Neuf-Brisach. Fully intact except the trees wouldn’t have been there in 1680. Our hotel was next to the town square.
It should have been easy finding our way today but we managed to go off in the wrong direction before turning back and finding the sign
As soon as we were on the Rhône Rhine canal it was plain sailing
or biking ! For 50 plus kms the only corner was going up and over a bridge to change sides.
Marckolsheim. The architecture and the names are mostly German in this part of Alsace. No wonder when you consider it’s changed hands 5 times since the Middle Ages . This town also boasts one of the fortresses of the Maginot line.
After WW1 the French defence minister Maginot, had northern France circled by these ‘impregnable forts’ . Like the Vauban forts these were to built to keep out the Germans !! All Hitler did was come into France via Belgium and took them from the rear. Very interesting museum.
After 30 kms the first boats. ‘Le Boat’ hire company at Boofzheim. Why in their right mind anyone would hire here though I can’t imagine. 20kms to anywhere ! Mind you the biking is fantastic. Shade from the trees, lots of bird life and a smooth hot mix surface. We were eating up the kms
A lock keeper brightens up the trip with his quirky art
I’ve been having trouble keeping my right pedal tight and today, 10kms before Strasbourg it finally crapped out. Luckily it was near a bike shop but unluckily the crank was going to take until next week to procure. 
The cheapest option was to buy a new bike so Julian did me a deal , swapping handle bars, carrier, seat and all the bits and I left him my trusty old steed. Sad to see it go 😩
I made the silly mistake of thinking there’d be lots of accomodation in Strasbourg. The centre of the city was full so we went on to the northern suburb of Schiltigheim and got another Ibiz. 85 kms by the time we got there and 5.45pm. Far too late. Anyway, I’m enjoying my new bike 🚲😎
Paris to Paris 