Day 51: Chevroches to Chatillion en Bazois

October 27, 2022

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After all was said and done we really rather liked the Domaine des Carriers. The building was old and very well renovated, and the hostess, Madeleine, turned out to be very accommodating and personable. One of our beefs, which had been the relatively late 8:30 timing for breakfast was because the baker made his delivery normally at 8:20. However Madeleine got out all the other stuff at 8:00, and the baker actually did come at 8:15. He immediately became our favourite because his breads and viennoiseries were top notch. Some reviewers of the place criticized the fact that they were left alone at breakfast, and also asked to prepare some of their own stuff. But we loved that. We were on our own with the big pile of food, and I really enjoyed frying up eggs on the stove and making the coffee and hot chocolate. Madeleine had put out a large tray of artisan cheeses - the stinky ones, that Dodie won't eat, but there was also cream type cheese rolled in herbs - really nice.

The building that housed the bikes. Everything here is made of local stone.

We think they had four of these cottages to rent as well.

On the grounds were tables and chairs, making the prohibition of eating on the grounds all the more puzzling.

Proceeding back down the hill, we see how attractive the other houses are as well.

Back on the canal, it is the same experience as yesterday and the one we also expect for one more day tomorrow. That is, lovely water, smooth path, cows in the distance, villages with not much in them. Here are some of our images:

Lots of Charollais cattle in the fields . We are drawing close to Charolle.

There are many picnic spot and benches along the way.

We like looking at the various water reflections.

It would be a better shot if we could move the tree!

There are only 119 locks in total on the canal, but today it seemed like they were really one after another. Each lock involves a really short but sort of steep hill. It's not a big deal, but one does notice it. A little more noticeable is a well known area near Sardy, known as the ladder of sixteen locks. These are packed into 3.5 km, and handle a 40 m change in the water level. I seem to remember a ladder of locks somewhere where you could see them all lined up down a long slope, and that is what I expected here. So I kept telling Dodie that the locks we were passing must just be "warm up" locks for the big show. But no, it was just sixteen locks, spaced rather politely apart, and without even a signboard to explain that we are at this famous spot.

Just after the "ladder" there are two lakes, and about there Dodie (of course, Dodie - the observant one) noticed that the water in the locks was flowing the opposite direction. Clearly we had traveled over a height of land, but it was not really noticeable at the time.

At one point Dodie picked up a branch or something in her wheel, and we stopped to clear it out. I was concerned to find that it was a rose branch with lots of thorns, and one of these was stuck directly in the tire. I pulled it out, noting that it was in the thickest part of the rubber, and I commented that this was lucky, because the thorn was long. We carried on, and it took at least ten minutes before Dodie pulled up with the flat tire. Oh well, those tires are Schwalbe Marathons with "Green Guard", supposedly flat resistant, but no.

I thought it could be too good to be true that Dodie would escape a flat after an attack from this long thorn.

Sure enough, a break from the routine of happily sailing along the path.

It was no problem putting in a replacement tube, but these things can not help but eat time. In this season we are much aware of the shortened days, so we do not want to spend too much time playing with tires.

We have been going longer distances, thanks to this not being England, but by the end of the day we are getting tired of pedaling. So we were glad to finally arrive at our place: "Au Foudre du Bazois". They had put a sign out on the canal a couple of kms out, and we found that nicely encouraging. "Foudre" means lightening, but we found nothing exactly flashy about the place. However in light of minor issues we have had with places to stay, this one stood out as really good. The building, once again is old, beautiful, and well restored. I was greeted by the hostess, who knew very well that we were coming. She gave me a key that would open all doors, including the bike garage, and showed me three rooms to choose from in the hotel. When I said "Ooo, this room is good but the other one has a nice desk", she offered to move the desk. Then she showed the kitchen and said if we feel like eating or cooking anything tonight, the kitchen is here. Got that, Domaine des Carriers? The lady also put out a bowl of figs for us, from the property.

About breakfast, we made our pitch for 7:30 vs 8:00, and the lady said that since the bakery in the village was closed for vacation, she would be driving to the next town to find bread, but no problem! the bakery in the next town opened at 7, so she would be there. With that, as has happened before, she disappeared, and to our knowledge left us in charge of the building.

Oh, a change in cow colour - that's something!

No "foudre" here, but this is a welcome home for tonight.

Today's ride: 65 km (40 miles)
Total: 2,118 km (1,315 miles)

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Suzanne GibsonI see you are on a different route than we were traveling coming from Dijon via Avallon. Looks very nice.
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2 years ago

Steve Miller/GrampiesTo Suzanne GibsonYes Dijon and Avallon are quite north, compared to where we are now. I am looking at a map called "Cycling in Burgundy" and I can see all the routes very clearly. We are following part of the "Tour de Bourgogne". It is all very beautiful here. When time permits, I'll track down where you went. You must have been in the "Morvan" park? Steve
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2 years ago