The Way of Life

The Canal du Centre was undergoing repairs as we rejoined it, and looked like it had been out inaccessible for some time, with boats beached along its edge. However, it was soon back in full flow as we made our way to Chalon-sur-Saone for a late morning tea.  

We pushed our bikes through the nearby Geo-Botanical Garden which recreates different settings with vegetation of specific geographical areas including vineyards, granite, Provençal, pine, marsh, perennial and aquatic. 

As it was so close by, we stopped at the Maison Des Vins , a not-for-profit association that promotes the local Burgundy wines, offered at the same price as you would pay at the cellar door.  The whites were all chardonnays and the reds were Pinot noirs.  We limited ourselves to buying two bottles of red wine recommended by the sales assistant given that we still had 25kms to cover, and bottles are heavy.  

The heart of the town was Saint Vincent square, dominated by the cathedral, and  surrounded by picturesque timber-framed buildings. Saint Vincent Cathedral was built in the 12th century and is described as being a Gothic graft on a Romanesque foundation.  The fountain, called ‘the Way of Life’ apparently sometimes cascades with red water as a reminder of burgundy wine. 

As we left town, we passed the L’abre a Manon sculpture created by Jacques Pissenem.  Manon holds a globe to the sky, and the stylised legs represent the Saone River and the grapes represent the winemaking of the region.  

One final crossing of the Canal du Centre and we were back in farmland and soon cycling along the Saone where we found a little park area for lunch.  As we approached Verdun-sur-Doubs we could see the confluence of the Saone and Verdun rivers.

Our BnB accommodation was a couple of kilometres further on, in a hamlet of 85 people.  We had ordered dinner as it wasn’t close to any restaurants.  A French cyclist was the only other guest and we had a chat over drinks.  Dinner was served in the family dining room and we were joined by the BnB owners, Dave and Catherine, together with their elderly English neighbour who had been living in France for the past 20 years.  She spoke good French and acted as translator as we enjoyed a nice dinner. 

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