Ah, nothing like getting on a clean and well-adjusted bike! Don't forget to thank your guides.
It's back on the saddle, down Basel's streets and into France …back into Switzerland …and again into France !
We'll be crossing borders quite a bit today !
We gain elevation in three strong pushes: 200 meters, 200 meters and 400 meters.
Our only town of note is Porrentruy (Switzerland), a beautifully well-preserved town surrounded by forests and pasturelands. We'll lunch here and take some time to admire the gothic, baroque and neo-classical styles of the old town center.
Afterwards, we pedal into the plains once again, but as soon as we get back into France the terrain changes to long deep valleys and thick forests.
Our overnight town of Saint Hippolyte is very similar to Saint Ursanne: it's an ancient town at the bottom of a valley on the Doubs river with lots of interesting medieval architecture to admire. But, you'll notice that the cars are a bit older, the houses are a bit run down and the people are perhaps a bit slower…things you probably wouldn't have noticed if you hadn't been cycling in Switzerland all week !
Of course, cycling in France has its advantages, and food and wine are at the top of the list ! Fortunately, our hotel in Saint Hippolyte has large quantities of both.
Let's enjoy !
