I thought the empty flatlands would never end but I’m finally getting a strong sense of some serious changes to my Via. More social engagement, along with more elevation change, all serve to give me new energy.
Day 36 Champlitte to Dampierre-sur-Salon
On this rather short day, including a spot “in the middle of nowhere,” I passed through more empty fields, and more empty villages. My eye was drawn to patterns. Patterns in nature and patterns on the sides of buildings. The churches are usually the most interesting buildings I see each day. But not today. Check out my accommodation tonight: a brand new Airbnb chalet in the backyard of a friendly resident.
The wood burning heater is a nice touch in this surprisingly opened church. Most have been closed.
Montot, another empty French village and closed church.
Fancy digs tonight!
Day 36 AllTrails Stats
Distance: 20.6 km / 12.8 miles
Elevation Gain: 309 m / 1,014 feet
Steps: 30,375
Relive: Sorry – none today.
Accommodation: Le kota des 3 tilleuls, Dampierre-sur-Salon
Day 37 Dampierre-sur-Salon to Gy
Since my accommodation tonight is off the Via, I walked a lot of asphalt roads to get there. As a result, my distance was only 27½ km compared to the 37 km I would have walked on the GR145.
Public Art
Day 37 AllTrails Stats
Distance: 27.7 km / 17.2 miles
Elevation Gain: 479 m / 1,572 feet
Steps: 40,001
Relive: https://www.relive.cc/view/v1Ow52WddXq
Accommodation: Hotel Pinocchio, Gy
Day 38 Gy to Cussey-sur-l’Ognon
Another day with a lot of asphalt to get back onto the VF, but once I was there, that pavement took me through miles of beautiful fields and forest with only the loud birdsongs to keep me company. Accommodation wasn’t available, so I followed a tip from Sandy Brown’s guidebook and finished my day’s walk partway into the next stage, at the regional TGV train station near Cussey-sur-l’Ognon. In this way, I can stay two nights in the beautiful medieval city of Besançon. I will return to the train station tomorrow morning to walk the rest of the stage into this city.
A Dutch couple cycling the VF from home and back did a good job adapting the logo of the little yellow man!
I’m getting excited with the change in terrain. And the poppies are coming out in full bloom!
I’m so excited to finally see some real hills.
I stopped walking this afternoon at the TGV Station and took a train into Besançon for the night. I’ll return here tomorrow morning to walk into the city properly. Officially, today is the end of the flatlands of France as the approach into Besançon is the start of my ascent of the Jura Mountains.
Day 38 AllTrails Stats
Distance: 22.7 km / 14.1 miles
Elevation Gain: 532 m / 1,745 feet
Steps: 33,686
Relive: https://www.relive.cc/view/vXOdXopK4kO
Accommodation: Hotel du Nord, Besançon
Day 39 Cussey-sur-l’Ognon to Besançon
Well, that felt weird: traveling by train backwards to walk forward. I got up early this morning to grab a quick bite of breakfast before walking across the city to catch the quick ride back to where I stopped walking yesterday. Got back to Besançon by noon, then had the afternoon to walk around and play tourist. I took a lot of pics today, because it’s such a beautiful city!
I love these public pianos! Sadly, no one was playing this one at the train station early this morning.
Day 39 AllTrails Stats
Distance: 12.9 km / 8.0 miles
Elevation Gain: 354 m / 1,161 feet
Steps: 24,522
Relive: Sorry – none today.
Accommodation: Hotel du Nord, Besançon
(Not Really a) Rest Day: Besançon
It wasn’t an official rest day, but I felt like it was. And what a beautiful city to rest in.
I spent time in the Cathédrale Saint-Jean and the Museum of Times (ironically, running out of time before I could see it all before it closed). I was fascinated to learn that Besançon has been a primary center of precision timepiece design and manufacture for centuries, rivaling the Swiss cities of note not far from here. As a result, it continues to be a world center for other measurement technologies. Besançon is also the birthplace of Victor Hugo, but I wasn’t able to visit the home, now a museum.
Public Art
Besançon is very nice, but “better than Hawai’i?” Sadly, they were closed so I couldn’t discuss that claim with anyone. Even worse, I couldn’t eat any of its fresh food.
It makes sense to see ancient Roman ruins on my walk to Rome.
Days 1-39 AllTrails Cumulative Stats
Distance: 871.6 km / 541.6 miles
Average Daily Distance: 22.3 km / 13.9 miles
Elevation Gain: 15,971 m / 52,398 feet
Steps: 1,362,714
The Blue Dot is ready for some mountains!
