My accommodation would be in Saint-Valery-sur-Somme. The commune is located on the coast of Hauts-de-France, near the Baie de la Somme and at the mouth of the canalised river Somme. It is located 30 km north of Abbeville and west of the Somme battlefields. Most of the commune lies adjacent to the sea and the Somme River on the Quai du Romerel, Quai Courbet, Quai Jeanne d’Arc, Quai Blavet and the Quai Perree.

Because of the heavy wind and rain, I could not shoot any further photos in the evening. But the person who arranged a room for me through Campspace was gracious enough to take me on a city tour in her car and tell me about the history of this lovely town.

All of the animals in the home welcomed me warmly. Dogs, cats and even a wild boar contribute to the homely atmosphere. I never anticipated this, but the wild boar, Hercule, was kind. Here are a few illustrations:

The sun came out this morning, and the wind, in particular, has been lying down. It would be the ideal time to photograph these stunning locations. My bike had seen some dirt, but it was ready to get back on the road and process 300 kilometres across Picardy.

The vistas in the morning were a treat, and I got some great shots.

I saw a beautiful chapel on the top of a little hill near this site. This chapel, located from Cap Hornu’s perspective, is a neo-Gothic edifice made of white natural stone with silex patterns. The chapel contains a dormer window and stained glass windows showing scenes from Saint Walricus’ life. Several votive vessels presented by maritime workers may be found in the chapel.

The Fidélite, a miraculous spring at the foot of the church, is supposed to be effective against eye disorders and to foster faithfulness between marriages.

I also needed to examine the chapel’s engravings. The chapel contained several inscriptions from couples, indicating that many individuals believed in the assistance the chapel would provide. Your sexual issues would be treated with Saint-Valery’s Chapel of Sailors. For the record, I didn’t need to write an inscription because everything was perfect in the house. 🙂

This gorgeous town has so much more to offer than just this beautiful chapel. It was also the location of Jeanne D’ark’s imprisonment. Tours Guillaume is located in Saint-Valery-sur-Somme and is also known as Porte Jeanne d’Arc or Porte du Haut.

The city gate comprises two strong circular towers connected by a gated entryway. The towers date from the 11th century and were present when William the Conqueror had to dock his fleet here before sailing to England in 1066. Joan of Arc, who had already been kidnapped by the English, passed through this gate in 1430. The present gate entry was completed in 1785.

The towers have been used as both a watchtower and a jail. The drawbridge was destroyed.

more about Joan of Arc: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joan_of_Arc

After this breathtaking historical excursion, I continued my journey for another 10 km. Ault – Onival – the Bois de Cise, located between Normandy and Picardy, between land and sea, between the cliffs of Petit Caux and the beautiful Baie de Somme, offer visitors seeking an untouched environment the grandeur of Picardy air.

The tale of Ault is one of man’s never-ending battles against the elements. When forced to recede in the face of centuries of destructive waves, sailors turned locksmiths, and fishermen became metalworkers or merchants. Ault’s terrain is now remarkable in its richness.

I found this picture to be amusing. This location has been on my bucket list for nearly two years. Every time I was eager to reach the chalk cliffs, bad luck prevented me from doing so.

I persisted in continuing my journey towards Paris. My map showed the most stunning locations in Picardy, and I was eager to discover more of the area. I reach an archaeological site after only 15 minutes of riding. I dismounted from my motorbike to investigate. A medium-sized Roman settlement named Briga was found during the construction of a nearby road soon after the French Revolution. On the site of what had been a Celtic shrine, the Romans built a sizable sanctuary complex starting in the first century AD. They also added additional amenities found in Roman communities, including a theatre, bathhouses, and a forum.

The magnitude shocked me because it was from 76 years after Christ. I had no clue this place existed and it wasn’t on my list of must-see attractions nearby. I had a lovely addition to my road vacation.

My BMW navigated stunning forested and narrow lanes. Due to the weather the previous days, everything was pretty wet, but today we maintained it dry.
As I pass this magnificent woodland in the Grandcourt nature reserve, I come across a bomb hidden between the trees. I swung my bike around and initially believed it to be a dream, but I was indeed looking at the right image.

The V1 bomber launching location is now a memorial and a remembrance of the bombs carried out by the German troops during World War II in the Eu Forest, near the Montauban signpost in Guerville.

The Luftwaffe did not pick this location to set up its bases by accident—it was situated halfway between the Bresle Valley and the Yères Valley. Eu’s extensive and deep forest, railway, and various woodland trails created excellent circumstances!

Again, I was in for a tremendous surprise. It was amazing to be transported back across time with just 30 minutes in between.
As my road trip continued, I began to memorise and consider or attempt to imagine how life had been in that era. There was a life difference of about 1850 years in just 30 minutes. I do get goosebumps when I see this.

Considering certain trees that can survive over the years. What if they could speak?

Despite the fact that individuals have lost their lives in these locations during war or earlier eras, the nature reserve I am in is really lovely. On my road journey, the colours of nature shone through.

Dorengt is where I’ll be staying next. I kept travelling across France as I made my way to my bed, and some spots offered breathtaking vistas. A rainbow could be seen in the sky as colours appeared.
On my internal routes, I came across several stunningly maintained castles. everything in private ownership and extremely well kept. It’s wonderful to see that individuals are able to preserve this heritage.

Some images on my road:

I drove 300 km through northern France in the direction of Paris and the Belgian border. I got to my resting spot at 18 o’clock and was eager for a nice shower. There wasn’t much in the tank with only breakfast and some water.

But the sights I witnessed throughout my journey gave me so much energy that eating wasn’t a problem. The history and beauty I discovered on my second day of travel made me feel wonderful and blessed.

There is one more day left:-).

Thank you

Want to ride this trip: