We headed further towards Paris today. Our journey was mostly gently downhill with a tail wind helping us on. It made for a pleasant day of riding.
The roads were quiet until we got close to Chantilly. There were sights of impressive châteaux.
We were following a small stream down and then reached the Oise which joins the Seine downstream of Paris. As we were cycling along I was musing on my fascination with the flow of the rivers. When on a bicycle we are very aware of the landscape which has been shaped primarily by water and ice. Where the water flows is often the easiest route to cycle.
The roads became much busier after this bridge over the Oise as we were approaching Chantilly. The area is prosperous and is akin to Newmarket with its focus on horse racing.
At the far end of the town was a large château rebuilt in the 19th century by Henri d’Orléans who inherited great wealth from his godfather, the last Prince of Condé, who owned the land around Chantilly. In the late 1800s, the French parliament set down laws which expelled from France members of the ruling families including Henri. He bequeathed the chateau to the Institut d’France and was thus allowed back to France.
We cycled on to our chambre d’hote in the nearby village. Beryl wasn’t too disappointed I hadn’t paid the €300 for a hotel room in Chantilly itself. There were plenty of preparations in Chantilly for some big gathering. We made up for the cheaper lodgings with another lovely meal.
Julian and Beryl's camino 