Postcard Summer 2020#20 – Gengenbach

Last day in Germany and rainy as predicted so after a restorative slice of Black Forest cake and a last Wiener schnitzel, we drove to Gengenbach, not mentioned in any of our guide books for some inexplicable reason. The rain stopped just long enough for us to visit the town. Dernière journée en Allemagne et …

Postcard Summer 2020#15 – Kocher-Jagst Radweg

Today we cycled 77 k in 4 hours 20 along part of the excellent Kocher-Jagst bike route near Heilbronn and went through scenic countryside and a number of pretty villages starting at Duttenberg and including Neudenau, Möckmühl, Jagsthausen, Neuenstadt am Kocher and Oedheim. It was a relief after the disappointment of cycling along the Neckar …

Postcard Summer 2020 #14 Ulm

We stopped off for our coffee break at Ulm today on the way to Heilbronn where we are spending the next 4 nights. We’ve been to Ulm twice before (the last time was in 2013) but neither of us remembered this Rathaus. We did remember the quaint fisherman’s quarter but it was a lot more …

Postcard Summer 2020#9 – Nuremberg

Until now we have avoided Nuremberg because of its tainted past but today we cycled there from Erlangen, a 53 k round trip and loved the old part of the town including the ramparts and Albrecht Dürer’s house. Jusqu’aujourd’hui nous avons évité Nuremberg à cause de son triste passé mais notre visite en vélo depuis …

Postcard Summer 2020#7 – Forchheim in Bavaria

Today we cycled along the main Danube canal from Buttenheim to Forchheim and then to Erlangen – a total of 67 k. The weather improved as we went but riding along a canal can make you saddle sore after a while! I was a little nonplussed to see a lady trying on masks at a …

Covid Deconfinement Stage 1#21

It’s rare to see the 17th century covered market in Bracieux so empty. There are usually restaurant tables which will be perfect when restaurants, bars and cafés open tomorrow as it will be easy to make sure the tables are one metre apart. Il est rare de voir Les Halles du 17ème siècle à Bracieux …

The Covered Walkway – Le passage couvert

This delightful half-timbered walkway joins the two parts of Hotel de Villebresme, built in Blois in the 15th century and thought to have been the home of Denis Papin, inventor of the pressure cooker. Ce joli petit passage couvert à colombages relie les deux bâtiments de l’Hôtel de Villebresme construit à Blois au 15e siècle …