Étape 5: Saint-Dizier to Chaumont (82km)

Bonsoir! Today was a fairly straightforward and flat ride following the route of the Marne river out of Saint-Dizier and up toward our stopover for tonight in Chaumont.

It remained fairly cool and fresh, with pretty perfect conditions for long distance cycling, however when we stopped for lunch in Froncles there was a slight rain shower for 5 minutes! That is probably the worst we have had on route (except the thunderstorm and torrential downpour in Reims at dinner).

Whilst in Froncles we met a Yorkshire couple who were cycling/camping along the same route – their accents not to mention the bike with a union jack front pannier immeditaley gave it away. They advised us that the drivers get crazier the further south you go, and apparently had someone tailgating them “who couldn’t speak English but certainly knew what (they) were saying”, so we’ve got that to look forward to!

Tomorrow we reach the psychologically significant halfway marker just before Dijon, and then are looking forward to staying with Mark’s brother Graham just south of Dijon.
​