Out of Jura, Down Through Bresse, and into Rhône-Alpes (20-28 September, 2014)

We left Granges-sur-Baume with our second guest cyclist on our trip so far, Sonja (Jeff's sister-in-law and Bodhi's aunt and hero).  This made for some great company.  One thing we learned as we rode down and out of Jura: bread is not so important there, unfortunately - we rode through seven or eight villages before we found a boulangerie.  And then, they only bake fresh bread in the morning.  (Elsewhere in France there are bakers everywhere and they sell AM and PM fresh bread).  On the other hand, we enjoyed the lesser-populated countryside and the quiet country roads.  As we neared Bresse, we looked forward to a visit from Katy's parents, who had rented a gîte to be able to spend a week with us (and especially Bodhi!)

Sonja happy to be back in the saddle.  Sonja previously rode from Guatemala to Argentina (2010-12) with Jeff and brother Jason (now Sonja's husband) on their Alaska-to-Argentina ride.

This guy gets the better of Bodhi, who happens to love cats at the moment.

Old town hall in a small Jurassien village.

Note that the ubiquitous French symbol, the cockerel, sits on top of the cross... some kind of state-over-church statement probably not by accident.  Seen at the church in Présilly.

Our campsite near Orgelet.

A gorgeous morning in Jura as we roll away...

Stopped for a rest in the small village of Loisia.

... where Bo took advantage of the playpark.

Rolling country as we move southwards.

Katy and Sonja arriving at St. Amour.

Fantastic ivy-draped house in St. Amour.

At the plaza in St. Amour.

In Cormoz, in the Department of Ain, Bodhi's grandparents on Katy's side came and met us for a week.  They rented a house through the website Gîtes de France, a very useful tool for finding lodging in France (hint hint for anyone that wants to visit us).

Breakfast at the gîte (pictured L-R: Jeff, Sonja, Maureen Murray and Phil Murray).

The charming gîte, constructed in the local Bresse style of colombage.  

The old (partially renovated) farmhouse that adjoins the gîte.  Houses in this part of Bresse are typically of this style. [Bresse,  a former French province as it were, is a geographical denomination, not political, since it is now divided between the departments of Franche-Comté, Bourgogne, and Rhône-Alpes.]

This one is notable for its 17th-century "Moorish" chimney, only one of a handful in the area.

Pictured here are quite possibly our favorite French pastry thus far, and a cyclist's dream: croissant d'amende (almond croissant).  A flaky, dense, marzapan and chocolate filled pastry that is very sweet and loaded with calories - and delicious.

You can see Bodhi made himself at home at the gîte...

Bo and his Granda at the Château de Chevrieux.  Every year in late September France celebrates the journée du patrimoine, or National Heritage Day (actually a weekend): Almost all of France's cultural and historical monuments become free-entry-for-all. 

Great expansive views over Bresse from the partially-restored ruins of the château.

Sonja and Maureen in the prison keep.

Bo runs about the grounds.

These guys set the scene with a variety of folk-music styles.

Artesenal basketweaving amongst other things.

Wrapping up a great afternoon at the castle.

Everyone together at the gîte.

A big goodbye to Sonja as she's about to board a train return to Luzerne - although she'll be visiting us again soon, in Ardêche!

Louhans, a nearby town in Burgundy Bresse that is celebrated for its market.  Pictured here is the cathedral in Louhans, with its distinctive patterned rooftiles...

Maureen and Katy along the Louhans arcade, which ages-past would have been the hub of the original market.

Stephane meets Bodhi.  A good friend of Jeff's, Stephane swings by the gîte for a day and night,  He is from Lyon, and he hitchhiked and wwoofed from Quebec to southern Argentina a few years ago.  Jeff, Jason, and Sonja first met him on the docks of Carti (a small Caribbean island in Panama), and then Jeff returned to see him in Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, and Argentina as he cycled (and Stephane hitched) through South America.

Bo hits the streets with Nana and Granda.

Heading out now, we continued south through Bresse, passing more of these distinctive homes.

Collecting route information in Bourg-en-Bresse, while Bo and Katy hit the playpark:

This was our campsite, now out of Bresse, in a remote area northeast of Lyon near Chatenay . It happened to be on a popular hunting weekend, which means we heard the yelping of hunting dogs and occasional shots in the distance.

Our first views of the Ain valley on a splendid morning.

Stopped for a rest in Loyes.

The dark side of France, like Mordor even.  This is the Bugey nuclear power plant in the nearby Rhône valley.  France has 58 nuclear power plants in operation and receives 75% of its energy from nuclear fission.  Grim.  See Reseau Sortir du Nucleaire, a stop-nuclear movement in France.  www.sortirdunucleaire.org

Rolling, with Bodhi in his bikeseat.

The splendid River Ain.

A hot day, Bo couldn't resist a dip in the frigid Ain, which is rushing down from the Alps..

In the end this shallow pool was a bit warmer and the little man ended up at his favorite place.



We crossed the Rhône shortly thereafter, cycled a heavy-transit area in the outskirts of Lyon, and climbed up a few hundred meters to our next wwoof stay in St. Savin, Isère.