We’ve been making our way steadily west across France. We spent two nights in Orient Forest Regional Nature Park (Parc naturel régional de la Forêt d’Orient) between the shores of Lake Orient (Lac d’Orient) and the lovely old town of Troyes. This area is 170,000 acres of protected woodland and lakes in the Champagne-Ardenne region. Although part of the designated Champagne region and very agricultural, we saw little wine growing but field after field of sunflowers, not yet in full bloom, they will make quite the spectacle in another few weeks. In the town of Troyes we explored the narrow cobbled streets and saw the half-timbered houses and impressive Gothic and Renaissance style architecture. With a history going back to the Middle Ages Troyes was once at the crossroads of major trade routes across Europe, chiefly the Roman Via Agrippa.

And then it was onward to the city of Chartres, where we came across an old friend. Chartres is just 90km southwest of Paris and is known for the Cathedral of Notre Dame of Chartres, considered one of the finest and best preserved Gothic cathedrals in Europe, it has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This of course attracted pilgrims since the Middle Ages, so chiefly to visit this prominent Catholic site, for others it was a stop on their pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela in Spain. And as we left our campsite onto the south bank of the Eure river in Chartres, we saw the familiar shell signs that designates the pilgrim Camino route, which we spent 7 weeks walking in the north of Spain in the Spring and early Summer of 2016.

Yesterday we arrived in Bagnoles de l’Orne Normandie, a quirky spa town in the middle of rural Normadie. It feels out of place with its enormous hotels and villas build for the well heeled to visit and take “the cure” at the local thermal baths. We hope to explore more of the area today before moving on again tomorrow. We are moving at pace, as we make our way West but we are hoping to take it a little easier from later in the week and savour some of the areas we are visiting.