The canals of Dole

Breakfast was subdued and a bit ordinary with prepackaged bread and croissants, sliced cheese and a few different jams.  Even the coffee was average though the strawberries from the garden were a highlight.  Catherine sat at one end of the table with two pieces of crustless white bread that she seemed to smother with (what looked like) mayonnaise and then dip in her tea.  20 minutes later we were back in our rooms and finalising our packing.  

We were soon in open farmland, with flat fields as far as we could see.  We passed another bike with flowers – and would see a few more over the day. A friendly horse watched us with interest.  The main street of Seurre was lined with coloured hearts as we stopped to pick up morning tea supplies to enjoy on the banks of the Saone.  Unfortunately the peace was marred by a worker cutting grass nearby.  

Our route tracked either along the Saone River or the Canal de Derivation de la Saone with an occasional detour through farmland, till we reached our lunch destination at Saone-Jean-de-Losne. We found a nice restaurant on the waterfront offering the menu du jour and enjoyed a lovely lunch which included a delicious Parmesan ravioli, a pork skewer (for me), rare steak for Simon and fruit salad.

A few kms after lunch we turned onto the Canal du Rhone au Rhin and followed it until just before Dole.  We kept a close eye on the sky, hoping to beat the rain. Dole was a pretty town, situated on the Doubs River and our accommodation was right in the heart of town. 

Keen to explore Dole, we checked in and headed straight out to visit the birthplace of Louis Pasteur.  His home is now a museum and we took our time to explore the various rooms to learn more about his life and achievements, fortunately supported by a brief English commentary.  His father had operated a tannery from the house which opened onto the Tanners’ canal.  We also had a quick look at the remains of the tannery which were located in the cellar.

Leaving the house, we noticed cat trail markers and decided that following these would be a good way to explore the city. Known as Le circuit de chat perche, the route took us on a winding route through the town.  This included a walk through the garden of Cours Saint-Mauris, where a monument celebrating Louis Pasteur had been erected in the upper garden.  

Nearby, the Dolois fresco, a tromp-l’oeil mural celebrated the women and men who shaped the history of Dole.  We wandered the streets keeping a close eye out for the cat marker, and backtracking whenever we lost it.  We passed an interesting sculpture of four women with four hats melted together sitting on three chairs – not sure of its significance.  

The former Hotel-Dieu, once a hospital for the city’s poor now housed a Media Library and archives.  The Grande Fontaine, also known as the Leper Fountain was reached via a set of narrow steps and a dark tunnel, fed by a natural spring. We emerged onto the canal promenade and wandered the pretty waterways, passing Le Chat de Marcel on our way back to our accommodation.

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