VOSGES & JURA REGIONS 2001
A fortnight's cycle camping tour undertaken by the male member of this duo. After being in each others faces during our 6 month trip to Nepal, India and New Zealand, and after a month back home I was told to get out of the house for a couple of weeks (can't think why!) ...... so I went to France. The main aim was to collect more BPF stamps and complete the departments in the Vosges and Jura regions (for more info on BPF stamps see the 'Across France' section), get some cycling miles in after 6 months of cycling inactivity and take in a few more cols on the way. I used the Bolero cycling bus service to get down to Beaune and an overnight hotel stop there before setting off the next day.............. 27/5 Beaune to Gray. Warm, sunny day. 107kms
St Jean-de-Losne
Off before 09:00hrs; northwards on D20 through quiet villages, farmland, poppy fields, never far from the River Saone. A fallow deer ran in front of me across road; I don't know who got the biggest shock! Very pleasant coffee stop by river at St Jean - nice place. A couple of other cycle tourists going south and a number of French sunday cyclists out and about as I carried on to Pesmes for my first BPF stamp - old church & village. Large French cycling group in cafe singing away after their lunch (and most certainly after some wine as well). Quiet undulating roads then through forested areas onto Gray to a good municipal campsite by the river and a good value restaurant opposite to finish the day off nicely. 28/5 Gray to Vesoul. Warm, sunny day. 113kms
Outside the supermarket at 08:30hrs waiting for it to open before taking minor roads again along the Saone valley; quiet hamlets & villages. Some undulations across country to Montigny-les-Cherlieu (BPF stamp for nearby Abbey ruins). Today it was a fox that ran across the road in front of me. Onto Blondefontaine (BPF stamp for church & the Saone valley) and the first cafe I had seen open today - a welcome coffee after 70kms. Through Port-s-Saone (brief rest here with a quiet couple behind me on a bench - see photo) and a hilly approach to Vesoul and campsite by the lake, 1km out of town. BPF stamp; interesting old town; chapel; park and lakes. No immediate rest at campsite because they were cutting the grass. Pizza restaurant on site but didn't fancy one for a second day. Bought some butter this morning and it melted in my pannier - luckily it was in a separate bag. Big tin of saucisson and veggy stuff for tea - and plenty of rest. Asleep before 22:00hrs. Port-s-Saone rest time
29/5 Vesoul to Bruyeres. Warm to hot sunny day. 115kms
Slugs everywhere, had to wipe a couple off the tent; off by 08:30hrs; already very warm. Bought some lunch stuff and took reasonably quiet D10/D6 undulating roads through fields and wooded hillsides to Luxeuil-les-Bains for coffee stop (BPF stamp for old hotels and cloister); pleasant spot. Valley route through Fougerolles to le Val d'Ajol (first BPF stamp for Vosges dept. - Vallee des Roches). Later on took minor climbing road to Girmont (about 715' high; lunch stop on church steps). Some good forest views. Descent to busy Remiremont and minor roads across the river onto Eloyes after 95kms (BPF stamp for viewpoint; but I wasn't climbing up there!) Drinking like a fish today and I still finished 1.5 litres of Orangina off after I got to Bruyeres; nice campsite near centre of interesting town (BPF stamp for 18thC hospital and fountain; chateau ruins). 13frs bottle of wine washed down a pile of ravioli for tea after the shower/clothes washing routine.
30/5 Bruyeres to Barr. Warm, sunny day with some cloud. 120kms
View from Col de la Schlucht road
Off by 08:00hrs; wet grass & tent. Reasonably quiet main road for 23kms to Gerardmer (BPF stamp for various local scenic attractions). Easy graded and interesting climb for 15kms to Col de la Schlucht 1258' (BPF stamp for Route des Cretes). Busy main road top; coffee stop. Other cyclists about including one dutch group with backup vehicle. Good views along Route des Cretes road to Col du Calvaire 1144' and descent to Lac Blanc (BPF stamp for lake). Descended to Orbey for lunch in large bus shelter. In hindsight should have climbed back up and continued along Route des Cretes. Roads busier after Kayersberg (a very pretty fortified village) but found some cycle routes (this region has loads of them) through the Alsace vine fields. The villages are very pretty but more Germanic looking than true French and some had a bit of a dead feeling to them. Campsite was a 3km climb out of Barr; emptied another 1.5 litre of Orangina into me. Spent the evening killing ants and stopping flying things getting into the tent. - there was nowhere to walk to. Aching legs. 31/5 Barr to Issenheim. Cloudy start becoming sunnier. 125kms
Thunderbolts and lightening in the night; some early rain before 08:00hrs then clearing. 6k easy wooded climb to Mont-Ste-Odile (BPF stamp for monastery and panoramic view). Descended to the plains for flat road cycling for the rest of day through lots of small Alsace villages (all ending in 'heim'). Coffee stop at Diebolsheim (BPF stamp; famous floral village; and very pretty). Cycled with french postal worker for 15kms out for a spin before he started his evening shift - pleasant chat. 52frs meal at Marckolsheim after 60kms; sat outside in the sunshine - first good meal since that first day pizza. Onto Neuf Brisach (BPF stamp for fortified village close to the German frontier). Followed marked cycle route into Colmar for yet another BPF stamp; extremely interesting town centre with old buildings (been here before so didn't bother looking around again). Followed minor roads alongside motorway to Issenheim and a good campsite outside. Had to keep moving my clothes washing around to catch the sunshine.Could only finish 1 litre of a 1.5 litre Orangina bottle today. 01/06 Issenheim to Giromagny. Sunshine and cloud, cool to warm. 97kms
Left the tent up and went on 42kms return trip up to Grand Ballon at 1424' the highest point in the Vosges and a BPF stamp. Very pleasant quiet narrow road from Soultz to Col Amic 825' then two short cobbled hairpin sections on way to top. Cold; dived into cafe for hot chocolate, just as it was opening. Jacket and longs on for descent - still shivered. Cloudy with limited views. Tent dry when I returned; campsite toilet block was heated; that was a blessing! Feeling tired - suspect this was mainly due to lack of food. Must get a proper meal every day. Missed out at lunchtime as only restaurant I came across was full - ate all my remaining snacks up. Took it easy for the rest of the day on undulating roads with some cycle lanes at times. BPF stamp at Rougemont-le-Chateau (chateau ruins). Into Giromagny by 15:00hrs and called it a day. Pleasant campsite in town centre. No suitable restaurant open in town but an excellent pizza takeaway place. Spent 2hrs in the evening chatting with english couple in their camper van. Cobbled section above Col Amic
Approaching Grand Ballon
02/06 Giromagny to Servance & back. Cool,cloudy & grey with rain.64kms
Visit to market and cafe for a coffee waiting to see if weather would improve - no such luck but no real rain yet. Abandoned planned trip to Col du Ballon d'Alsace 1171' and instead took some pleasant quiet roads over Col de la Chevestray 640' and across to Servanche for another coffee and a BPF stamp(for local waterfall). Weather looking worse so came back roughly the same way and got caught in some heavy rain. Rain off and on for the rest of day and quite cool. Flung wet clothes in campsite dryer - they came out lovely! Ventured out of the tent briefly and got caught in more rain and so it went on. Ate all my remaining food, finished off a bottle of wine and stayed inside. Nice hot shower before bedtime - warm and dry now. At Giromagny before the rain.
