Tour de Grand Est - Stage 1 Complete

Our day started with a paraglider (motorized) buzzing around above (at 7:23). Much better than fighter jets but not as nice as the medley of birds who were our alarm clock (just after 5).

Would you believe the route took us DOWN that big hill. But this time we got to stop and appreciate the view. Quite a "Petit Cite de caracter" as the sign says. 

Half way down it was safe to stop. Hard to get the full impact of the valley but suffice it to say it was impressively full of big old houses. 

Exiting Plombieres we had a cute little boy ride along with us for about 100 meters. He was determined to keep up on his tiny bike, until he finally said "au revoir bon route!". 

Our route changed to more beautiful forest, with ferns lining the road, bon route indeed. 

Saturday morning traffic was light and the sun was shining but not too hot, yet. 

The daily pastry stop was a success. And we were reminded of Nana Bev and her meringues. 

In the parking lot outside we could pick up some eggs 👀

The French do love their vending machines. 

Leaving town the bike path took us under the highway into a cool tunnel (cool art and cool temperature).

When you are cycling toward a mountain pass, you keep your eyes out for where that "low" point may be.  

A rail trail / bike path (La Voie Verte) kept us safe and kept the navigation easy for many kilometers. All the way to Bussang. 

Lots of cyclists out today. Those coming towards us going downhill with the wind at their back, whizzed by.  We did not. Uphill, into the wind and 30+ degree sunshine. 

We did have one couple pass us by, Dad on a road bike, mom on an e-bike pulling the kids. 

Polite hellos.

They passed us again later, clearly they got a longer lunch stop than we did. 

Just as the heat was getting to be unbearable we came upon this velo stop - tools, bathrooms and WATER! We took full advantage - full bottles, full bellies and wet kit. All the other cyclists did too. 

The bike path ends at Bussang. Where the train apparently stopped many years ago. So we had to join the road, but the road less travelled for sure. At one point we found ourselves surrounded by racers. Yes we were being passed by a road race, talk about feeling slow 🤣. 

A local couple was out at the end of their driveway handing water bottles to the riders. The hand off wasn't successful but it was a nice idea. 

As it turned out, our friends - Dad the road guy and Mom pulling the kids - had stopped at the Source of the Moselle, which was right in our route. 

The Moselle takes its source at the base of the Drumont mountain, at 735m, on the western slopes of the crystalline Vosges, and flows into the Rhine at Koblenz.

As we passed they joined us and we all climbed the final kilometers of the summit together. The mom was so nice, e-biking beside me cheering me on.  "You can do it, we are almost there".  And when I made it to the top she yelled "I am so proud of you!!" She even stopped to take our photo at the summit sign. 

Note the "peak"

 

And we passed into the Alsace region.

Woot woot Stage 1 Complete. 

Obviously, once you summit you head down. For safety the road hairpins repeatedly. It was absolutely spectacular, and I could have taken 100 photos but the grade was 6% for over 2 kilometers so I had to concentrate on the road and my brakes. 

Thank you Marc for my new brake pads (well used now!). 

Down we went, happy legs, happy cyclists, glad to be over the mountains and into Alsace 

As we turned the corner to our campground we passed a man with an enormous backpack. He didn't look like much of a hiker and we both thought how very strange that was. 

As we found our camp site, we sat and relaxed and snacked and watch paragliders (no engines) enjoy the breeze and the beauty of this valley. 

We met our camping neighbor, Adrian, and he is a paraglider. I asked how they get back to their cars from where they start and he explained they pack the sail into a huge backpack and walk or hitch a ride. 

That explains the non hiker man with the giant backpack!  Our campground is full of paragliders. 

As we sat, relaxing, suddenly, out of the blue, my back tire popped. Yup. Crazy. After all these kilometers and it just suddenly pops. Wow. We think it was likely as it cooled off, a tear in the tube caused by a rough spot in my new back tire. Wow. So glad it happened when it did.  I wasn't even on it. 

Marc fixed my tire, I pitched the tent, and checked the weather. Chance of thunder storms tonight.  Oh wait, what's that? Massive thunder, massive rain, out of the blue. Mad dash to get everything into the tent...

It was red level heavy! How do the clouds actually hold that much rain? 

So we went to the campground restaurant for dinner. Two choices. 

We were happy to have a meal "out" and enjoyed the company of paragliders and soccer fans watching a game. The rain stopped. 

 

The evening stroll (also known to some close friends as the "fart walk") included a look at the landing field for the paragliders. 

And this structure (photo from the internet as the sun was setting and my shot isn't good). It is a sad and lonely portion of a train viaduct that was built, but the project was never completed. So it stands like this, here, in the middle of a field, going nowhere. 

Our tent held strong through its first rain storm but pitching under pine trees means lots of needles.  When we arrived we really wanted shade, now we hope we dry out for morning pack up. 

Long day 

Lots of adventure 

And lots of daisies along the trail today, reminding me of home and our sweet Josie Daisy. 

Good night all. 

Tour de Grand Est - Stage 1 - Day 3

It was 12 degrees this morning. A welcome fresh start to a very hot forecast. 

It was hard to get out of the campground because we had such good conversations going.  

Our German neighbor, Barbara, loves the Alsace region we are headed too and she gave us great advice. Our Belgian neighbor Nele, explained the blight on the trees and the challenges of cycling alone. 

We did eventually get packed up and we set off into the rolling fields.  As we have observed before, cycling in France is basically going from one steeple to the next. Sort of like trail markers for hikers. (See steeple in background in photo of Marc.)

We researched to discover that the rounded dome/cupola on the steeple is a Baroque influence, brought in during the 17-18th century rebuilding after the Thirty Years' War.  Shaped like an empirial crown. The colourful glazed tile roofs are a Burgundian tradition.  

The sun is shining, the hay is drying, and the vines are green (and the manure, in the foreground, is piled high).

And Marc is very patient waiting for me to take yet another photo. 

We started to see the Vosges mountains on the horizon. That's our destination (tomorrow we do the Col de Bussang pass).

The hills were rolling and smooth and quiet. Wondering how they keep the roads so smooth?

A rare moment when I am ahead of Marc: 

At first break, with our pastries ordered in advance from the campground, we made a friend. 

He looks after the grounds of the Church (because he doesn't think the paid workers do it well enough). The peonies are in full bloom and the gardens are gorgeous. He was quite a chatter, and has been to Montreal and Quebec City so we had a longer break than usual. 

Onward and upward. 

Lunch was acquired in Saint Loup, an ancient town dating back to the 4th century.  The gardens here were lovely too, so many roses climbing the walls. 

Our grocery stop was early today, as the options were scarce. It was hot hot hot in the parking lot with the bikes, so I slipped inside the front doors to enjoy the air conditioning while keeping and eye on our bikes. The store manager thought this was quite funny, and put his arm around me and asked the cashier to take our photo. I obliged and then got a selfie too. Another friend along the way. 

We stopped for some shade under this cherry tree. Yes they were quite sweet and delicious. 

As the afternoon heat set in, and we continued our climb, we were on the look out for water. Bingo! We found this pump running cool water, and there was a bicycle beside it. Surely that is a sign? We accepted the silent offer and soaked our caps and arms. 

As the climbing continued were we so happy to find ourselves in a forest. Towering pines provided some much appreciated shade and the road was quiet, allowing for a slow pace, to match to temperature and the incline. 

Into the foothills of the Vosges we climbed. 

Thankfully early enough in the year to not need our chains. 

We wished the forest and the shade would last but we came upon Plombieres.

Plombieres was our final destination today. A remarkable place. Napoleon III was responsible for modernizing the spa town and created a marvel of architecture and modernity: The Napoleon Baths (Thermes Napoleon). (1798 - 1814). The eagles on the facade were created by Bartholdi (Statue of Liberty).  It is known as the city of a thousand balconies, all stacked up the hillside is quite a lovely site. 

Photos from Google as we were very focused on surviving at this point 😉

The Grand Hotel (which is not so grand anymore fyi).

The Napoleon Baths.

And houses all the way up the hill with multiple stories and balconies. 

This was what it looked like to us, speed in blue, elevation in grey:

Quite a finish! 

Camping De L'Hermitage was a welcome sight. 

Shaded tables are a bonus. 

 

And check out this tree house! Seriously. 

It is quiet here, only 4 other couples. And one man is playing classical guitar, such a talent and so nice of him to share it. 

The property is dotted with more art sculptures that just make you smile. 

Last night we had fighter jets scream across the sky, loud and late. One was so loud and so late (10:38 pm to be exact) it woke us all up with a fright. Not sure if we are close to a military base now, but I am hoping the pilots have the night off. 

Until tomorrow, good night, and thank you so much for all the comments. ♥️