Day 27: Aumale to Amiens

September 5, 2024

Featuring Bonus: Kid's Analysis of the Loire Ride

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Jonathan HechtThis was my Day One on a ride many years ago. I remember Aumale well…no dinner until 7 despite being famished. Campground conveniently placed on the highest point in town!!
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2 months ago

Steve Miller/GrampiesTo Jonathan HechtThus sounds fairly "normal ", especially the late dinner time. This is why Dodie always carries sandwiches, fruit and some treats from a bakery or grocery store. We have an insulated bag specially for this purpose as we prefer to eat at 5:30 or 6 pm. Campground on top of hill-ugghhh-clearly not positioned by anyone who ever camped!
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2 months ago

Dodie slept soundly in our royal bed, under the satin sheets.

I turned the "Christmas" lights on one of our Buddas, for added effect.

Zen style decor is everywhere in the room.

We loaded the bikes directly in front of our place, on the right. You can see from Dodie's outfit that it was a rainy day. It was soon to become a wind and rain blasting day!

We jumped across to the main building, where Madame had set out a very creditable buffet style breakfast. A painting in the room showed the buildings looking just the same, but with a horse and carriage passing between.

The breakfast included a lot of packaged cheeses, like that very nice packaged Camembert. But I especially noticed something that would have been of great interest to the kids: a variety on non-nutritious cereals:

In the next room over, I found the sheep for which the place had been named!

We set off into the town, which proved to be quite attractive. We were searching for a bakery, to stock up for lunchtime, but only found one closed one. We asked at the florist, and got directed to the open one - there had to be one, else the people would no doubt have rioted.

The church looks older than the rest of the town?

We were soon out in the open fields, and now the rain really came down. It was also blown by wind that usually was also a headwind. We of course had on our full rain gear, but riding in such conditions is never totally comfortable.

I took this shot to show how socked in it was. The general light level was also super low.

Before long we realized that we would need additional warm clothes underneath the rain gear, so we sought out a bus shelter to make the adjustment. I had long ago hidden away all cameras, and was using the rugged cell phone - the one you can go swimming with. This was almost like that, and as you see from the blurry shot, the phone was not happy shooting somewhat under water.

We came to one intersection which we think would have amused Joe, though we took the turn for Amiens.

We spotted a little pond along the way, on which there were a lot of Mallards. But at least one did not look like the others. Maybe a hybrid?

We stopped a couple of times in the exposed wide open fields, to try making a little video to send on Whatsapp to Joni. We thought a direct report from the wind and rain would be fun for her.

Also, further to the "trous en formation", we found a whole advanced class of potholes, ready to graduate.

We pedaled on through into Amiens, finding a haphazard pattern of bike lanes or designations, and passing through rather jumbled outskirts, comprised of 20th century buildings of various types. Eventually we came to a war memorial, which is much expected, given Amien's history in the two World Wars. In 1914-1918, it was just behind the front line, and was a major supply and marshalling area. In 1944, especially, it was 60% destroyed by bombing. The cathedral, though, was mostly preserved.

So many names on this one. Google did not immediately reveal what the "death train" was about.

Although we have been in Amiens once before, we did not remember too much of the city. But for example, in front of the city hall, we quickly learned that Jules Verne (born in Nantes) had been a city councilor here for 16 years (1888-1904). Consequently, he is much feted and there is a Jules Verne museum in his former house.

We were also curious to see what the city had in terms of pedestrian streets, and we did find some broad walking areas. There were no crowds or outdoor restaurants, though, perhaps understandable for a rainy weekday.

The main attraction of Amiens is its Cathedral of Our Lady. It is the largest church in France, and it is said that Notre Dame of Paris could fit in it twice. It was constructed starting in 1220 a.d. and was basically completed in 1269. The towers, though, took until 1402.

The outside is covered in sculpture, and it is in remarkably good condition.

The sculpture is very detailed, and hard to see without a lens.

The carved faces here are fairly the same.

The miniatures, all around the entry portal.

Inside, there is a lot more sculpture, but in color.

The tall stained glass goes well with the arches.

The arches and columns and glass make attractive compositions wherever you look.

There are info panels comparing this cathedral to six others. It's not a competition, or is it?

The sort of mandatory Jeanne d'Arc statue.

While the cathedral is Amien's star attraction, perhaps #2 is gardens along then canalized Somme river, in an area known as Les Hortillonnages. We headed over there, past our Hotel Victor Hugo, which would not open until late afternoon. We were soon on a broad avenue, Boulevard d'Alsace Lorraine, which had the potential to be jammed with fast moving traffic, but which was actually ok.

The Perret Tower is a 29 story out of place (in this otherwise low rise city) apartment building. It is said to have been France's first skyscraper.

These passarelles are famous, leading into gardens. The oldest ones are most ornate.

There are some interesting water birds in the river:

This is in the ditch or canal beside the river.

I had been thinking of the river corridor as rather a no exit thing, but the GPS showed Dodie a way to the hamlet of Camon, where it also showed a bakery. Enough of these flowers and birds, we need some tartelettes!

Next to the bakery was a produce store, which is called a Primeur here. They claimed to have produce from the hortillonnages, and that might have been so, but I was the one who got sent in, coming back with nectarines, plums, and apricots.

Back along the river, we encountered this tour boat. Interestingly, it was packed with people. Maybe because of the rainy day? The boat's name, Le Picardie, reflects that the fact that we are in the capital of the Picardy Departement.

Turning back along the river, we see the cathedral in the mist. It had been a good day, despite the drenching rain and the wind. And hey, when we passed our hotel, still and hour early, they were open!

**** SUPER BONUS ***

THE KID'S FINAL ANALYSIS OF THEIR RIDE ON THE LOIRE

(AS COLLECTED BY SABRINA:)

Hello cyclists and readers! My name is Sabrina, and I am Joshua’s spouse - also known as “the Grampies’ daughter in law” or “the mother-type figure of three cycling goblins.” Said goblins and Josh arrived home late last Wednesday, and I whisked them home as fast as I could so they could all be sent off to first day of school and work early Thursday morning. What a whirlwind.

They have told me many fun stories in between back-to-school tasks this past week, and so I started asking specific reflection questions about the bike trip and recording their answers. I left some notes in brackets. I hope you all enjoy these answers as much as I do!

What was your favourite place or event to visit?

Evelyn: I liked the caves best and visiting all the hotels.I liked seeing what was different in each one and the beds and the pillows, and just staying in hotels in general. Feeling all of the different stuff. I liked sleeping in a different place every night

Joseph: Leonardo De Vinci’s house

Amelia: baguette every day (Editor’s note: We live in Montreal, steps away from an excellent French bakery. The kid gets “real” baguette on a regular basis! But Amelia is always bemoaning the fact that we only buy baguette once or twice a week, so getting one a day is a real treat.)

Okay, so what was your favourite food you found?

Amelia: I already told you about food, but I can tell you about another favourite food - the chinese donut filled with the chocolate! And the chocolate macaron with meringue

Evelyn: The first few days I loved the crepes, then I didn’t, but you know, too much crepes. Some of the sandwiches were good

Joseph: baguette!

So Grandma Dodo taught you to clean your own laundry in the sink?

All three in unison: No!

Evelyn: she did it for us!

Joseph: a few times they had clothes washers

What was your least favourite thing about this trip?

Amelia: Malnourishment. It was incredibly hard not being able to eat whenever I wanted

Evelyn: Biking every single day without braking for bakeries. I did not like saving the baking for later, I like to eat it right away! I also didn’t want to walk away from the horse that was next to me.

Joseph: The cat cafe not being open on our last day in Nantes.

Me: not the hills and rain?

Amelia: that was hard mama but FOOD.

On the long ride days - did you find that enjoyable?

Evelyn: I liked being at the very very back with papa and talking to him as we passed apple farms.

Joseph: I liked it when Grandpa Steve and I went off on our own.

Of all of the gear that your grandparents got you for the bike trip, which was the most useful to you?

Evelyn: bike gloves and the bikes (laughs uproariously at her own cleverness)

Amelia: bike gloves

Joseph: my purple octopus!

Me: not your camera?!

Joseph: oh yeah! I am changing my answer my camera!

(Editor’s Note: Joe does wander around the house with that octopus on his head just like the photos in the blog. If you visit you can expect to bump into a singing-kid-with-octopus-on-head once a day now.)

What advice would you give yourself before you do another bike trip?

Amelia: be prepared to starve

Evelyn: I agree!

Joseph: kid, you want a bike trip? Then bike! (thinks for a moment) I have no other advice.

Would you do another bike trip in future?

Amelia: peut-etre

Evelyn: maybe

Joseph: maybe when I was older

And what are your best memories?

Evelyn: being with my grandparents, my siblings and my dad for two weeks

Amelia: Happy memories? Being on the bottom bunk so that my feet don’t die on the top bunk. And when Grandma Dod bought me the journal and the markers, that was amazing! She got them at separate times.

Joseph: cow butts.

Evelyn: no you made a mistake it is donkey butts

Joseph: no wait horse butts!

Today's ride: 60 km (37 miles)
Total: 1,066 km (662 miles)

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Annette Schneider"Be prepared to starve." LOL. The food was different alright. The kids did well and are very fortunate.
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2 months ago

Steve Miller/GrampiesTo Annette SchneiderThe funniest part is that (we felt from observation) they were eating almost continuously . Guess it is all in one's perception of events.
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2 months ago

Marvin PaxmanMany thanks, Sabrina! That was really fun hearing the kids' answers!
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2 months ago

Karen PoretPriceless memories 👍
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2 months ago