Provins Bike Tour

[French Mystique Tours]

A bike tour in Paris is great but a bike tour day trip from Paris to go biking in the French countryside is a good choice too. I like doing bike tours in Paris as much as I like doing bike tours as day trips from Paris to go biking in the French countryside. If you like biking through rural, agricultural countryside dotted with centuries old villages and on relatively flat and gently rolling terrain with just a few hills then this bike trip awaits you.

On this day I rode through the area known as The Brie, as in the famous cheese which takes its name from this region. It is a large plain east of Paris generally situated between the valley of The Marne River in the north and The Seine River in the south and covering an area of roughly 5,000KM. It is geographically divided into 2 regions with the Haute-Brie (High Brie) north near Meaux and Basse-Brie (Low Brie) south near Provins. While it certainly isn't the most beautiful region of France that doesn't mean it's not pretty. It is quiet, tranquil and rural and a nice place that is close by if you sometimes seek to escape from the heaving sea of humanity in and around Paris. Most of what you will see are vast expanses of agricultural fields with lots of wheat, corn, sugar beets and other leafy green plants whose names remain unknown to me due to my limited knowledge in the scientific field of ''leafy green plants''. Or perhaps I just don't eat enough vegetables.

Of course you need milk to make cheese and the eastern half of the region is primarily where the cows are located. But I'm just dealing with the part near the medieval city of Provins in this report and it is pretty flat for the most part with slightly more hilly terrain near Provins. It is occasionally punctuated by patches of forest and the ever present church steeple poking above the horizon. Exploring this region will help you undertand why France is referred to as The Breadbasket of Europe.

This bike ride will start in the town of Nangis, which is in the Brie region (Brie as in the famous cheese of the same name) and lies roughly 60 kilometers southeast of Paris. During the 1st century the Romans established a presence in the area and the town was near a major roadway the Romans had established to pursue their conquest of Gaul. There are a few villages in the region where traces of Roman occupation are still in existence and archaeological digs in the area often uncover evidence of Roman occupation.

The village first enters written history in medieval times when a castle was built on top of a motte (dirt mound), typical of castle construction during this era. The castle was built to serve as protection and lodging for those on the route from Paris to the grand fairs of the Brie and Champagne regions. As later Lords occupied the castle it also served to protect the local inhabitants. Over time it was also enlarged by successive owners. Pretty much the only events of historical importance in town involve the castle, such as when Joan of Arc visited it during her campaign to assist Charles VII in 1429 and when Louis XIV paid a visit to the castle in 1678. Two thirds of the original castle were demolished in 1795 after having been sold to a Paris notary. In 1814 the town and its environs were the scene of battle between Napoléon and foreign troops who had invaded the country to dislodge him. One large battle occurred on the plains between Nangis and nearby Mormant. A troop of Bavarians occuppied the town and after dislodging them Naploléon spent a night in the castle and his toops camped on its grounds.

There are still some vestiges of its medieval heritage, such as the moat and part of their ramparts as well as a few of the castle's towers and portions of the walls. There are also a few ancient dwellings scattered about town as well as a 13th century church adjacent to the town hall/former castle. It is one of the larger towns within a 20km or so radius and has the most to offer in terms of commercial services and serves many of the nearby smaller towns and villages. Let's have a look around town.














Now we leave Nangis and head out into the country.






Into the town of Rampillon.



They have a really nice church. The church of Saint Eliphe was constructed in the 13th century by The Knights Hospitaller of Saint John, who also had a nearby commanderie.




The church is most noted for its wonderful sculpted 14th century portal.

[French Mystique Tours]

Exiting Rampillon.





And into Meigneux.








Out of Meigneux and back on the road.



The battle of the house vs. nature. Nature appears to be winning.






The small hamlet of Laval.



Coming out of one of thick patches of forest.

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And arriving at the outskirts of Donnemarie-Dontilly.




A group of monks aquired land in the area in the 7th century and built a convent and church. This attracted various serfs and peasants who established farms nearby and the community slowly grew over the centuries. The village was the birthplace of Pope Martin IV, ordained in 1281. The village was fortified in medieval times and was surrounded by ramparts and 20 towers. Today only a few towers remain marking a few of the former entrances into the village. It was during medieval times that the church and adjacent cloisters were constructed, both of which still remain. The cloisters house a medieval garden meant to be evocative of the theme of life and death. It is organized around the number 4 (4 seasons and 4 elements) and the number 12 (12 months and 12 apostles) and is filled with botanical and medicinal plants and herbs. It's a nice little town and it exudes a very pleasant atmosphere. Let's have a look around town.




















Cloisters next to the church.

[French Mystique Tours]

I did the next portion of the ride on another day. Actually, I did it during another season. A warmish day during March was all the excuse I needed to get on the bike and experience the first hint of spring. You'll notice things aren't blooming and green in the upcoming photos but I think you'll agree it's still a pleasant ride. The next village I approach is Mons-en-Montois.




















The Montois region comprises a cluster of the villages near Mons-en-Montois, from which the area derives its name. Several small villages lie within a few kilometers of each other and have their written origins dating to around the 11th century, although most were in existence centuries prior to this. Each village has a small cluster of homes surrounding an ancient church, which generally dates from the 11th to 13th century. No great historical events occurred here although the villages all played some minor role in history. Generally they were ravaged at one time or another whether it was marauders during the times of the great medieval fairs, later during the Hundred Years War or during revolutionary and Napoléonic times. Today it is just an area forgotten by time where the sound of gunshot has been replaced by chirping birds and where ringing church bells announce the passing of hours instead of the passing of armies. Let's see if I have anything else to tell you about these villages, starting with Mons-en-Montois.

The big attraction in Mons-en-Montois is the movie cinema. The 470 inhabitants of the village are proud to boast that their movie theater sometimes show films before they are even released in Paris! They also show rare films that you won't find anywhere else. Wow, this sounds exciting. This theater must be totally spectacular so let's have a look at it from the outisde, shall we. Here it is.



If that impressed you, let's see what the 50 or 60 lucky moviegoers get to experience on the inside.



Woah! That was even better than I could have imagined. And as you can tell, I obviously don't have much of an imagination. But I'm sure the residents of Mons-en-Montois are proud of their cinema and they imagine it to be a grand place and quite frankly, when you live in the middle of nowhere you need something to be proud of. We've seen all Mons-en-Montois has to offer so now let's see some of the nearby villages. Here I go on my way out of the village.

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The next village I entered was Thénisy.




The first thing I found in Thénisy was the old lavoir (wash house).



Every village in the countryside seems to have preserved their old lavoir and Thénisy was no different. If a village doesn't have a church it's usually the only thing of interest they've got.











The blacksmith industry used to be important in Thénisy. Blacksmiths would arrange horseshoes in what was known as a Bouquet of Saint Eloi, who was the patron saint of metal workers. There might also be more elaborate designs and objects other than horseshoes but since this was most frequently what was demanded of the maker it was most commonly displayed. Usually the shoes represented were the for the different types of animals to which they would be affixed, such as poneys, horses, mules, ox etc. It was also at the same time a sign and marker of the home of a blacksmith.








Here's the old café. Apparently the alternating of red bricks and glazed black bricks on the facade used to be a sign of prominence. It appeared to me to be prominently dilapidated.




Time to move on from Thénisy.

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The next village is Cessoy-en-Montois.












I have nothing to tell you about Cessoy-en-Montois so don't bother asking me. Actually, let's just forget all about it and go somewhere else.






I passed through the small village Sognolles-en-Montois, which was pleasant enough, but I was in the mood for some pedaling and didn't stop to take any photos until the next village of Lizines, seen here on the horizon..








I didn't find a lavoir in Lizines but they made up for that oversight by having a church instead.

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The next village I approached was the absolutely charming village of Saint-Loup-de-Naud.












Saint-Loup-de-Naud is considered to have one of the most beautiful Romanesque churches in the Ile-de-France region. The church dates to the 11th and 12th centuries and was a place of pilgrimage for the Counts of Champagne, who came to pray to the relics of Saint Loup, Bishop of Sens.






The entry is a superb example of the primitive gothic style and is richly decorated with sculptures. It is considered similar to the royal door at the Chartres Cathedral.




The town itself was developed around a powerful Benedictine priory which was destroyed in 1560 and of which a few elements remain. One of them is this 15th century tower.












That was a pleasant little place but it's time to move on. I cruised down the hill out of town and shortly after began an ascent up another small hill and got some nice views of the surrounding countryside.




I passed through a tiny hamlet before reentering the agricultural plains.

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Off to my left in the distance I could see the tower and church in Provins.




The road descended the agricultural plain into a valley and this was the home stretch before reaching Provins.





Provins is an excellent example of a medieval town if you are seeking that lords and ladies type atmosphere. Definitely a place to consider if you are looking for an interesting day trip outside of Paris. The old town is atop a hill with large portions of intact ramparts, a donjon (tower), narrow cobbled streets and many wobbly looking half timbered houses. Of course it's touristy with lots of the usual tourist souvenir items but I never let that stop me from enjoying such lovely places. But it's only enough tourism to make it feel lively, not crowded. I rather like it.




There was a pottery market the day I was there.

[French Mystique Tours]

In medieval times the wealth of a town was due largely to is merchants. The other way that a town or city may have acquired wealth was through the presence of a religious establishment, such as an abbey or church/cathedral which perhaps housed the relics of a saint. The presence of relics was a source of attraction for pilgrims and a large institution such as an abbey provided employment opportunity. One way to facilitate and increase commerce was to have a fair. Not the kind with popcorn and merry-go-rounds but a commercial fair where goods could be traded. Provins was situated at the crossroads of several old trade routes and took advantage of this position to become one of the greatest of the medieval fair towns.

In this era it was under the control of the Counts of Champagne, descendants of both Charlemagne and William the Conqueror, who sought to increase the wealth and importance of the town. In the 12th century Count Thibaud was the ruler of the area. His brother ruled England and his daughter was Queen of France and thus he wielded substantial power. Sensibly advised by businessmen he set up an organization adapted to the needs of far reaching trade. A complex system of financing was created to insure that creditors and debtors could exchange goods and services without financial risk. The town was so important it even minted its own currency, which was widely accepted throughout Europe. The wealth of the town was evidenced by its numerous stone constructed buildings, whereas wood framed buildings would have been cheaper to construct. An impressive set of ramparts, towers and gates encircled and protected the town. The prestige of Provins and the other great fair towns continued into the 14th century but slowly was overtaken by the rise of great cities.

Today there are still many vestiges of the medieval era evident in town. The town is considered such an important representative of medieval heritage that is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In the high season there are all kinds of medieval events such as falconry shows, horsemanship displays and demonstrations of medieval warfare seige machines. Numerous historic buildings are found throughout the town and we'll visit many of them. There's much more to tell you about Provins but it would take several pages here to explain it to you so I'll save the stories for when we visit the town together. Let's continue looking around town.




















The ''new town'' is located at the foot of the hill below the old town.






It was 6:20 now and my train was leaving in 25 minutes so I had to be on my way. I wish I had about another hour or two to keep poking around as I was in the mood for window shopping and maybe finding a nice cafe to relax in and ponder the days journey. I located the train station and was aware I would have to buy my ticket from a machine, since no one would be at the ticket counter on a Sunday evening. Found the ticket machine but had forgotten to consider that most of these things take credit cards and Navigo passes with the only money option being coins. Of course all I had were bills so I had to dash back into town and buy a bottle of water to make change. The ride back to Paris took about 1-1/2 hours. I fell asleep about 20 minutes into the ride and didn't wake up until we pulled into the station. What a pleasant day it had been.

Our bike tour day trip from Pairs to go biking in the French countryside is now over so that is all there is to show you today. Hope you enjoyed the ride. We'll head back to do some biking in Paris, sort of a mini bike tour in Paris, on our way to return the bikes before we part company.