I was quite tired so I decided not to go out for a meal and a few drinks in Brionne. I therefore saved a bit of money which was just as well because the "hotel" was more than I would have wanted to pay and my vague daily budget wasn't too badly hit. I had Weetabix and banana for tea, updated the blog and turned in.
In the morning I asked if breakfast was included and was not surprised to find it wasn't. I had more Weetabix and bananas and left the Auberge de Vieux DonJon with few words. After I had paid the chap put his card in my hand and I had great delight in placing it back on his table.
Early progress was good along the valley of the river Risle until I had to turn away from the river and was met by a wall of tarmac. There were a few hairpins like on proper cycling and I managed it at the usual (just above) walking pace. At the top I turned onto the D613 signposted to Evreux, yesterday's target destination. The beauty of this was that I wouldn't have to check maps for a couple of hours and could just crack on. It was a busy straight road and mainly flat, murder if it was windy and... you guessed it... it wasn't.
I made it to Evreux in about two hours and easily negotiated my way through the town to head for Dreux. I wasn't feeling brilliant and decided to stop after Dreux wherever I could find a decent hotel or a campsite. Nogent was a decent sized town and I asked at a Tabac which is like a little pub/betting shop. I was directed to Coulombs which wasn't far away although the hotel was up a short and very steep hill which I didn't need. A single room was 80 euros which was too much so I set off down the hill back towards the next town. A car was heading towards me with his lights on, and then another one and then I realised I was on the wrong side of the road - a bad sign.
The next town was Epernon and there was a hotel advertised on the outside of town. I rang them and found that a single room was 85 euros. I saw a sign for the railway station and figured there is normally a hotel nearby. I asked a chap at a pub near the station and he said the hotel I had rung was the only one. He said there would be decent priced hotels at Rambouillet which was the next stop up the line on the way to Paris. I was pretty tired and fed up and the prospect of Paris - London - Wigan flashed through my mind for a second. I plugged on through a couple more tiny villages, probably further than I should, until, enough was enough and I found a little wood off the road past Orphin where I set up camp out of sight of the main road. I had cereal again for tea and turned in at about 8.30.
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