July 23, 2024
Reims to Lac Ailette.
From the city to the lake.
We’re up early, breakfasted and coffeed, and looking forward to the challenge of positioning ourselves, eventually, for The Somme cycle route.
Today we’re heading northwest to take us eventually in the direction of Amiens. The route is a little tricky after the straight forward canal rides, but Komoot seems to have it sussed. We start on the route by heading from our apartment straight up the Avenue de Laon to the Canal of the Aisne āla Marne. The canal has a path that is mainly grass and difficult to ride on, so instead we take the D944 . This is busy, with some trucks, but has a good shoulder.
We stay on this road to the sign for Courcy where we make a relieved right turn down to pick up the canal path again, and which now, magically, has a beautifully sealed surface.
It’s a relaxing ride and we’re able to chat as we pedal along. On our right, there a a few vessels using the canal, including large barges picking up grain. Even the onset of gentle rain doesn’t ruin the mood.
Then it’s the end of the canal route which puts us back on the road for a few kilometres.
At Berry au Bac a wonderful food cooking smell wafts on the air as we pass ‘The restaurant of the Maire.’ We decide it’s time for lunch. And indeed it is. The set menu of Guinea fowl and other delights is what we go for.
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We leave about an hour later quite replete. The crème brûlée at the end was a heavenly experience. Not so heavenly is the next four kilometres on quite a busy road, until we turn off onto a tiny road with no traffic that takes us in the direction of Vauclair, where the ruined Abbey is, and onto a Voie verte that runs beside the lake and takes us to a village where we have accommodation.
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At Vauclair we reach the ruined abbey. It brings back memories of Tintern Abbey though it’s not quite so ethereal and Gothic. All the same, it has a presence and raises thoughts of what life must have been like long ago.
The last part of our day’s journey takes us onto the Voie verte, and then quickly to where we’re staying.
We’re tired- though the distance was ā reasonable 50 kilometres today, coping with the roads and traffic as well as our grand boeuf has had its toll.
Today's ride: 54 km (34 miles)
Total: 1,198 km (744 miles)
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