This was my Day One on a ride many years ago. I remember Aumale well…no dinner until 7 despite being famished. Campground conveniently placed on the highest point in town!!

Interesting. We did not know that.

At times it felt like we were swimming also.

The funniest part is that (we felt from observation) they were eating almost continuously . Guess it is all in one's perception of events.

Emanuel Macron est né à Amiens le 21 décembre 1977

Even the ducks are wet !

"Be prepared to starve." LOL. The food was different alright. The kids did well and are very fortunate.

Appropriate for the day.

The people we talked to about "menil" were clearly peasants, and had never been to 20th arrondissement. By the way, would you put "s" in mesnil?

Too bad we didn't look more carefully before setting off. It could have saved us a lot of grief.

Just goes to show that the best programs, that are universally popular are always the first to be cut.

What about Menilmontant from Charles Trent.
https://youtu.be/RgtA7FOs90k

or from Maurice Chevalier
... C'est à Menilmontant qu'on trouve du remontant ...
https://youtu.be/4Ywdwi8jx70

Hi,
I noticed that your ride with gps map had you passing directly over Mont Gripon. A presage of what was to come?
Cheers

Hi,
These wildflowers are courtesy of a government program which subsidizes planting fallow ground. Everybody likes them, even the farmers, but there’s a movement afoot to eliminate the program in the name of budget reduction. Sic transit gloria mundi.
Cheers

We will be looking for any lurking "Porets" now that we know there may be some still there. Fun to have a (long distance) connection to a place.