Elodie Day 5 Compiegne to Pont L'eveque

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Jenny's Birthday and what a day!!

The day started with Jenny getting tea in bed. At breakfast, she was smothered with kisses (2 if you're French, 3 if you're Dutch) and presented with a cute little 'rum baba' cake complete with candle. The cake had cream and a raspberry on top and a small vial of rum which you inject into the cake. We had it for afternoon tea - Yum!!

Today's ride was almost completely within the Cempiegne forest. We left Elodie and were subject to a rugged start with a few hundred yards of rough cobblestones across the front of the Palace. This is where the Paris to Roubaix bike race starts. This race is largely on cobblestones and the riders cover approximately 260km in one day of bone jarring, teeth shattering riding.

After that little challenge, it was into the forest on good bike tracks through impressive wooded areas. First stop was the little village of Saint Jean aux Bois, tucked away in the middle of the forest but complete with a sizeable 14th century Abbey. It was a cold and cloudy day so we were pleased to be able to have a hot drink in a lovely café, complete with pot belly stove and a toilet that held its unwary users captive.

Back on the bikes we continued the transit through the forest to Pierrefonds, a delightful settlement with a reconstructed castle built in 1856 but in a medieval style. The castle dominates the skyline and is well worth a visit. A walk around the outside allows you to see and comprehend the building's unassailable defences - vertical, featureless walls, slitted windows for the archers, and high parapets and towers for good views of any approaching enemies. The trebuchet (catapult) sitting outside the castle grounds looks totally inadequate to do any damage to this impressive structure.

Next stop, the Clairiere de L'Armistice in the forest of Compiegne. This is the location of the replica of the railway carriage where the 11 November 1918 Armistice was signed. It was also where Hitler made the French sign their surrender in 1940 as a means of humiliating them. The small museum graphically captures the destructiveness and futility of war and the events that occurred on the forest of Compiegne. Very moving and very educational.

I should mention to anyone reading this blog with plans to book a similar cruise on Elodie, take note, THERE ARE NO HILLS BETWEEN PIERREFONDS AND L'ARMISTICE!!! If Henry (the Guide) tries to tell you differently, get him to look for the 'Dead End' road sign!! Those of us on this trip know exactly what I m talking about.

Whilst in L'Armistice museum it poured with rain (good timing Henry, you recovered some credibility!!) and by the time we departed it was light drizzle. No sooner had we donned our wet weather gear and rugged up warm, than the rain stopped and, before you knew it, the sun had come out. We arrived at Elodie around 5.15pm with her bathed in sunlight and looking (as always on our return from a day's bike riding) very inviting.

After loading the bikes, we cast off and proceeded further up river and via the Canal Lateral a L'Oise, through a lock, to our berth at Pont L'eveque.

Dinner tonight was absolutely outstanding. Baked goat's cheese with pine nuts for entrée, salmon with a lovely tomato and feta salad and a surprise dessert - a delicious baked cheesecake complete with a serious sized birthday candle (see pictures for evidence). Jantien has set an even higher benchmark tonight which will be jolly hard to beat.

Laughter and lively conversation was the order of the evening and a great night was had by all. Jenny has asked me to thank all the Elodians for making her birthday such a special day.

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Photos

Warming up in the Cafe
Saint Jean aux Bois

Lonely bikes outside the cafe
Saint Jean aux Bois

Abbaye
Saint Jean aux Bois

Intrepid Riders
L to R: Ingrid, Pru and Kerrie

L'Armisitice Museum
Compiegne Forest

Geese take too much of an interest in me
With Jenny, Mike, Pru, Ian and Ingrid looking on

Cheers to the Birthday Girl
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