Joan of Arc and the Belle Epoch.
DAY 2: 4th September:
REIMS TO NEMOURS:
We sped along the toll road to Nemours, our next night’s destination. We stopped at Reims for Graham to take some more photos of the particularly good depiction in bronze of Joan of Arc. She looks so very young and small to be managing her rearing horse outside the cathedral.
We also found our way back to the wonderful Le Grand Café. We had previously fallen in love with this famous landmark. It has retained its ‘Belle Epoch’ interior – all mirrors and gilt and red velvet seats. This time, because of cold, wet weather, we eschewed the so-French tables outside under the large umbrellas. In the plush interior we still had the waiters with their long black aprons scurrying to fulfil our every wish. I felt on that dismal day that their speciality, the moules, wonderful and plentiful though they always are, were just not filling enough. So I had a small, thick steak instead. It came rare, just as I like it, with a wonderful sauce.
Then it was back on the road. To our eyes, we had found, so far, the top half of France to be rather flat and uninteresting. (Unless you want to visit the graveyards, or deviate to some historic towns).
I’m sure there are plenty more seasoned travellers to defend Normandy and Picardy, who can and probably will show much evidence to prove us wrong.
Try and Take this Road-
We took the A4 and A5 (avoiding the Paris ring road) to a place I’d located when researching with maps and ‘images’ the various possible routes for our trip.
MORET-SUR-LOING – EXCEPTIONALLY ATTRACTIVE
Moret-sur-Loing is a very beautiful small town, with a medieval arched gatehouse astride the bridge. In the past, strangers wanting to enter would be checked (and probably charged.) Off to the left was a charming little turreted house, reached by a small wooden bridge over a mini-weir – perhaps a mill-race. (See feature picture – me crossing bridge.)
We walked along one bank of the wide river and admired the ancient, half-timbered houses, more elaborate in their designs than most in England. Graham crossed over to the other side to take good pictures of them. Also the cob-and timber ‘offshoot’ dwelling that appeared as if hooked over the side of the bridge. It is visible in our picture above. As is usual in France, the noble old bridge was bedecked with flowers.
Extra Expense -Don’t be Caught Out-
We would love to see more of this place, but we got in our car and drove the 14km on A6 to where I’d booked a room in the Kyriad Hotel – Nemours. It was very difficult to find this hotel, even using Miss SatNav. When we did finally locate it we had to enter a toll road not on our route. In the morning those few yards cost us €6.60; so not such a good deal, after all! Though very comfortable, it was not as nice as staying in a private home, because the staff were impersonal. We declined paying €10 each for breakfast, knowing we could pick up good stuff at a boulangerie along our road.
If you are using that toll road, then it’s a clean, comfy overnight stop.
Text by – Jackie Usher, SWWJ. (aka author Debbie Darkin, & ‘Graham Liverpool’ on Trip Advisor.)
Photographs by – Graham Usher.
July 30, 2020 @ 9:35 am
Hi therе, I enjoy reading thrοugh your article.
Ӏ wanted to wгite a little comment to support you.
August 8, 2020 @ 11:06 am
Thank you for getting in touch. I am so glad you enjoyed our accounts.. We are updating all our links so that you can pinpoint any one area we have been. Moe places in France (visited 2018) to follow shortly. And then some reminiscences from further back, including Croatia and Crete. All in good time!
August 1, 2020 @ 10:46 am
Қeеp on writing, great job!
August 8, 2020 @ 11:03 am
Thank you so much, Fay. Do you have a blogsite? Of course, all travels are curtailed while this Virus is around – which seems like forever!
Jackie.