Day 7 - Troyes to Avallon

Thursday, September 10

Troyes to Avallon (108 km)

Leaving Troyes was no problem (how about that?). We are getting better! We shot south to Avallon on a route that was flat early on, then gradually got into some fairly large rolling hills. We had a "favorable headwind" pretty much all day.

An 1800's mechanize loom. This is the main industry in Troyes.

Susan is riding well and stayed with us easily the entire day. She is a real trooper and very positive. Sandy stopped the van at a church and saw a gold plated cresh made in the 1500's. Hey, we came within 200 yards of it on the bike!

Having a nice baguette sandwich (ham and cheese) on the road.

We continue to learn how to steal baguette sandwiches from the petit dejeuner (which is grossly overpriced anyway), and take them with us to eat while riding. They are so much better than gels and bars. We're also getting skilled at finding the patisseries along the way. They often have sandwiches as well. All freshly made of course!

Tonnere all dressed up for the races.

Went though Tonnere where the town was all dressed up for the "supercross" races this coming weekend. Then down to Avallon and old walled town on a bluff above a beautiful canyon where our hotel was. The vast majority of small towns are clean, neat with streets that are great fun to ride through much faster than in the US. Jim and I love to shoot through the small villages where the houses are right up against the highway. We learned it from the watching the cars.

Where is everyone?

Many vines on the houses in this part of the country.

Avallon on the bluff. Ramparts just below a medieval church. Our hotel was in the valley below.