 |
| I continued along the valley of the Aube. The day was overcast and cool, but there was no more rain, so it was good walking weather. This is a geranium-topped public fountain in Unienville, 3 km from Dienville. Most of the villages in this area appeared to have seen better days. |
 |
| Gradually the terrain became more undulating and forested. |
 |
| I love taking pictures of amusing and interesting signs, and this one pleased me greatly. A hamlet called 'Other World'! Though, in the end, there was nothing very other-worldly about it . . . |
 |
| Whether these inquisitive cows are Charolais or Blonde d'Aquitaine, I'm not sure. Perhaps someone out there knows? (Apart from amusing and interesting signs, I also love cows . . .) |
 |
| . . . and badgers too, so it was sad to see this one as roadkill. |
 |
| Back to the plain again . . . The oilseed rape had long gone, and most of the cereals had already been cut, but the maize and sunflowers were still to be harvested. As was the hemp . . . This is a field of industrial hemp, grown for rope and paper making, also for oil and biofuel. I could have done with a mild high at this stage of the day — since cafés and coffees were in short supply — but the intoxicating properties of this type of cannabis are very low! |
 |
| Grain silos: necessary blots on the landscape, the modern-day churches and cathedrals of the north-east French countryside . . . |
 |
| Lavoir on the river Aube at Dolancourt. |
 |
| Crossing the river Aube into Bar-sur-Aube. |
 |
| The river Aube in Bar-sur-Aube. |
 |
| Bar-sur-Aube. |
 |
| The mairie in Bar-sur-Aube. |
 |
| The Église Saint-Pierre in Bar-sur-Aube. Note the 16th-century wooden porch (known as an halloy) used for market stalls. |
 |
| The mesure matrice in the church wall. According to Alison Raju's guide, this was 'a measure for corn and other cereals dating from about 1570 and which served as a check in case of disputes between buyer and seller.' |
 |
| Inside the Église Saint-Pierre. |
