Today, after a brief ride to view the Citadel and river we track North to Reims for the night. This will get us in range for the tunnel crossing early on Sunday. We set the GPS to avoid motorway and had a blast up through some of the finest French countryside consisting of mile after mile of wheat fields and some forested sections. The temperature rose to above 30 degrees so it was good to keep moving but if ever we slowed due to traffic or speed limits in towns it became almost unbearable.
We stopped a few times and I remembered the McDonalds trick from some years ago. It’s not French cuisine but on hot days like this the Air con and clean washroom facilities of Maccy D’s really helps. In one town in the Champagne region I noticed a covered market square to stop and get out of the sun.
While we were waiting another biker turned up out of nowhere on a Kawasaki 650 and it turned out to be a lady biker from Paris out for a weekend tour of the region. After a brief chat we said our farewells and made it to the hotel in Reims in good time.
A nice evening spent viewing the famous cathedral and the rest of the city, a few beers and a meal while people watching in the centre!
The following day we left the hotel at around 7am and travelled the A20 peage back to Calais and made an early tunnel crossing. Usual snarl up on the M25 near Heathrow, but managed to get home by 2.30pm.
Night stay at:
ibis Styles Reims Centre
21 Boulevard Paul Doumer, Reims, 51100, France
Reasonable quality near the Town centre and Cathedral area.
Room was a bit tired I suspect because of high turnaround of guests, breakfast was good and very friendly staff.
Safe gated parking with passcode off road for a fee. Ideal for getting to / from the A20 peage for Calais etc.
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| The planned route. |
YouTube Video Playlist. Select Menu of rides from top right in player.
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