Showers on and off all day, 16-20deg, 5km, (train 125km) ride tot. 1005 km.
Got half a dozen spots of rain as we peddled into the railway station at Reims . It was nice to watch the droplets of rain run across the train window instead of down your face while on the bike.
The train from Reims to Saint-Quentin departed spot on time at 7:35am. Because we have bikes we need to catch local trains, not the 300km/h TGVs. The local ones get along at a respectable 120km/h and are very modern and comfortable.
We traveled via Laon, and Tergnier where we changed trains both times, arriving at S-Q at 9:33am, again on time. The ticket cost us A$25 each.
At S-Q we commence our WW1 Battlefields tour. Due to it being the Centenary of the start of that war there is lots happening. While both Greg's Grandfathers fought and were wounded fighting on the Western Front during this war, Wendy has no known family connection. But as she (and Greg) have British ancestors there's no doubt that a relative or two would have been involved. This war touched every family in the UK.
S-Q was founded by the Romans, those darn Romans again, in the period 19BC - 14AD during Augustus' reign. It was named after S-Q who was martyred there in the third century . Subsequently it was been fought over and conquered by all sorts of countries, French, (it was independent) Romans, Spanish and surprisingly the Russians, who obviously got lost?
During WW1 it was occupied and looted by the Germans and 80% of the city was destroyed. Our 2nd Div saw major action near S-Q in 1918 when it captured a German stronghold. A Sergeant in the 21st Battalion won a VC during that action. Rebuilding of the city after WW1 was very slow and adversely affected its progress.
Currently S-Q appears a little rundown in places but at least it's clean and neat and they are obviously trying to make it a nice place to live and visit. We enjoyed it. The city square was a 'beach' during our stopover. The weather was not all that beachy but in the latter part of the afternoon it warmed up and hoards of kids enjoyed 'fishing', swimming and playing on the substantial amount of sand very cleverly placed. A great atmosphere.
A good day, tomorrow we are back on the bikes.