June 17th Loos-en-Gohelle to Agny

Loos-en-Gohelle to Agny

distance 31kms

time       6hrs 42

Impressive Vimy Monument

We set off realising that it was to be quite a long day and the forecast was for rain pretty much all day. It was dry at first which was a bonus. Our route took us to the east edge of greater Lens (Lens, Ardres, Lieven) It was built up and fairly uninteresting. By 11.30 we had left the Lens agglomeration behind and we were climbing the fairly steep approach to Vimy Ridge where a major battle took place in 1917 and where the Canadian Memorial is situated. Half way up I spied a cafe so a coffee stop was called.

The Vimy Canadian Memorial is a fantastic piece of sculpture which commands the heights of Vimy Ridge. It is a fitting tribute to the many Canadians who lost their lives but helped to make Canada the nation it is today.

From there our route was due south to Neuville St Vaast where we enjoyed a major stoke of good fortune. The sky had turned an ugly shade of grey which was becoming blacker by the second. I spied a bus in the distance and pretending to be sherlock holmes proceeded to deduce that there must be a bus stop. Just as the words left my mouth the heavens opened and we were lucky enough to reach the bus stop before we got too wet. Lunch in a bus stop with a seat watching the torrential rain was our best lunch stop for some time.

Leaving Neuville we made for Ecurie in strengthening rain trying to avoid a soaking from the cars splashing through the very wet road. Past Ecurie and it took us fully five minutes to cross the incredibly busy dual carriageway of the N25. Once across we were into greater Arras (St Catherine, Arras, Achicourt) which we were able to negotiate without major difficulty making good time.

We cleared the Arras agglomeration and were 2kms from the end at Agny when the heavens opened again and we arrived at the car opposite the Mairie in Agny soaking wet but satisfied with our days' effort.

As we were waiting for Bert and Susan to pick us up to go for dinner chez Gerard et Irene a a car on the road started tooting its horn and pointing (we thought at our van) shouting feu! Feu! Fire! Fire! It took me a few moments to realise that it was our Romanian neighbour who has been parked beside us for two days. He had been trying to cook inside on a gas stove and the canvas side panel of his van had caught alight. I rushed to get the fire extinguisher from our van and he came out of his van with the gas canister alight!! He put it down as far from the vans as he dared carry it and then went back to put it out with my fire extinguisher. Personally, I wouldn't have gone near it. What could have been a disaster was averted but everyone was shaking.

We arrived chez Gerard and Irene to meet Freddy Cecile and 8 year old Marianne. Gerard and Irene had gone to a lot of trouble to produce a wonderful meal despite Irene's afternoon hospital visit. They worked hard to put everyone at their ease and we all left far too soon having enjoyed a wonderful evening. I do hope that we have an opportunity in the future to reciprocate their generous hospitality.