This week we have really ‘lucked in’; since leaving Verdun and the Jardin du Mess (hotel), we have stayed in 3 excellent B&Bs. Last night we stayed at Aux Port des Tumuli in Bussy le Chateau. The room was excellent, and the evening meal was simply divine; 4 courses, all home cooked and none of it covered in Munster cheese! Breakfast was equally tasty, and our host very kindly drove us back to Suippes and the start of Stage 7.
Heading east, we left Suippes towards Baconne, a very pretty village nestling in a valley surrounded by rich agricultural land and the odd military training area. In the distance we could hear heavy automatic weapons and occasionally a military vehicle would speed past us, giving us a small inkling of what it would have been like between 1915 and 1918 in the French rear area.
Between Bacconne and Sept Saux we encountered a problem with the WFW route, which meant a lengthy deviation. The wood to the south of the D35 in area called Mont Mourmelon, has been fenced in with razorwire and no access points. This leaves 2 options; head southeast towards Mourmelon-le-Grand, turning right on the D235 and then right again on Mourmelon-le-Petit onto the D8, about a 5km deviation, or head north west on the D35 for about 1.5km and then turn left before La Petite Glageolle and follow the wood/fence line until you rejoin the original rout at Le Champ Fillette. Note these directions require you to have either digital or paper 1:25000 IGN maps.
To be frank, by the time we had navigated round this issue and then looked at Nick Lloyd’s excellent book on the Western Front to determine where we might see WW1 history, neither of us felt like TAB’ing (to TAB is a military term that stands for Tactical Advance to Battle) the final 15 km along roads, through the industrial outskirts of Reims. We were both keen to see the Cathedral in brilliant spring sunshine, and so opted for an early finish and caught a train for the brief journey into the centre of town to do just that. A good decision…
I am loving this blog and can't wait to hear more when you reach the sections that I covered. On 3 occasions I stayed in the same places as Anthony Seldon.
Do try and make time to visit the Lochnagar Crater just east north east of Albert. It is an exceptional site to reflect in with superb words recorded on placards, both from the period and subsequently. Head due east to Becourt then up towards La Boisselle. Then you can easily continue to Thiepval, which will be readily visible.
Delighted to support one of your charities - hopefully motivational!
Nice going. Notes on the deviation. Will check the bike route. After our nightmare at the airport I’m not sure I trust my garmin for anything