Belfort / Bas-Évette - Fesches-le-Chatel
Effective km: 32
Total km: 38
Elevation: up 390m, down 410m
Min altitude 330m, max altitude 625m
Active hours: 10h
Steps: 59825

I finally managed to take less than 90 minutes to leave. Woke up at7.05, left the campsite at 8.10. First, I had to walk some 4.5km back to the route, during which I got shat on by a bird. I manages to wash it off when I encountered a small river.
I got back to the route at 9.30. First, I met a sad cat who meowed at me a lot. It was clearly hungry, but I didn't have anything that would have been remotely okay for a cat to eat. And even if I had, that one bit of food wouldn't have done it much good. I don't see that many cats around here, but the cats I do see are thin and not well-cared-for (with the exception of the cat at the restaurant at Ballon d'Alsace, which was too fat).
After that, I started the one climb of today, up to Fort du Salbert, 625m. That's what counts as a summit aorund here. I took a break at the top, looking at the view of Belfort which I had just left. I could see the lake next to which the campsite was. When I walked on down, I passed some ruins of the fort, some signs with 'no camping' amongst other things, and some people with tents. I suppose the people I talked to who told me no one checks those areas were right.
Down through the forest, a needly one, to Châlonvillars, asphalt again, hurray, I did manage to buy new pole tips yesterday, which made it somewhat easier on my feet. Châlonvillars seemed rather endless, up all the time, but finally I got to a forest again. This was one of the ones that were buzzing with flies and bees. I kept looking for a nice place to have lunch, but there wasn't anywhere. I don't mind sitting at the edge of the road, but preferably not in mud, and definitely not when the mud has a lot of flies. In the end I just grabbed something to eat and walked on, until I got to Echenans-sous-Mont-Valdoie (yes, they really have these long names here), where I took a break, sitting on a bench on the square next to the church, and made tea. Someone came by and asked if I was walking the Chemin de St Jacques or the GR5, as both pass through this village. They told me they had done (parts of) both. From there, both routes ran together for quite some time. Through some forests (which look very different from the ones on the slopes in the Vosges), then through Brévilliers which was a long straight road. My pack felt somewhat uncomfortable today, so I stopped to adjust it next to a drinking water tap.
I had by now decided I wanted to try something ambitious again, because if I could get far enough today, I can sleep in Switzerland tomorrow. And for now I'm done with France, but then, I'm back in a part that is mostly asphalt roads and villages and that's just not the most interesting. So on I went, took a short detour (800m one-way) to see a dolmen (took me a moment to find it because it hadn't occurred to me that they would put a building around it), then continued. While I passed a field with cows a car stopped and two people got out and stepped into the pasture. They proceeded to seek out specific cows, pointed out by one of them, and my theory is that the other was the vet.
The road continued through the fields, the forest, then underneath the TGV track. Out of the forest there was suddenly a recycling center and after that I was joined by someone who was hard to understand due to a slight deformity to their mouth and who didn't have the same concept of personal space as I do. The road went to Châtenois-les-Forges, where they left, fortunately. Through the village, and then to an area with small lakes (étangs). I felt my feet needed some care so I sat next to one of the lakes and massaged them. I also noticed I strained a muscle in my upper leg, one I have no idea how to stretch.
After that break the road continued past the étangs for a long time, then out of nowhere I saw two riksha-like things come by, which looked out of place. But later there was a beach area, with guards, an awesome-looking floating climbing-and-sliding parcours, a building with toilets and showers, and indeed a place where those things were rented out. I had to cross the highway, then followed a path next to a canal for some 2 km. Then over a bridge which was actually also an aqueduct, where the canal and a small river crossed, which I found pretty cool.
Then I got to Fesches-le-Châtel, just at 20.00, and after that went to find a place to camp. I don't feel comfortable about it, but it's necessary, as there is nothing else here, and it is the last time, as wild camping is not allowed in Switzerland. So, just one more night.

Geschreven door Jewaontheroad