September 13, 2015
We start the Canal de Nivernais: Things never turn out as you expect
It is amazing how a day doesn't turn out the way you have expected. I went and saw the lady in the tourist information yesterday. She said take the road to Migennes, it is not very busy particularly on a Sunday. Then from there to Auxerre there is a path along the river to Auxerre and I knew that the cycle route along the Nivernais Canal started at Auxerre - we were going to stay on a vineyard The Domaine Bogart - the total distance was moderate so it should be an easy day. Ken did ask me what is the very vital question "Is she a cyclist?" I of course just poo pooed that.
The road to Migennes was great and we made wonderful time on the smooth road beside the river and were there in no time, we saw the Canal de Bourgogne go off in one direction and the Yonne in the other and admired the pleasure boats tied up on the banks. Now to find the path, I hadn't asked her what side of the river . Never mind I saw a bridge going over with a cycle track over it so over we went and spotted a gravel track following the river on the other side - that was for us. It stated off very badly with massive pot holes and loose gravel. Never mind it would probably get better. Well it didn't, it got worse and worse parts were completely unridable it was going to take us a very long time to cover the around 20km from Migennes to Auxere this way and probably the poor bikes would be shaken to bits. We had gone too far to go back until after about 5 km we came to a village and a road. Up we went on a small road to the village of Chichery and on to Appoigny where we had a coffee - I shouldn't have been surprised when I look at the map now I can see lots of arrows! What next lets try the GPS. It was in mood to punish us and must have thought that we had set it on 'seek out hills' So on and on we went just when we thought we had got to the top we would swoop down and do it all again. A rather strange thing was happening. These little villages had churches in them but none appeared to be having services. What was happening was something else. Four of the villages we came to had brochant sales on and these seemed to be attracting people for miles around and the tiny roads were absolutely jammed with vehicles. Ken did remark that he thought the French must have given up going to church on Sundays for going to flee markets. At one it was interesting because absolutely all the women clients there were Muslin, as judged by their head scarves etc.
Eventually we did descend to Auxere and what a stunning town it is. We went down and down in our search for the river with another wonderful old building at each turn. We found the river and ate our lunch looking at houses that would have been built almost 100years before Tasman discovered NZ. It was good to be on the cycle route and it was perfectly smooth some of it on road and some of it a dedicated cycle track. Our end for the day was at the Domaine Bogart and naturally it was up a hill. We arrived at 2.30pm ready to relax and have a look around just to find notice on the door to say that check in wasn't until 5.30 !! Luckily there was a table and chairs outside so we settled down, we were glad it was not yet raining. I decided to write my blog and after we had been sitting around for about an hour or so a woman came from a building opposite and said 'The door is open go in and make yourselves at home someone will be along about 5.30' So here we are comfortable in lovely surroundings and I have even found the Wifi code.
Today's ride: 52 km (32 miles)
Total: 2,137 km (1,327 miles)
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