Countries: France, 197 Kilometers

Despite my protestations, I lucked out last night, and the hotel was comfortable – unquestionably an improvement on the uninspiring budget option I had selected on the road.

This morning my usual plan of sorting lunch at breakfast has been thwarted by a raft of measures designed to enforce social distancing over breakfast. Picking up a pre-bagged continental breakfast leaves little scope for gratuitous pocket loading, but it’s pleasant sitting on the terrace soaking up the early morning sunshine. The plan today is a fairly simple one, cycle towards Strasbourg and then decide on a preferred route South towards Basle.

• Option A – stick to Eurovelo 5, which winds its way through French wine country and D-roads. Probably more picturesque but some 80 kilometers further than;
• Option B – join Eurovelo 15 from Strasbourg and blitzkrieg directly down The Rhine on riverside cycle paths

After an incredibly brief daily dose of Google Maps trail roulette, (it’s a wonder the wheels are still in true) I pick up Eurovelo 5 and find it to be an absolutely stunning section of route. Well signposted, silky smooth and fully segregated tarmac running through woodland and along the riverside.

After a pleasant morning listening to albums I’ve neglected for years and clipping off the kilometres I arrive in Strasbourg – a grand and impressive city. Home to: florid hanging baskets, Amsterdam-esque bridges and waterways, the former EU parliament, and the jewel in the crown: Cathédrale Notre Dame de Strasbourg. Unbeknownst to me, I learn that this stunning Gothic cathedral was in fact the world’s tallest building for over 200 years (and even now remains the sixth tallest church in the world). To shameless quote Wikipedia, it has been “described by Victor Hugo as a “gigantic and delicate marvel”, and by Goethe as a “sublimely towering, wide-spreading tree of God””. Suffice to say, it’s an impressive and imposing spot!

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As I’m struggling to fit it’s impressive spires, domes and towers into a half decent photograph (I’m no David Bailey), I end up in conversation with Joeri and his wife, a charming couple living in  London who recognised the Tailfin pannier system on my bike. Joeri supported the original Kickstarter campaign a few years back, and with an eye for adventure of his own, is considering adding it to his set up (incidentally – I would heartily recommend the kit, and will write up a full review in the coming days). It’s heartening to me that the three of us are in Strasbourg, discussing a Bristol based start-up, but I guess liked minded-folk will tend to find one another, particularly if it offers the opportunity to discuss cycling kit!

So Option A or Option B. It wasn’t really ever a question was it? While I appreciate cycle touring is about the journey, an 80 kilometre detour wasn’t ever going to fly. This afternoon we’ll be picking up Eurovelo 15 for a blitz down The Rhine. Eurovelo 15, I understand, has recently been re-certified as “a high quality route”, so hopefully there will be minimal opportunity to either get lost or end up on undesirable surfaces.

I find it to be: beautiful, pan flat, slightly rough under wheel, but easily navigable on a road bike. Plenty of nature on show – a couple of kingfishers and hundreds of herons. With the predictable nature of the route and complete lack of traffic, I spend the afternoon accompanied by Yuval Noah Harari’s Homo Deus audiobook, which is both enlightening and depressing in equal manner.

Before long the water bottles are empty and I divert inland to find snacks and work out where to lay my head this evening. A quick check of booking.com reveals a complete lack of hotels in the immediate vicinity, so I open my trusty IHG app and commit to the Holiday Inn Mulhouse, a further 75 kilometres almost due South. It’s going to be a latey!

With a gentle tailwind and perfect evening sunshine the miles pass uneventfully and before long I’m pulling into the lobby. Smiling staff, a decent meal and another 123 miles in the bag. All in all an excellent day.

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All going well, I should arrive in Switzerland mid-morning tomorrow, which I’ve been looking forward to since Day 1. The Alps are drawing ominously ever closer.