July 20, 2024
Lac du Der to Chalons en Champagne
Off one canal and on to another.
Up early to beat the mozzies, we’re away by eight. We hope for coffee at the camp cafe but they’re not up yet. There is a Belgian sea scout group at the camp, so they have probably exhausted their coping capabilities. Vitry is only a speedy 20 kilometres away, and some on the canal, and we make short work of it. We get back on the Canal de Bourgogne for a short while before Vitry and then it all ends with a sign telling us that our week long relationship is at an end.
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In Vitry’s large central place, surrounded by stately buildings and a massive chunky cathedral, we find coffee and a very cordial Belgian couple who are on holiday from Louvain. We chat with them over coffee. It’s always wonderful to make such contacts and get a personal perspective on another lifestyle.
It’s unfortunate that traffic is routed through this square, because it’s an attractive spot.
From Vitry it’s easy for us to find the Canal Lateral dela Marne and it’s another belter all the way to Chalons en Champagne.
The mozzies have also found the canal with equal ease, and any attempt to stop for a lunch break sees us mobbed by the pesky blighters. For this reason, I suggest abandoning the idea of camping at Chalons, as the campground is close to the water. My suggestion isn’t met entirely with approval but I raise the issue of Tiger Mosquitoes and Dengue fever as a bit of leverage.
And so we find ourselves in a shoebox of a hotel room , with our bikes, but comfortable enough. We decide to have a look around Chalons in the morning before leaving for Reims.
Today's ride: 62 km (39 miles)
Total: 1,082 km (672 miles)
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