Day 6: we know why they call it the Avenue Verte... grass can't help but be green with all this rain!

Route: Forges-les-Eaux to Benerval-le-Grand
Distance: 65km
Ride Quality: superb
Accomodations: Villa les Falaises

Today, our route finally intersected with the Avenue Verte (the official cycling route from London to Paris). We had previously been using an online alternative route to get to Dieppe because it detoured through Versailles (which we really wanted to see) and was supposedly more direct (which I think translates to: "hilly with a higher likelihood of getting good and lost").

The Avenue, for this section at least, was a 40km stretch of traffic-free recreational path that was smoothly pathed,  well signed, and essentially flat with a slight downhill trend. After 2 days of slogging it up country switchbacks listening to the incessant cheeping of a GPS that said we were off course,  this was practically paradise.

It seems our biggest issue on this trip has been the navigation. Trying to stick to someone else's route by combining their map with the GPS and lousy street and highway signage has been very frustrating.

Fortunately,  we're now splitting from the Paris to London route and heading northeast along the French coast bound for Belgium. The navigation and route planning will now be solely up to us... until Belgium at least when we plan to meet up with the LF cycling routes,  which all our research has shown to be wonderful,  well signed, and easy to follow.

This, however, is a problem for future Penguin + Saroja. Let's get back to today,  shall we?

The day started out grey and after a fitful sleep in the Softhotel on a mattress that caved badly towards the center, we were off towards a horizon that almost immediately produce rain. Fortunately, we chose to have lunch at a cafe just off the Avenue during the worst of the deluge. Lunch was a sparse affair. NB: if it is advertised as a cafe in France,  it means that they serve cafe (coffee) and that's about it. Fortunately,  we were able to buy 2 slices of quiche at the grocer next door and the cafe kindly heated them up for us.

Following this break, we were happily off into the rain again,  spinning easily towards Dieppe. Easily that is,  until I blew my second flat of the trip, which prompted a 15 min mechanical break during which the rain kindly let up until we were back on the bikes.

Once in Arques-en-Bataille, we cycled along the banks of the Bethune River where we saw a large flock of ducks. They were very excited to see us, too,  and ran towards us hoping we were carting snacks. Lucky for them,  we had some baguette left over from the day before, which I happily fed them (and they happily ate)! Amongst all the adult ducks was a little duckling who was getting pushed around in the melee of bread eating,  so I scooping him up and delivered him back to momma- but not without a quick photo op first.

Excited French ducks crave baguette. 

Saroja and the duckling! 

It should be noted here that during our cycling breaks,  if we are stopped near a pasture fence,  I have made a game of seeing if I can lure the animals nearby towards me for ear scritches. My success rate so far has been pretty high and we've now decided to take as many pictures of me snuggling with farm animals as possible. So far, we've got pictures of me and a pony,  a goat, and now a little duckling. We tried for some chickens walking along the Avenue but they were decidedly uninterested in snuggling.

Once in Dieppe,  we had planned to cycle down to the harbour and see the beach. However,  the rain was coming down hard, the wind was picking up, and we decided to push ahead to make it to our B+B as soon as possible.

May 8 is a holiday in France to commemorate the end of WW2. Here they're flying a Canadian flag at a church just outside of Dieppe. 

Once in the town of Benerval-le-Grand,  we had hoped to stop at the boulangerie for food supplies for dinner but they were closed along with the restaurant and the pharmacy,  so that was a bust. Subsequently,  dinner tonight (not provided by the B+B) consists of cookies that we bought in Forges-les-eaux,  leftover cheese (about two bites each), 2 nectarines, and a granola bar for Penguin and sharkie jujubes for me. Not exactly stellar after a small lunch and standard continental breakfast from the hotel this morning.

(Penguin is insisting that I make note here that I fed the baguette to the ducks when we would otherwise have had it for dinner,  too. But the ducks were so happy,  I can't feel bad about it.)

What makes up for it though is a hot shower in a very splendid B+B, with a bedroom that has an ocean view. Or at least so we're told, as the rain is still coming down heavy.

Ocean view from our bed at Les Falaises B+B,  as seen between rain showers. 

Tomorrow will be a slightly shorter (50km-ish) day as we trial our independent navigation skills to Le Crotoy. Apparently,  it is from Le Crotoy that Isabella and her son Henry the 3rd sailed to England to overthrow Edward the 2nd in 1326. It is also where they held Joan of Arc captive until they moved her to Rouen for trial. Lastly, it is known for its seals and shags,  which if I can convince to be snuggly,  may make their way into our photo album.

Cheers!
Saroja