Dole on Le Doubs

We spent three entire days exploring Dole and some of the surrounding area and were making a list of things we want to see on our trip back down the canal next month.

Our first day was market day – time to stock up on the really good stuff to eat. We found great cheeses from the area, tortellini to die for (yum, can’t wait for a repeat of that dinner), farm fresh veggies and meats from the butcherie.

"Juniper" moored on Le Doubs in the Port of Dole. We are the second from the right. As nearly everywhere in Dole the Collegite Church of Notre-Dame overlooks our home

Dole harbor is a very international place with boats flying flags from: France, Germany, Switzerland, New Zealand and the UK on the nights we were there. “Juniper” has an American crew but is French flagged – so the US wasn’t counted.

Walking around most French towns the impact of the two world wars is almost always prominent, no matter the size of village, town or city - especially the effects of the Great War. Along with that are continued thank yous to the countries that came to their aid. Dole also was on this year's Tour de France which showed up in windows and signs throughout the area.

A poster for this year's upcoming Liberation Anniversary. Please note the US Flag. And we try calling Pom Frits, Freedom Fries. Guess we better reread our history books, and remember a thanks now and then to those that came to our aid.

The tour is always good for some creative graphics - this one in a pub window.

We also spent a day doing the “Perched Cat” walk around the city.  ‘Chat perche’ is a reference to one of Dole’s famous writers, Marcel Aymé. We’re not to be surprised if a cat offers to show us the hidden corners and secret places of Dole (as an aside, Michael had a cat meet him in the same place most mornings on his way to the boulangerie, a cat who craved interacting). This is a self guided walk that takes most of a day and takes you to over 30 historic and important locations within the city of Dole. The route is marked by bronze plaques in the sidewalk showing you the direction to go and accompanied by a map with info about each site.

The Chat perché marks we followed on our tour.

Hôtel Dieu - The 17th century hospital for the poor, that is now the city's library

A proper place to leave your gum - before entering historic sites in town. Not quite Seattle's gum wall but a friendly reminder to take care of history.

Porte Arans - an old town gate still standing from the old city wall

Collegiate church of Notre Dame over the artistically placed roof line of the old town of Dole

High overhead - the massive pipe organ

The alter at Notre-Dame

Michael, becoming part of the local art scene while walking the Chat perché.

Having been in town for a couple of days it was time to get the bikes down and take them for a ride. We started out of town on EuroVelo Route 6, which extends from the Atlantic Ocean to the Black Sea. A few kilometers out of town we switched to back roads through small towns till we ended up on a dirt road that took us into the Forêt de Chaux, one of the largest forests in France.

Joan at the Fontaine de la Belle Nanette - Part of a 17th century legend about a young girl, Nanette saving her village.

Beyond the dirt road we found this beautiful stretch of single lane road and, no cars. What a wonderful way to end a 25km ride.

After our ride to the Forêt de Chaux it was time to check out our new barbeque with some curried chicken skewers. We had a bit of a time getting started as we couldn't see flame as we kept trying to get it lit. Luckily the boat next to us, that was from New Zealand, told us they could see the heat waves rising. Seems it started right off the bat.

Dinner is being served on the sun deck.