Date: 26 September 2014
Route: St. Quentin to Plailly
In the saddle: 09:15 – 19:00
Distance: 120 km ish

Another long day of cycling today, but don’t have too many notes from the day’s sights (I’m writing this in retrospect, two years on!). I passed through Compiegne and rode past the impressive town hall:

Had a quick snooze in the peaceful grounds of a church just after lunch (it was pure bliss to lie in the warm sun for ten minutes):

Before a long afternoon of cycling across open countryside and through forests as I headed south:

I arrived in the small village of Plailly at 7pm but there was no where to camp so I checked in to a very sweet chamber d’hôte. I felt too dirty to even sit on the bed when I got to my room, so ate a snack on the floor!

There was a pizza van in the village that night and I tried my first ever pizza avec potatoes! Definitely different and I probably needed the carbs! Not sure I’d try that combination again though… 🙂

I had a fantastic night sleep, and an OK breakfast – I started to realise though how much more nutritious my regular tent breakfast of porridge, peanut butter and dark chocolate is for my cycling compared to a few croissants and jam offered at these places (even if it doesn’t look at all appetising!)

The owner of the chamber d’hôte drove me to the nearest cash machine (in another town) as they only accepted cash payment. 80 euros lighter, I set off with Paris in my sights!