Would love to spend more time here in Besancon, it seems an interesting place – maybe I just got caught up in a ‘tram city’ which I love. Then there are the steps up over the big hill – many of them, which were on our ‘not to do’ list.
Thought it would be a walk in the park, well in one way it was. Moving along early in the cool, following directions, there was confusion about different routes. The river route would, we thought, take us around the mountain to give us a more easy day, but then the next directions did not fit but no steps yet.
So I disturbed another two walkers who put us back on track, or so we thought. It was another way back to our starting point. This took us through a park so in one way it was a walk in the (you know what). A man and his dog were targeted next and he sent us through a small tunnel and up a road.
The hill was still there, and a few steps. It was a long steep climb but fairly easy with no steps, so we eventually got our walk in the park. Past a few day walkers, got passed by a dozen bike riders and then it was down the other side.
It was then through a town with a De Cheveau voiture planted with flowers and on a mound at the village entry celebrating its 70th year, past an airfield and then another walk with no signs. Time to put the book away and get out the map. Time to go from one road to another, following their numbers.
Still had to hold cars up to verify our way, but the two women, the man and his daughter, the young woman, and then the young man seemed to think we were harmless and helped. Yet another walk in a dark forest but this time there were carpets of moss blanketing the ground and creeping up the trees and over the rocks.
Emerging out into the light, it was not far to our next sleep. As we moved through this ‘no shop village’ with our own shop on our back we saw an older couple waiting by the road, outside a superbly renovated/converted ancient stone barn full of treasures. They were our hosts waiting for us, they didn’t have to make it that easy.
