Fuzzy headed this morning which I blame on the Marc de Bourgogne last night, which like most liqueurs seems a good idea at the time, but not afterwards. The snails were fantastic, all twelve of them, and they were in the same shells as the ones we'd seem bravely traversing the cycle route after rain. Enjoyable for me but the breath not so for Clare. We are on our Grand Crus diversion today, and after breakfast in the Countess's palace (I feel incongruous in cycle gear amidst the chandeliers and heavy oak panelled dining room)we head off through well known ( but can't afford to drink) vineyards: Meursalt,Puligny Montrachet,Chassagne Montrachet and so on. It's beautiful and sunny and the route twists and turns through the vineyards. Rather worryingly men in white plastic suits and gas masks are spraying the vines, looking as if there's been a nuclear incident, and it makes you wonder what chemicals go into the average bottle of plonk we consume. Our obsession with coffee stops continues; it's possible to buy a few bottles of grand crus, but not, it seems, coffee, so we abandon the search. It's been a long hot day and when we arrive at Montceau Les Mines, a hideous industrial town ( perhaps a clue in the name) we cannot find anywhere to stay, and it looks as if we might have to cycle another 30 miles or so to the next town. We get totally lost (for which I take full navigational responsibility) and have to ask in a pharmacy if there is anywhere to stay locally. The delightful pharmacist gives me elaborate directions which we somehow manage to follow to arrive at an Auberge, at an unknown location. It is frequented by boule playing men, and looks like another truckers' hostel. We drink beer before showering( a true sign of exhaustion) and then a couple of pichets of rose on the terrace before enjoying the menu du jour for 10 Euros. (Nuits St George to Montceau Les Mines - 62.5 miles)
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