Strasbourg to Colmar: A day on the canals and the SuperU

September 17, 2012

Today was a day of canals and navigation was a breeze. Ken had worked out a very efficient way of getting us out of the centre of Strassboug and we were soon powering along the Rhine Rhone Canal. We were to stay on this in a dead straight line for 37km . There were a number of boats tied up along the edges but in all that way we saw only one boat actually moving. The route itself was very pretty and easy, the one problem being the lack of villages to get a coffee or something to eat. We left the canal a couple of times and bumped and slid over gravel roads for a couple of km each time to find a small village now devoid in services – I had a drink of water. There was one place at about the 60km it looked a bit bigger and Ken had seen earlier a sign saying there was a SuperU, surly we would find something to eat. It was a pretty little town, Ken spoke to a lady, said follow me then set off like a bat out of hell. I thought he had gone completely nuts but followed as I don’t like being lost. Eventually he screamed to a halt and was at the massive SuperU, no wonder there aren’t any other shops in the area. We noticed it had a café and that we could park our bikes in sight. He nabbed a window table to keep watch and I went to order. It was amazing, it was full of workmen, and a splattering of others. They had a menu de Jour and the food all looked great, there were big stainless steel containers to fill up your pichet of wine. We certainly can’t cope with a meal like this when we still have the afternoon to ride. We had a modest salad with delicious terrine, a fruit salad and some orange juice while we coveted the others' meals. What we so enjoy about an experience like this is watching the polite and warm greetings that all the Frenchmen gave each other – we have a lot to learn in our country.

We continued on the déclassé canal we had been travelling on until we met the Colmar Canal and then it was a straight run here. It wasn’t so easy however to navigate around Colmar and find somewhere to stay but I will spare you the details. We have recovered from that now and decided Colmar is actually a nice place. (and Jane this family will be allowed to visit it again !)

A dire warning - this is what happens if you take your car on the cycle path beside the canal!

We couldnt get acoffee at this village but ken was happy. He had never seen a Schanzlin tractor before (air cooled V twin diesil)

Fortifications along the canal are part of the Maginot Line

Today's ride: 87 km (54 miles)
Total: 2,766 km (1,718 miles)

Rate this entry's writing	Heart	0
Comment on this entry	Comment	0