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| It was a steep climb out of Besançon. I was yearning for the countryside again after two nights in the city. |
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| View of Besançon from Chapelle des Buis. |
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| The Franciscan church in Chapelle des Buis. The interior was one of the most beautiful and tranquil and human-friendly I'd yet seen. In the sanctuary was a plain altar carved from a stone block, a modern cross suspended from the ceiling, and a green and black wall hanging of abstract design. The main body of this small church contained a simple horseshoe of seats. I liked it very much, and spent some time there. |
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| Via Francigena signs were quite rare, so I photographed them when I could. |
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| A Maison Forestière. |
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| An old tile works. |
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| The road followed the limestone gorge of the river Loue to the pretty little town of Ornans, birthplace of the painter Gustave Courbet. It was here that I bumped into Peter again. We pitched our tents on the campsite and had supper in a pizza restaurant (with an authentic wood-fired oven) overlooking the river. We told our stories and caught up on all the news. Peter had come an alternative, pleasanter way to Ornans — through the woods on a cycle track, rather than on the main road. |
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| Église Saint-Laurent in Ornans. |
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| A house typical of the Loue valley — the large arched doorway enabled easy access for a horse and cart. |
