Day 13 - Back on the Road! Besançon to Montbéliard (60 miles)

Last night I eventually got the spaghetti carbonara that I have been dreaming of for a while now; all the cafes and restaurants I have been looking for in the last few days can seemingly be found here in Besançon and the street where my little apartment is was buzzing when I went out to eat and to explore. This is a lively place.

Today I hoped to get back on the road. The bike shop did not open until 10am so I had a lie in this morning, something I think I needed more than I realised. It was then off to the shops to stock up on supplies and to a cafe to await the call. It came at 11am, everything sorted and no permanent damage done by my pressing on yesterday. No indication as to how the problem started but with the weight I am carrying it only takes a problem with a couple of spokes and the trouble slowly spreads around the wheel. 

By 11.30am I was back on the road. I won’t lie, I was still on tenterhooks at the start, riding as carefully as I could and twitching at any unusual noises. But I soon found my stride and enjoyed this new landscape that I had paid so little attention to yesterday. Besançon is capital of the Franche-Comté region and here the Doubs river has carved itself a deep, sharp valley through the terrain. The city sits in a loop of the Doubs, enclosed by the surrounding hills, and the cycle route follows the river's meandering path along the valley floor. It passes the occasional small village but mainly is just hemmed in by the valley's tree covered and rocky sides. It is dramatic and it is beautiful, even on a grey and drizzling day, and it is most definitely a change from canals.

Today's next obvious destination is Montbéliard but at 60 miles I wasn’t sure if I would reach it today at a leisurely pace with my late start. As the drizzle wasn’t continuous I hadn’t completely ruled out camping once I felt I had a few miles under my belt. But the tarmac was smooth and the route relatively flat so even with breaks for coffee and food I made good progress. With that and the increased rain late in the afternoon my decision became an easy one so now I am once again sitting in dry comfort having made it to Montbéliard just after 6pm. Tomorrow I am left with a short 35 mile ride to Mulhouse, my last overnight stay in France.