Day 4: Laon to Vouziers

My first lane was marked on the map as an old Roman road, and although its junction with the main road had been lost I was able to join it a few hundred meters further on. To one side were sunflowers, on the other fallow meadow.

My route took me through the region of Bouconville-Vauclair in Aisne, but as this is directed to tourism  both tracks and forest roads are closed to motor vehicles. The metalled roads were interesting to ride and with very little traffic. I stopped off for a stroll around the Abbaye de Vauclair (picnics prohibited).

Further from Laon I rode through field upon field of maize and grain. It is harvest time for the grain and I passed a number of farmers on tractors or with harvesters who didn't seem to mind my presence. The terrain is fairly flat but there are gently rolling hills where there is a broad vista in good weather.

The farm roads are of good quality and really one could drive almost anything down them so long as you didn't mind a bit of dust. Here's the Alp basking in the sun whilst I ate a late lunch, as there was no indication that picnics were prohibited here.

I found the hotel just outside Vouziers without difficulty and was pleased to find that it was only a few km from a pizzeria. What a pity that I'm half way through the trip!