Bretagne, France
Horses vs bicycles
The cliffs of Sant Malo
Camping is how I travel. Craft ciders from Normandy.
Eventually, despite the camp showers, you get uncomfortably unclean. Then you know you need a real hotel.
Category: Camping
Lorraine 2017
Domremy-la-Pucelle
An anniversary: 30 May 1431, the English burn Jeanne d’Arc in Rouen
Horror grips us
As we watch you die
All we can do is
Echo your anguished cries
Echo your anguished cries
Go take your sister then by her hand
Lead her away from this foreign land
Far away where we might laugh again
We are leaving you don’t need us
2017: Following Jeanne d’Arc with 1885 maps
This map is a lucky find of mine, from the 1885 book En suivant Jeanne d’Arc sur les chemins de France. It was shipped to me from Lorient Bretagne of all places (a separate story!)
The maps, with some deviations, follow the same routes as described by Frances Caddy who travelled them personally on foot and by bicycle the next year, 1886. Her very-well documented account was published in London under the title Footsteps of Jeanne d’Arc: A Pilgrimage.
The print quality is very good.
It is fairly easy to transfer the routes into Google maps and Garmin. The job, however, is daunting when it comes to actually following them on a bicycle.
Breaking camp at the merovingian cemetery, Civaux
Where in the world is Civaux? http://www.cartesfrance.fr/carte-france-ville/86077_Civaux.html
Garmin navigation
A Garmin device is too small for my eyes. It has a great battery life and is waterproof, though.
For an orientation in space and time, I’d rather use a phone.
An interesting fact is that there are fewer roads now than 20 years ago. Oftentime, your Garmin urges you to take a shortcut but there is no actual road any more. I try to be good and report every map error.
Saint Savin, France – fall 2015
The German portable oven, solid fuel. A bit slow, but super-light.
I pitched my tent under this tree next to the electricity hook-up. Can you see it?
The Loire Valley
Le matin a Noyon.
Sully sur Loire
Loches. The tomb of Agnes Sorel, the official mistress of Charles VII. The king for whom Jeanne gave her life in Rouen.
In 2005 they excavated the tomb and examined the DNA. The facial part of the skull is well-preserved. There is an exhibition of the finds, next to the effigy.
The Chinon valley along the Vienne river is all covered with famous vineyards.
Some roads are not good for the small bike wheels! This one could be from the Roman times.
My green tent and the Brompton. Camping in Chinon
The Chinon castle. People picnicking on the beach. In France, you can drink wine anywhere you like.
A morning in Bléré. Stopping for a coffee and a croissant.
My lunch in Blois
The bridge that the French army crossed as the first move against the English to liberate Orleans. The army and supplies had been assembled at Blois. Jeanne’s title was “Chef de guerre” – the chief of war. She took command of the troops at the age of 16.
La réserve de Chambord
Boring
Jeanne d’Arc
Loches
L’ile de Bouchard
The most amazing church in France – l’ile de Bouchard. Jeanne d’Arc attended mass here before arriving at Chinon the next day. You HAVE to see it to believe it.
L’ile de Bouchard, the interior
Gien
Vers the Loire valley
Jeanne d’Arc spent the winter of 1429/1430 in this castle.
La port de France a Vaucouleurs (Meuse). Jeanne left through this gate in the winter of 1429, to Chinon.
Meuse and Lorraine, you see her everywhere
Biking to Vauculeurs was hard because of the bad weather!
Hey, I made it to Domremy!
La maison natale de Jeanne d’Arc, Domremy
This is the room where she grew up.
Bois Chênu, the famous forest where she used to go to.
This is actually quite scary. An angel giving you the order to kill… and get killed
It’s more than enough for one day
Travel the world on a bicycle. On y va!
St Savin, France
Sha Tin velo track, China
Hong Kong
![HzLanrsTzRE[1]](https://griffoyger.files.wordpress.com/2016/04/hzlanrstzre1.jpg?w=700)
Sai Kung, chez Pam et moi – Hong Kong
USA
Portland Oregon USA
Winter 2016, USA
Chez moi, Portland Oregon
Ve Lo 