Leaving Paris was worse than I expected with both my map and the signposts proving to be useless. I ended up just following a compass bearing of SW which involved going over the odd footbridge. I eventually found the D906 thqt I was after but it brought me to a roundabout with motorways on each exit, so back to the compass. I was getting a bit cheesed off but it was getting a bit more rural and at last I found the D906 further out of Paris. I stayed on it all the way to Chartres, where I found the local campsite and got set up just before it started raining.
Had a leisurely start today and visited the cathedral in Chartres, a really impressive Gothic structure that can be seen for miles around as it sits on top of a hill. Inside there are 130 stained glass windows and was well worth the visit.
I then set off south into a headwind, but at least the sun was out from time to time. It became dead flat and exposed with a large area of wind turbines and massive overhead irrigaters. I was mind numbingly boring, like Lincolnshire but worse, if that is possible. The French are good at town planning with impressive cathedrals qt the end of long streets, but out in the wilds is another thing. There always seems to be a massive eyesore in view in the shape of water towers. I stopped a random and could generally count 4 or 5 in view at a time today.
As I neared Orleans the clouds blackened and the heavens opened with lots of thunder and lightening and pretty soon I was soaked. It is a much bigger place than I expected and with no sign to campsites and the rain still coming down I made for a hotel. It's different to say the least. The showers is a stand alone unit, the likes of which I have never seen before and the loo is in the corner of the room with no partition. You can sit on the loo and look out of the large window straight down the highstreet. A loo with a view.
I am only going about 30K tomorrow as Caroline, her brother and sister in law are driving north from Barcelona and are stopping at a hotel there, so hopefully we will meet up. It's better than cycling in this bloody weather! Can you get trench foot on a bike. (This keypad hasn't got a question mark!)
10 comments:
Your picture of Chartres is exactly the one we took in 2005!
We psrked in the car park over the road from your viewpoint.
You have yet to mention the crepes - are you avoiding them for some reason?
Maybe a loo with a view is a better alternative than reading on the loo.
Just two points to ponder though - 1. can the passing populace see you as you sit and look out at them; perhaps thay might give a little wave and you might acknowldge them with a nod of your head
and 2. what if its a twin room and you are simply sharing with a travelling companion?
Hi John, the family are following your progress and enjoying your blog. Jo Jo has a jigsaw of the world and they are mapping your progress with a pin. Can you hurry up because its on the kitchen table and we have no where to eat............
Beastie, being reading your blog and note constant references to poor maps, getting lost.. See my 1st post about the IOW and the postman, I would have thought you could have mastered map reading by now. ... Regards: N,L,J and M.
I rather c****dup my first entry. What I intended to say was that your photos are works of art and a delight to view. Thanks. Remember, if it gets a bit tough out there do as you did on our LE/JOG venture: break into song "Oh! I do like to be beside the seaside"!!
Henry T.
So how come its taken you so long to get to Orleans? It only took us half day to get to Malta, we didn't need a compass and we even walked part of it!!!! Okay so it was in the airport terminal.
Flew over France and other parts of Europe, didn't see a thing thick cloud all the way.
So much for coming to Malta for heat and sunshine since arriving it hasn't stopped pissing down interspersed with mega storms. We haven't left the hotel yet...and you know what I'm like being stuck indoors, aargh. Oh well keep thinking positive for the next 9 days. At least you have a lot more than 10 days to wait for the sun. Anyway lucky you being stuck indoors I get to communicate with you!!! :-)
I thought it was about time I added my twopennarth.....and that's about it so bye for now!!!!!!!!!
Been looking at your photos on hotel internet cafe as not able to get on my pc at home. You must look at my photos of Paris and see how we have different viewpoints of the same subjects. Some of yours are taken at angles I never saw. Enjoying reading your blog and also the various comments made by friends and family.
I wish I was cycling again. I could even believe that digital photography is worthwhile, but not just yet for me.
Hello John, Phil Magnus wishing you a safe journey. Hope it stops raining
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