The "Day of the Brambles"
This leg starts in Saulx-les-Chartreaux about 10 miles south of Paris, and goes to Arpajon, a trip of around 10 miles.
Starting out from Saulx-les-Chartreaux heading south toward Arpajon
We started out along the main Oleans highway, which picked up a bike/walking path along the side of the northbound lanes. It was a bit noisy, but not uncomfortable, and we managed OK, though it was rather less attractive than the path we had been on the day before.
Even along the side of the highway, there was beauty to be found.
Some of the highway segments were plain ugly.
Even French ugly has it's charms.
McDonalds break
We had Google mapped the route, but it ran all the way along the highway, and by the time we reached a McDonalds, we decided to stop for coffee and re-direct our path on more country roads.
All McDonalds in France seem to have good, fast, and free WiFi so we have come to think of them the way we think of Starbucks…. as a place to hang and get web access. My iPad has an 8 hour batter life, so it is ideal for carrying on a trek like this.
This is included for "Pulp Fiction" fans. If you zoom the picture, you can clearly see the "Royal with Cheese"
Peter Robin's path
Browsing on the very good McDonald's WiFi, we pulled up a website by Peter Robbins that I had bookmarked at pilgrim.peterrobins.co.uk/routes/details/paris.htm . He has routes based largely on the new GR 655 long distance walking trail from Paris to St Jean Pied-a-Port, including both the Orleans and the Chartres options. Each segment is mapped and viewable in Google Maps or OpenStreetMaps, and this is a godsend when navigating the paths he suggests.
Anyway, Peter had a path to Arpajon that intersected ours right at the McDonalds, so we decided to take it and we were very pleased.
Here's Peter Robin's suggested path. We had been coming down the red highway, and stopped at a McDonalds for coffee and WiFi, then went to his site to get the route he suggested.
It happened to cross the highway right where we were, so we took his route instead of the Google map route, which would have had us going straight down the highway.
After we left the highway, following Peter Robin's suggested path, it got much prettier.
The trail disappears
Then suddenly the trail ended. We looked at the GPS in our iPad (we downloaded MapsWithMe for all of France and Spain before we left home, so there is no data charge to follow where you are on a map)
The brambles
We had to claw our way though a thicket of trees and brambles, but made it back to the road. Turns out we had missed a turn, the map Peter suggested was correct. Our bad.
At one point, I actually used my iPad as a machete, hacking away at the branches with it's side edge. Worked great, and no harm to the iPad.
Back on track
A much deserved rest, just a few miles from Arpajon.
Back on the trail, for the last leg of the journey.
Our first scallop shell GR655 signpost
Near the river, we find our first "official" scallop shell way marker. How cool is that? Only 20 miles from Paris, and around 980 miles from Santiago.
On to Arpajon
As we approach Arpajon, we find the trail gets busier with locals walking their dogs, taking their kids for a walk, or couples in love. It encourages us to know we are near to town. It's been a long day.
Our second credential stamp
Upon arrival in Arpajon, we found the City Hall ("Hotel de Ville") open until 8:00. We asked for a Pilgrim Passport stamp, and the clerk immediately knew what it was. This is a relief, as most we asked up to now looked rather puzzled.
Our charming helper gave us our first stamps since leaving Notre Dame in Paris.
Hotel Arpege in Arpajon
As far as we could tell, there is only one hotel in Arpajon, the Hotel Arpege. It was clean, comfortable, and reasonable in cost. Around 80 euros for the two of us.
Nothing special, but comfortable and clean.
Next we continue south through the farm belt of France, toward Orleans.
Until then……
Buen Camino!
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