We enjoyed a very short day's walk today, with good weather again. Our path took us on the road out of Loivre, followed by a short stretch of canal walking, then into Reims via a major road and an industrial estate (home of the local Decathlon, where we went to buy some replacement socks). 
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| Looking forward to the short day's walk ahead | 
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| A few sights on the way out of Loivre. Another insect hotel caught the eye - they are quite plentiful in the towns we are visiting. | 
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| A stroll along the canal | 
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| We didn't go across this bridge | 
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| We walked for a couple of kilometres along a busy road | 
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| Entering Reims. Another insect hotel. | 
We found our way to the Foujita Chapel, expecting it to be closed (based on a check on Google Maps). We were pleasantly surprised to find it open after all. We enjoy Foujita's work - a print of his painting of a lady in a Parisian café has adorned our bookshop for many years. We had a good look around. The frescoes were painted by Foujita when he was 80, and he and his wife are buried in the chapel. 
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| Scenic lunch spot | 
After lunch we continued on towards the centre of the city, passing some of Reims' iconic sights along the way. 
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| Some iconic Reims sights | 
We walked through a large linear green space, with chairs, playgrounds, exercise stations and even hammocks laid out along its length. Along a path through the park was a display of photographs juxtaposing the destruction in Reims during World War I and the destruction in Chernihiv in the current war in Ukraine.
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| People enjoying the green space in Reims | 
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| The hammocks were particularly popular, but this Australian walker eventually managed to find an unused one. | 
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| Photo exhibition - photos of Reims in WWI at the top,  Chernihiv 2022 underneath | 
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| In this photo, the eagle-eyed viewer may just make out the reflection of a couple of Australian walkers | 
After checking in to our accommodation, we had time for a wander through the city. We made our way to the famous Gothic cathedral before looking for somewhere for dinner. 
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| Rambling through Reims | 
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| The cathedral was lit up by the late afternoon sun | 
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| Equestrian statue of Joan of Arc outside the cathedral | 
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| We explored the cathedral, where French kings traditionally came to be crowned. 
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| We found somewhere for dinner . . . | 
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| . . . and then returned to enjoy the view from our accommodation | 
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| Day 18 - Healthy Fruit | 
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| Day 18 - Birds | 
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| Day 18 - Elevation Profile | 
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| Day 18 - Route | 
Day:  18
Distance: 15.81 km
Walking time:  3 hrs 21 mins
Elevation gain: 206 metres
Cumulative distance:  417.93 km
 
Mumm's gardening!
ReplyDelete😄 If I only had a glass of Mumm's champagne while I was in the hammock it would have been perfect!
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