Étape no 1, complete! We are now in Lausanne, having come from Paris this week. A bit longer than expected, but still very nice. The original quote of 3200km from Stockholm to Zurich has ballooned into 4700km. Since there are really no cycle routes from Paris to Lausanne, we managed to find a cycle map, and use part of the route.

Totally worth the 16 Euro, as it took us through some of the nicest cities in Bourgogne. We followed this south for 300km or so to Clamency, where we started to head east… in what you would consider a random secondary highway route.

Highlights of this cycle route were:

Blandy-les-Tours (11th century castle with a neat contemporary art museum).

And of course, Vézelay, Burgundy, which is world heritage site and likely the most beautiful place in France we’ve been to.

The countryside has been pleasant. It’s been sunny every day, the countryside not too hilly, and the views superb.

It’s been getting a little frosty at night, somewhere near freezing. Moist nights, heavy dew, fog, a crispness about the morning. Put on smelly clothes, do it all over again.

These are the mornings worth remembering.