And now I am on my way!

Wednesday 24th June 2015

After a banquet of pasta, tinned vegetable and tuna for protein all washed down with half a carafe of red wine, I slept like a baby last night. Another early start as its a 28.5km walk today. After breakfast which was a veritable feast of cold toast I found in a tin, warmed up in the toaster with blackcurrant jam. Soon I was on my way and quickly got into a steady stride as I headed to the various villages I would pass through today.

I am off piste now and had plotted a course hoping that I would not come across any Prive notice that would mean a long detour. The kilometres rolled by and in Brazey-en-Plaine I came across a cafe so I took advantage of taking the weight of my feet and grabbing a coffee. Now as some people know I do like a good coffee, strong and black. But here in France I was soon to be reminded that over here in Le France it’s different. Why do they serve it in such small cups that really belong in a dolls house? One gulp and it’s gone! All the pleasure, all the fun of savouring and smelling the roasted beans …..poof, disappeared before you know it!

Well I hovered around a bit longer and eventually paid and left to go next door to the Boulongerie and my next adventure. With no real food for lunch except emergency muesli bars carried over from England I was hoping to get a sandwich and some other delights for lunch in the sun. O dear, they did not do sandwiches and with three Madams gazing at me with mouths virtually open with what was on my back, I rapidly pointed to something and said Der soil voice plais. 

Now last year when I was walking with my cycling chaperone, besets friend wifie (she does not mind in the least being called that), our mid morning snack was always croissants or pain au chocolate. But one day with non available I was treated to a heavenly snack, food from the gods and I have not had one since I left last year……until now. Custard filled chelsea buns!!!!

Well there has to be some goodness in them, there are eggs so that’s protein and I am convinced there a few more of my five a day in there somewhere. With two custard filled buns purchased, I skipped out of the shop and quickly launched into one and tucked the other away for an afternoon reward for having walked so far.

Not far out of the village I arrived at Montot and while looking at my map and GPS to confirm whether I was going to stick to my planned route and a possible detour back or continue on an easy option though the village, a battered van rolled up and stopped. Bonjour….blah blah blah he said, I pointed at my map and indicated I knew where I was thank you. He looked at my map and told me to go straight ahead through the village. Well I had decided that was what I was going to do anyway.

Just out of the village he appeared again, this time getting out of his van and walked up to me….blah blah blah he said. Mmmmm I replied, it’s this way I said. Non Non it’s that way, sending me in where ever it goes direction through a field with no real path. I don’t think he was a walker or really knew what I was doing. I think he was just taking pleasure in sending what looked like a homeless person out of the village in any direction as soon as possible.

After that exciting event I then turned left to the track I wanted to take but there was a French sign at the entrance. Now it did not say Prive so I guess it was ok but to be on the safe side I texted wifie at work. Soon she replied it was something to do with agricultural vehicles but by this time I was well on my way. I did not get shot or run off the track by an angry farmer….phew!

I continued on my journey and on a small country lane I stepped to one side to let a car pass, it stopped. O no…….a pretty young lady promptly asked if I was going to the Chateau, I understood that somehow. I replied no and showed her where I was going on the my map, she politely gazed at it, a bit like looking at pictures rather than reading the words of a book, and I said….I don’t know and drove off!

It was lunch time now so I sat down and ate my cold pasta left over from the previous night but was not succumbed to the sin of my custard chelsea bun, that was for later. I continued on my journey and in the middle of the afternoon came to Pont and here it would happen, I could not wait any longer, the chelsea bun was calling me. So I sat down in the sun and slowly devoured it. My hunger suppressed and with new energy I continued the last few kilometres to Auxonne and my home for the night.

Now Auxonne looks like a very nice place with some history, but with 28.5km under my belt I was in need of a cold beer and no more walking today please.

Total distance - 28.5 kilometres
Distance from Citeaux Abbey, Dijon - 28.5 kilometres