Day 271 – Val de Meuse to Champougney

Day 271                                                     16th April

52 miles (Val de Meuse to Champougney)  average speed 10.7 mph Top speed 36 mph

What was meant to be a short day turned into rather a long one. I was up at 6.45 and cooked bacon and eggs in a baguette for brekkie. The gas ran out just as I’d made my 3rd tea; so perfect timing. Everything went perfectly for the first two hours and it even stopped raining for long enough to pack up, but as I went to leave I soon realised I was under-dressed for the weather so I donned another pair of trousers and my fleece. It still wasn’t enough and I stopped after a mile to put on a jumper and a wind cheater.

Despite the wind and cold and occasional rain I was making good progress and stopped at a small village for a drink as I couldn’t find anywhere open for coffee and spotted a skittles lane with table and chairs for a rest.

I was just beginning to think my chances of finding a supermarket open rather remote when a van’s horn was blowing at the house behind me. I went to investigate and found the bread delivery lady, who kindly let me have a fresh baguette for 1.03€ . Strange pricing structure as she will be giving out change at every stop. Back at the table I followed the sexual activities of three beetles with interest. Then got back to very long ups and downs which were the story of the day.

After lots more ups and downs I finally reached Neuf Chateaux where I tried to find the campsite in the rain so that I could get some cover for lunch or even stay there if the rain were to continue, but my bad luck with campsites continued with this one locked up too.

So I had lunch in the football stadium under a tree and checked out my next option which was 8 miles away. At least it had stopped raining and I would get to see the birthplace of Joan of Arc. Lots more ups and downs and a very long tree lined avenue took me there just as the rain got heavier. I went straight to the campsite but this one was closed too. It doesn’t open until 1st May. I could have ducked under the rope or found a spot nearby, but there were quite a few people about so I went for a coffee to deliberate.

I decided to carry on for a while, until I found a place to wild camp just off the road and in the shelter of a pine forest.

Wild camp in a pine forest just off the road.