Way To Reims. Walking back home

Hi folks,

I left you frozen and destroyed but the situation is now changed. I don’t know if it’s thanks to the spring or the easy hiking day, but I fell really better. I have almost sorted out the problem at my knees, almost because every day they play a “crick crack” song. But my back is still damning me and my backpack as well.

I still have my winter stuff, but I’ll need to find a solution for the change of season. Yes, because here it’s spring, so I don’t need to repair from the cold but to avoid a sunstroke. I’m started to get tanned. Spring, what a lovely season!

The night is still a little bit chilly, especially when I camp, but at ten in the morning it usually starts to be quite warm. When I started my journey back in March, my plan was to be actually here at this time, during the warm and sunny French spring, so I’m very happy!

Although when I stopped for a long break in a bench the other day, I then needed a very strong motivation to restart. After 3 consecutive “springs” in Ireland now it’s a dream.

So, I left you in Arras and after that I continued walking south. I didn’t follow the actual path because apparently there isn’t an official path. Each guide book indicates a different road and the iconic arrows on the way are always wrong, so I have decided to trust my own book.

As I mentioned, no path means a lot of roads. It can be easier to walk in, it’s difficult to get lost but a few of them are really annoying, traffic, trucks and tractors mean a lot of focus and not much time to sightseeing. That’s why I tend to follow mainly countryside roads. And some of them are amazing, it’s an up and down in soft hills. After a descent there is usually a little village with a bakery – I have become a fan of pain de chocolates – and after it the road goes up for a few kilometres in the middle of fields.

Then you start seeing the next village again, you see it from far thanks to the bell tower. The landascape is pretty the same, it changed only when I arrived in Laon after crossing the Saint Goblin wood. I fell in love of Laon, it reminded me my city. It’s a medieval city up on a hill with high walls. From the top you have a wonderful view of all the region.

But what I liked most was the walk to get there – from more than ten kilometres away you can see the profile of the old city over the hill, and in that moment I realized the idea of walking back home. Then again a relaxing walk across fields until Reims.

After my stop in Laon, I had a relaxing walk across fields until Reims. I could only stay one day because there was no accommodation due to a bank holiday. I had time only for a quick visit at the cathedral, it was under restoration.

And now I’m ready for Champagne region, better for me that I prefer fry wine!!!