We’ve spent most of our time in France so far in the Picardy region, north and west of Paris. Picardy is a rural part of the country, with few cities. The countryside is made up of gently undulating green hills, cultivated with wheat (our future baguettes), corn, and other produce. The days are long (it doesn’t get fully dark until about 10:30pm); we wake up to a cacophony of birds singing every morning; and everything is verdant, which is quite a switch from the yellows of drought-stricken California.
Wheat fields everywhereRiding along one of the many canals near AmiensBicycle art in the middle of a lush backyard
As long as we manage to stay on paved roads, the cycling is gentle; the drivers are very considerate; and the scenery is bucolic. Which all makes for very enjoyable way to ease into cycling, especially after the (mis)adventure-packed first days of our trip. The rains were tough, but we hope we’re finally past the unseasonable storms.
Here are some photos of our 10 days in the Picardy region:
Trader Joe’s in France (the brand, anyway, if not the stores)! Who knew!Enjoying some rare sunshine on our way to BeauvaisSwans are as popular in Picardy as snails are at Team Lumaca!Camping in Oursel-MaisonDuck Crossing!A rare ray of sunshine makes this little town near Oursel-Maison sparkleSwan in the canal just meters from our tentPrivate chapel attached to a small château (castle) at the top of a village called ProuzelAmiens cathedralThe canal trail is nearly deserted on a grey, rainy weekdayGo Team Lumaca!Postal delivery bike. The “training wheels” on the front are used as a kickstand.Mark riding the canal trail near AbbevilleWe reached the coast! Saint-Valery-sur-Somme, in the Baie de Somme.Stately homes and well-tended backyards that front the Saint-Valery-sur-Somme boardwalkCowboy Cooking: pot pie stew on a cold, rainy evening. Yum!Our bicycles getting soaked in camp. Unfortunately for them, they can’t crawl into the tent to stay dry.
