An Ibis breakfast (enough for a family of four) and a decision to a) go to Lausanne, b) stay two nights, c) take a direct route and d) book another Ibis in the city centre to continue our not quite glossy tour. Then a repack and 0945, the departure. But no, we needed food. And we were sent on our way by the patisseriere with a ‘bon dimanche’. Straight towards a hill.
But she was a lucky charm. The road up was closed. No traffic but for two bicycles for a lot of the climb. Lovely rolling surface to ease 5-11% gradients UP over ten kilometres. The Komoot app insisted on a direct path and with the local knowledge, we disobeyed.
Having climbed to 1050 m, a coffee break in Jougne was much enjoyed especially since we were already heading down again.
A walker stopped to warn us about wolves. This while we were having lunch on Rue Julius Caesar, part of the Roman Way about a kilometre short of the border. We were looking across the valley at Mont d’Or (the name of the local cheese we had for dinner last night) when the local took a slight detour to let us know about the pack that had been taking deer and sheep in the wooded valley. I had just dehammed a cheese sandwich into the brush so I paid attention: even I know chumming for wolves is unwise. He carried a 50 cm handled ice pick just in case. He had lots to say, so much that we delayed a tad longer than planned.
An we set off again and found gardens of Swiss flags: obvious different building standards and equally notable, an increase in population density. Pedestrian crossings went yellow and traffic lights displayed orange before green like in the UK. We really had left France.
Can’t stop thinking about this adventure as having started in Manchester. We’ve covered 1495 kilometres after 20 days cycling (albeit with a gap of 17 months between finishing the first 555 km and restarting). Today’s stats include 74 km cycled and up some 900 m yet almost 1300 m down. And then the delicious 500 m descent was moderated by a vicious headwind that instantly halved the joyous 40 kph freewheel. Safer but a tad too shakey for my liking, I reverted to hyper vigilance rather than carefree, celebratory exuberance.
It was still a long way to Lausanne. Then my navigation stopped. Roaming charges for map data are terrifying for the carrier I use, 45 times more expensive than for my buddy. Obviously he’s going to have navigate us through Switzerland. Hotel wifi for a few days folks!
A Thai restaurant for vegetarian dinner served us tofu and seitan and green vegetables I haven’t seen for a week. The days of cheese and dehamming may be behind us.
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