Back to city life wifi that works now we are in Basle, fortunately found a hotel and took their last room. We had  assumed that we would get good wifi everywhere but rural France we’d forgotten is a bit different. This.meant we hadnt been able to book ahead  for Basel.

We left you concerned on how we were going to leave the big city of Strassbourg which turned out to relatively easy as you pick up the canal rhone au rhin within 1 km of the city centre and just stay with it all day. Changing from one bank to the other is about the most you had to do.The easiest day we’ve had all trip. The only downside this canal has no coffee shops or restaurants attached to it, So we ventured away from the canal into a small vilage called Krafft for coffee plus a few extras to keep reserves up, cheapest coffee and tea we’ve had all trip.

We’d planned to stop in a little village called Marckolsheim as hubby being a 2nd world war addict wanted to check out the famous museum there which discussed the development of the Maginot Line, some amazing fortification line on the border of france to keep the germans out.

The highlight of the day for hubby was seeing our canal built up over another river, very clever. My highlight was seeing a very large water rat heading across the canal.

We arrived at Marckolsheim in time to get our 3 course lunch, find a chambre dhote. The first one we tried all her chambres were full so she gave us a small very old gite attached to the side of her house for the same price as a room. She was a delight so funny encouraging us to walk to the museum as it wasnt far and give our bikes a rest.

45 minutes later we finally got to the museum which was closed!! At this point I should add we only got to one museum in Strasbourg because Tuesday is all the other museums rest day .Here we were in Marckolsheim and this museum was shut only opening regularly from mid June we were too early in the season.!Although this museum was supposedly very famous there was only 1 signpost in the whole of the village to it.We had found the local bike shop searching for the museum and tried to buy a padlock, which my school girl french didnt run to the word padlock. Eventually he found one to sell us tested it and it immediately broke, glad he tested it!!I asked if we could bring my bike in tomorrow to get brake cables and gear cables adjusted and he looked at us in amazement of course not its a Public holiday, the feast of Ascension..No not the dreaded public holiday in the middle of rural France

We picked up supplies from the local super market enough for the next day aswell and found a new heavy padlock for me to carry and headed back to the gite for an evening of books, no tv, no wifi, very relaxing. You didnt even need any alcohol to feel totally drunk all the walls and floors were sloping in different directions, it was worse than being on a boat.The gite must have seen some interesting history, there were wedding mementos from the 1890s and it looked from the names that a german had married a french woman..how had they got through the 1st world war?

The easy day left us a little too relaxed cycling the next day  and somehow we missed our canal turning a right angle and stayed on another one. We arrived in Colmar nowhere near where we should be. I had been looking out for signs honestly..

We had no idea how to get back on the correct route, then we spotted Macdonalds…even on a public holiday maccas are open in France and they have wifi.So we actually got a coffee break and I was able to google map to find out how to get to the nearest town on our route.This meant we had to cycle for 12kms on a seriously busy road. Hubby was freaking out, when we did finally arrive at this peaceful 1800s fortified town Neuf Brisach we did see a cycle path coming in but that was 30kms from Colmar so Im glad google maps didnt find that route. There was actually 1 restaurant open, yes lunch hurray but there were only 2 waitresses for a large restaurant so after 20 mins waiting we gave up, 3 couples who’d been in before us still hadn’t been served so we had no chance. As we cycled out we noticed a kebab shop so we grabbed a kebab before heading off again.

Trying to find accomodation on a public holiday in rural france could be tricky, everything shuts up so we were hoping a big hotel would appear, yes i know optimistic. As we peddled along we started seeing more cyclists laden with panniers coming towards us, even a family with a very unhappy looking teenager.We then came across a group of men probably early 20s lying on the ground next to their bikes looking exhausted, we then realised 25c to them probably is quite hot.

I persuaded hubby he could make it to the next village and as we peddled in I saw signs to a hotel, only 2 star could be rough. Fortunately someone was around to let us in and surprise lovely room with window opening fully on to the fields and even a fridge,All the rooms had  been recently renovated but wifi it was meant to be working but zilch..Still we were happy for a bed for the night and slept so well unheard of till 7am.

Breakfast was not just bread , jam and yoghurt we were also presented with huge chunks of cheese to partake of…we couldnt resist.Dont think my body likes cheese in that quantity for breakfast feeling queasy…….all day….

Another nice easy day riding through forests, along canals, through bird sanctuarys  and past some serious historic battle areas. One area 1500 french soldiers died in the forest plus no doubt a few hundred germans sobering.We cycled off the canal for coffee and then cycled into a restaurant on the canal for lunch only to discover they werent doing menu of the day as it was still a holiday weekend. The public holiday was the day before so I was confused ,anyway we left it was very expensive too much for us.Canals we saw today were quite incredible huge canals next to each other at significant different levels.

We headed further on and stopped at Huntingau for lunch, found a very small Alsace restaurant. It was full when we arrived so sat at the bar and waited for a table and thought about the 3 choices on offer. Hubby tried the local carp and I had rabbit stew yummy, 3rd choice all gone by the time we got seated, very friendly little place and so cheap.

An amazing slalom white water course set up on the river/canal there in Huntingau would have been fun to have a go.

Finally saw the Rhine again and peddled along it into Basel . We checked out one hotel which was full but they recommended one not far away where we took their last room, in fact suite with sofa, table etc. Only problem is its opposite the fire station lets hope there isnt a fire tonight.

Basel is full of beautiful buildings   squares Im sure you could spend a week here apart from the fact it is very expensive so you might not be able to afford to stay a week here.

1.Gites of France -50 euros incl breakfast sleeps 5, owners house sleeps another 3

2 place de republique

Marckolsheim

2.Hotel chez st Pierre 60 euros 8 rooms breakfast extra 8 euros

Blodelsheim

3.Hotel zum Spalenbrunnen -3 floors, close to old town

Schutzenmattstrase 2

CH 4051 Basel