Dining last night in our crumbling but elegant old hotel in the crumbling but elegant town was quite an experience. There was a multicoloured vegetable preparation, a type of thing we had never seen before. My steak, despite elaborate explanations about very well done, came out raw, so I swapped it out to Dodie. It's great having her around for functions like this! "Apple pie" came out as a delicious but low rise flan like thing. More elegant than the Mom's variety.
In the morning we, like the other residents of our town, passed by the boulangerie. Then, just down the street, the epicerie (grocery) which in this town also carries the local cheeses. These were all highly scented and very mouldery. Too mouldery for us!
We took a last spin around town before leaving. From the main street, oozing character, to the old cloister, it was all right out of a book or painting.
We shot quite quickly over to the next town, La Balme, where there is a bit of a gorge with the river. La Balme is noteworthy because it is here that the Via Rhona began acting like a real bike path. There was dedicated, newly paved bikeway, and consistent signage. This held up quite well until maybe Port de Groslee, where we were booted back onto the main D road.
The mountains of Savoie have given way to high cliffs, as we enter Ain region.
On that road we encountered Alain Bejuy, a fellow about our age, booting along with a very nice light bike. Alain runs the taxi service in Briord, but was out for a spin. He 3xplain3d that the local commune officials had been among the few to reject supporting the Via Rhona through their area. So that is why we were on the highway. However, said Alain, if ee were willing to tolerate a little gravel, there was an off road, by the river way to go. He offered to show us, and we agreed. So Alain rode with us for about 10 km, and when we reached his town, he made sure we understood our directions for the way foward, until the Via Rhona would resume. What a nice man, and, we were finding, typical of people in this region.
We continued on gravel until finally reaching another good Via Rhona stretch. Here we encountered Salvatore Scarfo, who rode along with us for a while. Salvatore's roots are Italian, and he is a master stonemason. He says there are many immigrant Italian families in this area. Again the Via Rhona, with the dedicated bikeway and good signage, petered out. Now Salvatore offered to show us the best way towards our targeted camping. So we followed our new guide. The way lead by his house, where he proudly showed us the wall he had built. Salvatore invited us in for a coffee, or anything else we might need. We regretfully declined, because it was already 6, and there was still quite a distance to find camping.
We did find that camping, in a large but quiet municipal campground. The reception had a sign that said open at 14:00. So we just chose a quiet corner. There is power in the electrical box there, and the sanitary block is nearby. So for zero cost, we are all set. With macaroni and cheese, and pain au chocolat with swiss hot chocolate under the belt, we are ready for a peaceful snooze. The alarm is set fairly early, though. Tomorrow: Lyon!
This is a restored tuilerie, or tile making oven. It was operated until 1900, providing tiles for the nearby town
Horns ör bells" are required on bikes here. Helmets too. This according to the "Code de la Route". You could translate this as the Traffic Act or something, but taking the words literally it sounds more noble, like the Code of Chivalry.
Salvatore guided us to the fastest way to our camping destination in St Maurice. When I told him we were wanting to go to St Maurice, he named five and asked which one. It was St Maurice de Gourdans.
