To Versailles

October 12, 1993

The approach to Chartres from the south is a phenomenon. We were first able to see the famous cathedral from 15k away - clearly identifiable by its profile, it is by far the largest feature on the horizon. For the next 45 minutes it steadily grew and gained definition as we biked nearer. It is an attractive tourist destination of course, and one hard to miss. I won't try to describe the wonder of the cathedral itself, but in our estimation it well deserves its reputation as one of Europe's premier gothic cathedrals.

From Chartes we angled northeast toward Rambouillet, continuing to enjoy the very strong tailwind we enjoyed all morning. This was quite a pretty ride, often through lovely woods on peaceful roads. The chateau at Rambouillet was beautiful, but unfortunately closed on Tuesdays so we were only able to observe it from the outside. All in all, we fared poorly in our chateau viewing efforts on this tour.

We ended the day by making a somewhat questionable decision to bike on to Versailles. This route too was pretty - but required strict attention to our Michelin map to navigate through the contorted network of highways of the suburbs of southwest Paris. And, it brought us the first significant climbing for days - somewhat challenging on my one geared bike. We did not quite reach the elusive Versailles. We were happy to find a rather modern, somewhat expensive motel in Buc, a suburb six miles to the south, arriving in near darkness and increasingly heavy traffic as we approached the big city. It was a relief to be off the road and safe, although in a not too attractive hotel in my opinion.

We ate dinner at the hotel's restaurant, the only one anywhere nearby. I found the setting quite interesting, but a bit sad. Most of the diners were single businessmen eating alone, studiously avoiding contact with the other guests. It felt so alienating in contrast to most other public areas we have visited on this trip.

Today's ride: 105 km (65 miles)
Total: 2,738 km (1,700 miles)

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