September 23, 2016
Corbie: Unexpected cycleways
The morning started with the customary climb up to reach the wind turbines. Up on the plateau we first went through a tiny town with the children standing out ready to catch their bus to school. The bounteous agriculture continued and today we saw another different crop which we had no idea at all about what it was. It looked like bamboo or perhaps some different sort of sugar cane - surely global warming hasn't progressed so far that they are growing sugar cane in Northern France. In Bouganville we were talking to a very nice French woman from the area and she told us it was 'Elephant Grass' - it has a French name too but I couldn't retain it. Apparently it is left until it turns brown then it is ground up and used as a fuel in furnaces. Also she said that wild boar live in it and each year they have a massive boar hunt but the boars are very cunning and they usually just get 2 or 3.
On to Picquiney. This is where we were able to meet the Velo route de la Valee de la Somme. We were told about it yesterday and it runs all the way from the mouth of the Somme to Peronne - a great find.How to get on it was the problem so we consulted the oracles in the bar. None of them had a scrap of English so there was much discussion in very fast French as to how to find it (and in fact if it actually existed). The jury gave us their verdict - it did in fact exist and was devant Le Gare. We found it and what a glorious cycle it proved taking us along the canalised Somme all the way to the magnificent city of Amiens. What we really wanted to see was Amiens Cathedral - the Cathedral of Notre Dame. This was built over 60 years from 1220 so has an amazing unity of style. It's statuary is exceptional and it is the largest Gothic building in France. Flags from South Africa, New Zealand, Canada, USA and the U.K hang in the Chapel of the Sacre-Coer and there are plaques in remembrance to the generals and troops who led the allies to victory.
By now we had done 47km and it was at least another 40 to Albert where we could be sure of accommodation. We were both still full of cycling but I felt it would be nice to stop in this beautiful city. Ken was keen to press on. We pressed on following the Velo Route first through riverside restaurants and pretty house and then miraculously we became completely lost. We came to an airfield and then a school - Ken asked some kids the way but they just giggled. On we went we were on a track beside a busy road and by this time we had forgotten finding the Veloroute and Ken was just concentrating on finding white roads to get us to Albert. A mirage appeared it was a sign pointing to the Veloroute de Valee de la Somme. But it wasn't a mirage it was real so we followed it and it lead us to the track along the river, it wasn't as fancy a track as before but it was for real. First we went through lots of heavy looking industry - we couldn't make out what it was especially the one with the biggest pile of potatoes I have ever seen - surely it wasn't to make chips because they would feed the entire world. Things began to look up and we came to Corbie. It had no hotels on booking.com but coming over the bridge I spotted one. We had done 71 km and there was still 25 to go so I went in. Confused conversation yes we could have a room but could not get our bikes until 9am. Into the village and a orange juice stop, there was another hotel a bit further in I went yes a lovely room, we have the whole place to ourselves as they don't serve dinner tonight but we can let ourselves out when ever we like. I think Ken would have liked to continue to Arras but I was glad to stop.
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Today's ride: 71 km (44 miles)
Total: 2,601 km (1,615 miles)
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