the disused track in our direction.

Some girls on a rail bike getting nearer

The vehicle was being propelled by girl power to who knows where? A bride to be was sitting in the front with a basket of flowers. Janet has one of these attached to her hat I think.

As an ancient telephone bloke the sight of this fine array of open wires made me feel quite misty eyed. Nothing left like this in the UK.

On the edge of Vesoul is a huge lake. At one end is a public beach and loads of other seaside type stuff. It was nice to see that the facilities appeared to be free and that people could bathe in  safe area free of charge.

We are in Vesoul now without maps until, probably, Monday. We will then need to do a longish stroll in order to catch up with ourselves.

I am writing the blog a day in arrears due to an unexpected power outage at the chateau.

We started strolling, at about 8:00am, in perfect strolling conditions. A cool breeze rustling the legs of my shorts and encouraging a brisk pace.

As we have moved through France we see how ecclesiastic architecture has gradually changed. The bell towers in Franche-Comte are starting to take on the shape of an onion with highly decorated tiles covering the onion bit.

We have had no success at all in finding a map in which we could have complete confidence so strolled in some trepidation.

We were still on the last bit of officially produced map at the beginning of today so strode out jauntily to ensure that we had some time in the bag for that later, tricky, partially mapped, section.

The towns we strolled through appeared to be in a state of decline. People obviously still have a lot of civic pride as there are flowerbeds and beautifully mown public areas. The thing is that there are no shops at all and a lot of decaying buildings both to let and for sale.

Bougey has a magnificent old fire engine taking pride of place in the town centre but nothing else really.

Strolling on we could see Augicourt appearing over the hill, we were drawing ever closer to white space.

Well, here it is, Arbecy, the last place known to official cartographers. It was rather daunting to see a rampant bear waiting for us a we strolled in.

Continuing into the main part of the village we passed a familiar sight to me, in the form of old agricultural equipment.

When we put Arbecy behind us the official map took us just to the village edge.

We now had to put all of our faith into the sketch map Janet had prepared using Google maps. We had the GPS, but the crucial part of the base mapping on the GPS showed none of the paths we hoped existed.

In order to prepare ourselves, and to put off the next bit, we sat down on a surprisingly situated seat. These picnic seats are very few and far between so it seemed that it had been placed there just for us.

We only ate half the salami during the stroll but it mysteriously disappeared somewhere during the night, I expect that someone will discover it when it starts to take on a life of its own.

We couldn’t put things off any more and plunged down an overgrown track into the woods. The GPS and the sketch map agreed that we were on the correct track and that we would be able to turn right through the wood and then join a C type road. we were somewhat dismayed when there were no right turns at all. Not only were there no right turns at all but the track on which we were walking was beginning to bear to the left. Nothing for it except to plunge into the wood and hope. We had a rough idea on which bearing to head through the wood so stuck to that. Progress was becoming difficult but we could see the edge of the wood. It was a relief to break out into a field of maize and then to walk along the edge.

We stumbled almost immediately onto a track, in fact the perfect track to take us to Port-sur-Saône.

So the stroll was a piece of cake really. We found a bar in order to refresh our selves and then made our way back to our splendid quarters.

As usual, the day had started with a slightly overcast sky and a cooling breeze and became steadily hotter and hotter as the evening began.

We were quite tired and were looking forward to a beer and a snack. I would then start the blog and Janet would look at accommodation and some of our other daily activities.

The internet access was good so Janet plugged in the netbook charger in order to make a start. There was a flash, a popping sound, the plug turned black and all the power went off, everywhere. Not off in just in our bit but off everywhere. As we were once more alone in the building I thought that if I could find the trip then we could reset the trip and all would be well. I found a box hidden behind a wooden staircase but after flicking all of the switches nothing happened. In the end we had no alternative but to call our hostess, she sent her husband home to reset the trip. The trip was in a shed in the garden so it was no wonder I couldn’t find it.

During all of this activity we had had a glass or two and I became too tired to write anything. It had been a long and fabulous day and nowhere near as taxing as we had expected.

The stroll from Vesoul to Lure today has been truly fantastic. Nothing out of the ordinary happened but the weather was perfect, dry, cool,  a little sun, beautiful clouds and a continuous breeze. Insects seemed to find us completely uninteresting today so the subtle perfume of DEET was absent for the first time for quite a few days.

Think of your own perfect day in the hills and that was how it has been for us.

We were feeling in need of sustenance at the end of the stroll and tried to find somewhere to eat. We found a place, went in, were seated. A little later we were given a menu. Some time passed and we were asked if we might like an aperitif. Janet was becoming agitated as she needed meat, yet no one seemed in any hurry to satisfy this most natural of needs.  Finally, Janet grabbed the waiter’s attention and ordered. Supper was very tasty, expensive but not substantial. We will get used to this I know. Is there a Wetherspoon’s in Belfort?

We need to plan for tomorrow so that’s about it for today as technical problems seem to be winning today.

I am trying very hard to avoid any puns which the name Lure invites. I am sure that the residents of Lure find it a very pleasant place in which to live.

The skies were leaden this morning and a fairly chilly wind was starting to make everything feel bleak. I suppose that any opinions I might have about Lure are probably coloured by the weather.

The only way we could realistically get out of Lure meant a long stroll down a very busy road which then led to a dual carriageway. A pavement took us some of the way which then changed to  cycle lane at the side of the road. In some ways it felt a bit like the day we left Reading. The main difference being that there was a pavement all the way when we left Reading.

We have had a modest yet zig zag path today and the first place we visited was Roye. Apparently Roye is an ancient place, according to the tourist information board on the village green. We could see only new bungalows and a modern concrete pissoir on the village green. The threatening rain had begun and was falling in earnest as we got to Roye. I took shelter in the pissoir but Janet, for some reason, found the atmosphere not to her liking and stood under a mighty chestnut tree instead.

The rain eased up a little so we headed out once more to find the ‘white road’ to our next village. The hikers’ maps show small roads as white lines on the map. We have discovered that these roads can be metalled, stoned, cart tracks with a ridge in the middle and even just where a tractor has passed through at some point in the past. Google maps shows these road in the same way as do the hikers’ maps. If you don’t have a 2CV, a mighty four wheeled drive vehicle, a bike or sturdy legs I would avoid these roads like conventional people avoid andouillettes.

The hills are starting to look very inviting.

We were now walking in lovely countryside once again and felt loads better about the day. Seeing the hills in the distance was very exciting indeed.

We found a bus shelter and decided to eat some of the rations we had packed. Janet thought that finding a baker and something more interesting to eat than bread and cheese was a good idea. As I lazed in the bus shelter she came back with two cold but very tasty pizzas and two even tastier raspberry tarts. We ate this unexpectedly delicious repast as we watched a chap collecting the contents of recycling cages in the car park opposite.

Janet has had to get some new walking shoes as the original shoes have developed repetitive stress injuries. My feet are beginning to get fed up with my weighty Reims walking boots so if we had been able to change our trotters as the sign above indicates we would have been very pleased.

As I mentioned earlier that the way in which minor roads and tracks are marked gives very little indication about surface, amount of traffic or size. We have discovered as well that paths which are clearly and proudly marked may not actually exist any more. So it was not really surprising when one of our paths through the woods disappeared into a thicket and was no more.  We have found that plan ‘A’ must be to study the map, look at the contours for steep drops, get a bearing to the next probable path and blunder on regardless. We haven’t bothered to develop a plan ‘B’ yet, I don’t suppose that we will ever bother about a plan’B’.

Stumbling about in a wood can be a bit confusings so it is always a relief to get out and be in the right place. In the past we have pulled this trick off with 100% success so have become quite confident and sure of success. Today we emerged from the wood and felt a little down in the dumps to see that we were apparently back in the place from which we had started, Magny Danigon. The French custom of calling a village, on the road sign, by its larger neighbour’s name with its own name in small letters underneath was the culprit. We had actually arrived in Les Puits du Magny as expected. False alarm and off once again with light hearts.

After the woodland revels we had a sedate stroll into Ronchamp. Tomorrow we shall need to decide how we intend to stroll into Switzerland. We will have a map finding hunt and then decide, straight to Basel or up to Mulhouse.

Last night’s firework display went ahead, but to the sound of incessant rain. In fact it rained for most of the night.

Today started with a very hearty breakfast. The buffet contained heaps of stuff of which I am very fond so, imagine my delight to see prunes and apricots as a starter. I tucked into these fruity delights with some gusto and ate lots and lots. Experienced long distance walkers would never have eaten such things before setting off into the hills where no facilities are to be found.

The rain set in with a vengeance as we set off so we took refuge in a Ronchamp bus shelter in order to get into our rainwear. Janet discovered that although we had talked about  waterproof trousers, she hadn’t packed hers.

We set off along a D type of road in order to find the first woodland way. It is virtually impossible to know how heavy traffic will be on French roads just by their classification. Some single track roads with no traffic are D roads but roads carrying heavy lorries on, what look like UK A class roads, can also be D roads. As we have absolutely no local knowledge we always have to taste and try before we buy. Today our first D road was like a UK A road so it was a pleasure to leave it to its own devices as soon as possible.

We passed by a bush, or small tree, covered in red berries. Janet had no idea what it might be, and neither did I.

We left our D road and made a bee line for the forestry track. Overnight rain and the steady downpour of today had returned us to 2012 British conditions. Despite the rain we were having a fabulous time.

Our stroll today felt very much like the stroll we had enjoyed on the Ridgeway all those months ago. The differences being that, on the Ridgeway, we had open spaces, a freezing wind and running white opaque water. In France we have a wood, warmish wind and red opaque water. There is an amateurish thumb present in the picture as well. I blame the rain for the thumb!

When the rain eased we found ourselves on a plateau with glorious views to the mountains.

Each time we emerge from an enclosed space, woodland or suburban landscape, into a place with an open sky we seem to gather new energy. I know that people love woodland but it has a lowering effect on me if I spend too much time hidden away in its dark, damp, depths.

By now the prunes and apricots, so carelessly eaten at breakfast, were letting me know that extreme measures were becoming something I should consider. We found ourselves in a pretty village on a busy road with a church, pharmacy and baker. Experience of these pretty villages has lowered any expectation that a bar might be present as well as these other important part of village life.

Then, can it be true? Is it open? No, surely not. But yes, it was a bar, and it was open. We went in to find a boy playing the ukelele and we ordered two hot chocolate drinks. After relaxing for a little,  and with bodily comfort restored, we set out with light hearts once again.

By now we should expect that woodland paths will prove to be fickle. On entering the woods once ore we followed a path clearly marked on the map. There could be no doubt that this path would lead us once more into the light.

The plan called” Plan ‘A'” came into play once again and rescued us from the darkness. We really did follow the path with due diligence. There was only one path, no chance of making and error, really!

Plan ‘A’ worked once again and the hills came into sight once again and nearer.

On the outskirts of Belfort we noticed a memorial. The memorial is on a hillside with a busy road, and a fairly steep climb, separating it from  its village. It is beautifully maintained.

At last, Belfort!

Not long after seeing this welcoming sign we also saw the welcoming sign of Lidl.  I am sipping a beer purchased in the Lidl at this very moment.

Another hearty breakfast to prepare for the leaving of Belfort. We managed to get away by about 9;30 and decided to have a look at the Citadel and the Lion before leaving. This area had been closed to us on our day off as preparations were underway for the Bastille Day fireworks so we thought we had better look before we left today.

We made our way through the deserted Sunday streets, with the threat of rain making the air feel fresh but dismal.

The Belfort Lion is an enormous statue built out of sculpted sandstone blocks and it sits on by the wall of the Citadel. The Lion celebrates the resistance of Belfort and encourages everyone to be like lions. Rather than witter on about the history of Belfort I have added this link should you be interested in this sort of thing   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belfort

The citadel is a maze and we only managed to scratch its surface as we felt that we needed to get on with the stroll today. This is another one of the many places to which we will return.

The die is now firmly cast and we are heading towards Basel via Mulhouse with the citadel disappearing behind us.

The path away from the Citadel is on one of the GRs and was a complete delight. We were surrounded by wild flowers and treated to huge panoramic views as we strolled, coming upon old military installations at every turn. We discovered that the GR on which we were strolling is called the Walk of the Forts and there were loads of forts on it.

We decided to avoid the short cut which we had found as the notices seemed discouraging. We strolled on full of contentment and feeling that although the weather was unsettled the countryside was looking green and fresh and was a treat to see.

I have already mentioned that ‘D’ roads can be, sometimes, single track and hardly used. We needed to avoid the path through a wood if we could today so decided to take the easy route along a D road. This was always going to be gamble really and today it was a gamble which we lost. The road was bendy, narrow and had lots of traffic on it. The road was also short of elbow room as the barriers were very close to the carriageway. This proximity to the carriageway was not as a result of road engineers being pedestrian unfriendly but because the railway ran parallel with the road in a cutting leaving no room for a verge.

We were committed to following the D road and were on it for a mile or two. We made very good time on this section as we wanted to get it over and done with as quickly as possible. It was quite a relief to get to the point at which we could say good bye to this nasty blighter and get back to tranquility.

We were back in woodland but strolling on a track made of a mixture of some asphalt and some ballast. The path was dry, very easy on strollers’ feet and easy to follow. I do not have a very up to date map on the satnav and when I heard what I thought might be a train coming fairly close to us I asked Janet if the railway was nearby. She looked at the paper map and said “No, there’s no railway anywhere near here.” I could see a train rushing through the trees about 60 yards from where we were standing and started to think that I was either imagining things or that we were in the wrong place.

We turned a corner and the path met the Rhone Rhine  TGV. We had bought the paper map only a few days ago. French engineers must either be fast workers or they had forgotten to mention that they were building a railway as there was no sign of any of this rather obvious structure on the maps.

We were thrown into confusion now because none of the roads/paths available looked a likely candidate to take us forward. We just guessed to see where the first might lead.

Not only did this option take us in the wrong direction it also took us to a dead end. The old, now defunct, path was visible on the satnav so we tried to find where it would have been if it still existed. Blow me, we found it!

We were back in business and strolling like nobody’s business.

The day has been a mixture of weather, heavy showers followed by warm sunshine. We have been in and out of our waterproof clothes with rather tedious regularity today and so were very keen to find a waterproof shelter in which to sit and stuff our faces.

We found a rainproof bus shelter, with a seat, and ate our lunch. The cliche is really true, there are some fabulous local cheeses here and we ate one for our lunch today.

We have been away from the canal for quite a few days now and have enjoyed the changing landscape of hills and woodland but, in order to get into Mulhouse and Basel on foot, we are returning to the canal side once again.

So here we are again, strolling along a canal. At first the path was grassy but it quickly turned into a nice cycleway. Anglers were sitting along the bank with their cars neatly parked on the grass verges. The canal side path was being used by cyclists but we saw no cars at all which, after the D road section, was very calming. Further on it became obvious why cars didn’t use the road, half of it had fallen into the canal.

Jut before our destination for today the canal has to lose a considerable amount of height and in order to do this there is a fabulous flight of some 12 locks. the last time we saw this sort of thing was on the Caledonian canal. It was pouring with rain when we saw the Caledonian canal locks so Janet suggested that we needed rain in order to follow these locks. What a stroke of luck for us, it started to rain and blow with real intent and we were able to fully enjoy the locks in good Scottish weather.

As we got nearer and nearer to Dannemarie the rain began to ease and eventually stopped. Entering Dannemarie we felt that we were no longer really in France. The script used on shop signs was quite gothic and the houses had a definite German/Swiss feel.  After all these weeks in France it is quite exciting to be looking forward to a new language and to new customs.

Keen eyed map readers will notice that we have turned away from Switzerland today. We haven’t lost our sense of direction, the problem we face is always how to get into or around large cities on foot. In a car, train or bus it is dead easy as this is how people are supposed to do things and, in fairness to city planners, this is how people prefer to do things as it keeps them dry, warm and away from sudden contact with other people’s hard shelled motor vehicles. On a bicycle it is not too bad as cycles can mingle, to a certain extent, with cars, vans and lorries. On foot one is really in a difficult position as strolling down a busy dual carriageway, where there is no pavement, causes consternation to everyone and to the stroller in particular.

Our means of getting to Basel is via the Rhone / Rhine Canal. In order to get to Basel we need to follow the canal around Mulhouse. So we set out from our halfway house this morning towards the canal and towards Mulhouse.

We have noticed a change in culture here in Dannemarie. A bar was open but it looked more like a UK corner shop. A few people were drinking coffee at small tables but the overall impression was that of our local post office and stores at Bent Lont.

Strolling about we noticed that the mairie had its purpose described in three languages on its ornate stonework, French, German and English. French and German seemed fairly obvious, bearing in mind the historical legacy of this area, but English???

The boats gathered in the canal side marina looked fabulous in the morning sun and we looked pleased with ourselves and with the cool breeze and sunny sky which we would have for the rest of the day.

I have posted loads of canal pictures on previous days of stroll so will restrain myself from adding more today. We did see a couple of birds of the variety shown above though. Not being bird watchers we guessed that it, and its chum, might be cormorants. The photo was taken on max telephoto using a little camera and then cropped so the image quality is not all that one might expect. We were miles away from the blighter and were just having a guess at what it might be.

This canal is full of wildlife, when compared to the canals by which we have walked on previous days.  We hear the sounds of frogs everywhere and see birds of prey circling around, then diving to the ground to total some poor mouse going about its mouselike business. A truly wonderful place, although we do share it with a lot of cyclists and others.

Janet has already vetoed the idea that we could do this trip next year using blades. A bloke passed riding a bike and wearing a very bright orange vest thing. He offered us advice about which side of the path we should walk. We noticed that following his advice would mean us walking on the sloping rough bit and him riding on the smooth flat bit.

The rules of the path say that cyclists should restrict themselves to 20 Km/h. The notice doesn’t mention the canal service vehicles which is why they can go as fast as they like I suppose.

It was very encouraging to see signs for Mulhouse and Basel and that there was a complete cycle path just for us to follow. Simple navigation, no map.

Tomorrow morning we are heading out from Mulhouse to stroll to Basel. The route for us is about 25 miles but we may have to break this into two strolls as Janet has developed a twinge in her right leg today. Tomorrow night we may be in Basel or, on the other hand we may not be in Basel.

Whew! We have finally slipped over the border into Switzerland.

Our time in Mulhouse was fleeting but the place seemed pleasant enough.

In sunshine and a cool breeze we made our way once more to the canal and Euro cycleway no 6. The directions were a little odd at one point and seemed to direct us all onto a busy road and then to nowhere. all signs seemed to point to other signs saying no access.

We ignored the signs and just blundered on down the canal path. The beautiful surface became increasingly rough and more and more leg tickling vegetation appeared.

This canal is a major artery leading to the Rhine so the barges here are truly enormous. The locks we have seen further back, which are at least twice as big as UK locks, could never cope with these monsters so this must be as far as they can go.

It was a surprise when we ran out of path, even before we had left Mulhouse. We could have turned back and retraced our steps  of course, but that isn’t something which we enjoy very much so we climbed over the barrier into a boatyard.

We could see some blokes e spraying a new boat and theyseemed to be uninterested in our presence. We sauntered along, chatting and humming snatches of tunes and turned a corner out of sight of the busy painters. We had got away with it so made our way to where the exit might be. We had noticed as we sauntered that there was a lot of chainlink fencing around the boat yard and some sturdy gates at intervals along the roadways, all of which were open, thankfully. All open except the last one, which was electronic and firmly shut. I climbed up the wall and sat astride, noticing that I was on candid camera, the drop down looked like sprained ankle territory so I retreated back down into the boatyard. I pressed a button by the gate but nothing happened. I found another button on a pole and pressed that one too.

Instead of an angry security bloke with a large dog appearing the gate slid open. We scuttled out quite quickly and wondered what the security people would think of a person of mature years shinning up their gatepost.

The cycleway we had lost about a mile ago suddenly appeared, just outside the boat yard. We were now able to continue our day’s stroll to Switzerland on an officially approved path once again.

Our route to Basel is via a Euro trail and this means that it is a very busy roadway. We see lots of cyclists cycling, roller bladers rolling, runners running and anglers sleeping. We saw some policemen fishing, I wish I knew what for.

Looking to our left we could see Germany in the near distance, ahead we had Switzerland. It was the first time that I thought about the daily, practical,  consequences of living in a place like this where these different, major, countries meet.

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The middle part of today’s stroll was largely without incident. The weather was warm without being too hot and we enjoyed a picnic sitting in a picnic place at a table.

There is nowhere on this canal trail where one can get a drink, tea, coffee, beer etc. If you don’t carry it with you you are going to be dry. We probably didn’t take quite enough water along with us today but, as we don’t drink a lot, it didn’t matter very much. Perhaps this is a business opportunity for someone, establishing a canal side tea shop.

Our faithful canal finally joined up with the Rhine at Basel. We were still in France and our French map showed us a amall road which we could use to get into Basel centre. The water side was busy and we were glad to be away from large roads and noisy traffic.

We strollers usually enter large cities by routes which are not very glamorous. The river tour boats looked great but we were surrounded, on our little road, by huge factories with large chimneys, miles of pipes and large metal containers.  The road was taking on the same unpromising appearance of the canal path as we left Mulhouse. It was overgrown and weedy and seemed to be little used. Our map was certain that we should find ourselves in Basel centre in no time at all.

Well, there was the Rhine, there was the dilapidated jetty but there was certainly no road. Note to self, just because the map says that there is a road does not mean that the road still exists. We retraced our steps and found a busy road leading in the right direction. This new road was a piece of open ground on our map, bought a week ago. Another note to self, check date map last updated before purchase.

I learned that the only identification a UK citizen needs in order to enter Switzerland is a passport which has expired for no more than 5 years.  Crossing the border today was something of a non event as the border office was empty.

Since leaving the UK my passport has been of no interest to any person wearing the peaked cap of authority.

The town centre looked fabulous in the evening sun. People sitting at street side cafe’s and musicians wandering about.

We shall spend a few days here in Basel as we need to plan our exit strategy for Switzerland.