Day 13 / Chavagnes - Brienne le Château / 18 km

Totday I had planned to run to La Villeneuve-au-Chêne, some 40 km further. My friend meteo argicole announced heavy rain all day varying from 4mm to 10mm. I feel I had already received enough rain and decide to run only to the next major city, Brienne le Chateau, 18 kilometres away. The plan is to leave around 13.00 in the afternoon when the amount of rain predicted to be the lowest of the day, still a 4mm. 

So I spend the morning at the Chambre Hotes I was staying, enjoying a lengthy breakfeast and spending eventually a lot of time on defining next day’s stages and related logging. Tomorrow I plan to be in Bar sur Seine where I hope to be sleeping at the priest’s presbytery. The day after I will sleep at the home of a Dutch lady who makes statues and lives following the rules of Benedictus. Benedictus believed in silence. I had the impression when I got the lady on the phone that she was more talkative then Benedictus intended and looking forward to have someone over. Maybe I’m wrong, or you get talkative in a village where there are only 80 inhabitants. It will be 2 interesting places to sleep as an atheist. During the morning the rain keeps pouring out of the sky. I’m happy I’m not on the road. at the same time I feel like I’m loosing time. Strange. 

Around 13.00 the rain dwindles. I think it is time to go. My host, who just comes back from work, calls me courageous.

I pack my things. Put on my shoes. Start running. I’m comforting myself it is only 18 km in the rain. My treat will be hotel “Les voyageurs”. The name of the hotel sounds promising. I’m thinking salesmen, lovers, rendezvous, dirty sheets, stale air and Brie cheese served which is so old that it is not longer cheese but fungus from hell.

The first stage of the run brings me some time along a railway track which is a sraight a railway track can be. I start mentally singing I’m a train from Albert Hammond.

After roughly 6 km my gps has enough of my singing and directs me away from the railway track. I pass some smaller villages and an abandoned factory which looks great. Based upon internet research I find out it was a can factory specialised in sauerkraut and snails. The factory was rebuilt in 1947 after it was destroyed in WOII. More info can be found here. It stopped producing canned sauerkraut and snails the nineties.

More straight roads brings me closer to hotel “Des voyageurs”. I also run about 6 km along a fence. The owner of the hotel informs me later it is a military domain where munition is stored. On Google maps you can see the domain I detail. I expected some more secrecy for a major weapon depot. 

After 18 km I arrive at “Des Voyageurs”. It is just as I have I imagined it. Even better. It has a stale onion smell. The owner informs me has the hotel for 36 years (I think it was the last time he did some investments), wants to retire but waits until someone will take over the hotel. I think chances  are slim someone is crazy engough to put money into it. I think chances are slim the owner will reach retirement. He looks very pale and everytime I pass the bar he is asleep or coughing the time away. I have heard the owner’s story on different occasions already ; people who have a business, wat/need to retire but first need/want to sell their business. Problem is there are no buyers around. I learn the owner is also the cook. I do not trust his medical situation so decide to find something to eat in the city.  The only restaurant open at 19.30 servers  sandwich-frites-ficandelle also know as “mitrailette”.’ 

Brienne le Chateau builds it identity on the fact that Napoleon has been at the local military school which was  located surprisingly in a castle.The castle overlooks the city like an evil eye. Napoleon has been here  a mere 3 years (between his 10thand 13th). These 3 year are although enough to name everything which is to name :Napoleon ; the bakery, ,the pharmacy,  the  bar,  the  pizzeria, the Main Street,...and to build a modern museum where one can spend an hour to learn about Napopeon’s greatness and geniality. I’m know running around in Brienne shouting :  “Vive la  France!”.

Tomorrow monsieur Meteo Argricole predicts dry weather. I will run 15 kilometers through a forrest. I hope the hotel owner survives until he served breakfeast.

Lessons learned today :

- It’s ok not to plan everything in advance.

- Napoleon is great. But time for the French to move on.

- If someone want to start a hotel named Napoleon. I know the place.

Song of today : Waterloo -ABBA (just to tease the French).

T.

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