Ranchot and Besancon

We liked the current campsite on the River so much we decided to stay another couple of nights. It was ok to stay but we had to move site which was fine as we like this one better. It is right next to the weir where a heron and other birds hang out. It’s also more shady. It happens to be next to the cycle route eurovelo 6 which runs all the way from the Atlantic Ocean to the Black Sea.

After getting settled in we went for a cycle on the cycle path. It was nice and quiet and flat along the side of the canal. We stopped after about 10km for Glenn to check out some red kites over a lake.

We then headed back to the campsite for lunch and then drove into the nearby large town Besancon - the capital of the area.

We first had to order tyres for Gus. I had tried online but the website would only accept a French address - and the address had to match up with my credit card for payment to be accepted. The girl behind the counter didn’t speak any English but I managed to get through the whole thing in my limited French. There are not many workers as they are all on holiday. However she managed to squeeze us in next Monday morning first thing.

After that success we drove into the historical centre of the town to check it out. The car park was surrounded by huge defensive walls.

The main centre is also surrounded by a large moat. We could see large flat stones on the bottom - so all constructed. It had been renewed in the 1700s by Vauban the famous defensive architect. We have seen several of his fortresses already.

After wandering around the streets - we will be back another day - we drove back to the campsite for a rest and spruce up before we went for dinner on the campsite. It’s a good restaurant using local products with people coming from outside the campsite.

It has the local cheeses Comte, morbier and cancoillotte that you eat with a spoon.

Glenn had an enormous burger with morbier on it. He did manage to finish it. I had trout - that maybe had been swimming in the river that morning.

It was then a short stumble back to the van with the sounds of the weir in the background.