Date: 27 September 2014
Route: Plailly to Etampes (via Paris)
In the saddle: 09:20 – 19:00
Distance: 120 km

So it seems I am heading in the right direction – my first sign for Paris! Hurrah!

Went over some really big hills today between Plailly and Paris! Phew! The route into the city was pretty easy, following the Canal de Ourcq all the way. (It did have these really annoying tiny speed bumps every 500 metres or so which really jolted the bike each time. My butt did not appreciate them!)

I stopped for a snack alongside the canal and realised afterwards my bike was perhaps just a little too close to the edge here!

I pushed on through Paris (arrived around 1pm) and wasn’t planning on doing any sightseeing as I just wanted to get through it  – when you’re on a long bike tour you start to love the empty, easy roads in the countryside and loathe the big cities because navigating is so tough with all the streets and traffic! Thankfully, this was Paris on a Saturday so perhaps a bit more relaxed. I did hope I would spot the Eiffel Tower on my way through (I didn’t). But of course, I stopped for a crepe!

I had another casualty on the way out of Paris. Somehow, one of my shirts got completely tangled around my bike chain. Thankfully no lasting damage to the bike, but to this day, the bike oil hasn’t come out of the shirt!

Oh, and apparently they still have these old style toilets in some places in France! I can’t remember where this was, but somewhere post Paris! N0t the most welcome after a long day of cycling! 😀

I reached the campsite in Etampes and it was a really decent one – hot showers and spotless! I couldn’t find the cold taps for drinking water though, so made do with hot!