September 21, 2024
To Vecoux
Today I left the Voie Bleue and continued south toward the upper Moselle River to Vecoux, a small rural town located in the mid-mountain region of the Vosges. It was a short but wonderful day of cycling, with clear blue skies and white fluffy clouds as I set off from Épinal. I took another look around the Place des Vosges and, after pausing to admire the sretch of city along the Moselle, I was soon pedaling south through a conclave of circus tents and recently awakened roustabouts.
I’d gone just over one mile when I hit the steepest climb of the day, a bit less than a mile but topping out at over 10%. I could have avoided the climb by opting for a bit longer route along the river, but getting a “granny high-five” from an elderly woman waiting at a bus stop made all my efforts worthwhile. Not to mention the very enjoyable descent.
The next few miles were delight, curving above the Moselle on a small road that cut through the pink sandstone of the Vosges Massif. I stopped briefly in Archettes where a small public fountain tempted me with fresh water. I hesitated at the “Eau Non Surveillée” sign, but a construction worker stopped to by to fill his bottle and assured me it was safe to drink, though not tested. Trusting in local knowledge, I topped off my water bottle.
My track continued on the small departmental D42 as it passed through small towns that flanked the river. In Éloyes, I pulled into an open plaza by the Church of Our Lady of the Assumption and noticed a small footbridge spanning the Moselle. Of course I had to go down and check out views of the Moselle from mid-river. There was an old sign at the entrance to the footbridge headlined Bir Hakeim. The text was rusty, illegible, and in French, but it reminded me of the Pont de Bir-Hakeim in Paris, named to commemorate the 1942 WWII Battle of Bir Hakeim, “the first military contribution of the French Free Forces.”
After returning from my jaunt to the river, I stopped in a bar on the plaza for an espresso to go with a pastry I’d picked up before leaving Épinal. I was previously addicted to almond croissants as my elevenses of choice, but have since switched to pain-au-raisin. In eastern France, similar pastries are referred to as escargot or roule, and may come with cranberries or even frosting. Today’s treat was cranberry, no frosting.
Beyond Éloyes, the route distanced a bit from the river, taking me through open farmland with fields of cows, mostly the black and white Holstein breed that dominates the US dairy industry. Not my favorite. I took a quick spin through Remiremont and then picked up the Voie Verte des Hautes Vosges, an excellent pair of cycle routes: one follows Moselle 30 km up to Bussang while a second, said to be “more picturesque and beautiful” travels 21 km up the Moselotte Valley. I headed in the direction of Bussang, with the hills of the Vosges rising before and alongside me. I was in a groove, pedaling along with my head on a swivel, relishing my surroundings and ignoring the fact that I would arrive at my lodging earlier than I had indicated. No worries, it would give me time to check out Vecoux and perhaps take a Fanta break.
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4 months ago
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Vecoux was much smaller than I had imagined. The only likely spot to get a Fanta was the épicerie that was closed for its afternoon break. Though it was a half hour until I was scheduled to meet my hosts, I decided to head up the hill to the apartment, located just outside of town. The apartment was attached to a larger house, but I was not sure if the hosts lived on the premises. However, there was an outside table and chairs so I got comfortable and sat in the sun to await their arrival.
My hosts Adrien and Melanie did in fact live in the house with their three children, two of whom I eventually met. The family was a delight and went well above and beyond to make me comfortable. I mistakenly thought Vecoux had a nearby restaurant, but this was no problem, said Melanie - she would pick up a salad a small quiche for me when she went into town for groceries. And something for breakfast as well. In the meantime, they brought me a cold coke and a piece of cake.
Food was not their only kindness. I forgot to mention in yesterday’s post that I suffered a bad bee sting while cycling along the canal. The bee, or some flying insect, got trapped under my sunglasses and pummeled my left cheek with what seemed like a barrage of stingers. I quickly stopped and applied cortisone cream – it helped a bit but the redness, swelling and pain had continued to increase. After my shower today, I noticed a bright red line running from my cheek up to my eye and I started to worry about an infection and possible blood poisoning. Alarmed, I called Melanie to see if a taxi might be available to take me to a doctor.
Melanie quickly informed me that Adrien was a doctor and that he would come right down. To my relief, he immediately ruled out blood poisoning and then gave me some anti-inflammatory pills and an ice pack to reduce the swelling. And soon after, Melanie came by with the dinner tray: salad, quiche Lorraine, bread, cheese, and a blueberry tart. And a small bottle of Perrier. I was speechless.
I went to bed very grateful for the kindness of strangers.
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Today's ride: 23 miles (37 km)
Total: 2,313 miles (3,722 km)
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| Comment on this entry | Comment | 7 |
I’m looking forward to the rest of your ride.
4 months ago
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