In La Petite Pierre

Woke at 9:15! A very good nights sleep even though the bed is a little lumpy. And, again, a very good choice it was staying here, it is raining outside. Phew. By the time I'd showered, done the diary and the washing it was midday.

As I was leaving the owners asked if I'd join them for a drink, a glass of wine, Pinot Gris, from Alsace of course. (Feeling a bit queasy from last night.) I explained to them about where I had been and where I was going. Or at least I hope I did.


Now of course it is after midday and you know what that means in a bustling tourist town! Yep, everything was closed. In the end I went for a nice walk around the walled town and visited all the bits that are always open, gardens etc. Then I had a nice sit in the sun for a while on top of one of the walled garden areas. Very pleasant.


Time for lunch. Of course my plan of baguette was completely out the door, so it was time for another pizza, at the restaurant 'Au Coq Blanc'. Basically ham and mushroom, but it had an egg on top. To be honest I wasn't sure what to do with the egg. Do you smear it all over the pizza, eat that section on its own or what? In the end I decided to just dip bits of pizza in it. Not bad really.


When I walked out it was raining! So I made straight away for the castle, which, thankfully was now open. Sadly there was not too much about the castle itself, more about the region. The area has been in use since 8000 BC. The Romans had a small fort here. The main castle was built in the 12th century, with many editions and expansions over time. It was finally abandoned in the 1870's during some war because it ended up not being in such a useful location any more. It became a forestry commission building and was used as such until the area was expanded for tourism in the 1970's.

I then went to the bar to watch le Tour. Alas it was not on, the TV was covered and there were a large number of people already in there (it was raining again). I thought about asking but it is not such an important day today, and tomorrow is a rest day, so I decided against it. I am feeling so tired today, so time for a nap.

It was after 7 pm when I woke so I went across the road to the restaurant I'd chosen for dinner, it was closed, bugger. I walked down the street to my second choice and bloody hell it was closed too. They have a second restaurant there which was open but of course it is just too expensive. I didn't want to go to yesterday's again, i.e. expensive.


So, of course, it was back to the lunch place again. This time I decided to have the choucroute garnie, meat with sauerkraut and potato, very nice. See the photo. Very filling. A good thing I hadn't succumbed and gotten an entree. Another meal where no fat was spared in the preparation. I hope it doesn't give me indigestion tonight.