Today we drove all day. I nailed it, picking up the windiest twistiest roads i could find. As a result, it took us 8 hours to drive about 200 kms. We’re basically cycle touring in a van.

Along the way we saw an impressive church, the Basilique du Bois-Chenu, which was built to honour Joan of Arc, who was born nearby. It’s also the place where the voices came to her, where she first heard the saints urging her to take up arms and lead France. Out in the nearby fields, surrounded by the same hills and trees that still stand today, she began a journey that would change the course of history.

Out front, there’s a striking statue of her, sword raised, looking glorious in battle in her gold-plated armour.

The basilica was also impressive, sitting on the hill, towering over the land. Inside the church on the lower level was a crypt. Then we had to climb a marble staircase to the actual church. I’d never seen this before. The walls are lined with detailed paintings that tell the story of Joan’s life. 

I think its crazy to think that in some places today, women still aren’t allowed drive, meanwhile, back in the 1400s, they handed Joan of Arc a sword and said, “Go lead an army!” Whatever happened to progress?

Not much else happened today. We drove, admired the little villages, drove some ridiculously narrow roads, and ended up in an Aire de Camping Car spot in a little village. And it turns out to be a neat little town, so we took a stroll.

We’re in Soulaines-Dhuys, a village, with narrow streets weaving between half-timbered houses and stone cottages. Streams wind through the town, lined by old stone bridges that give the place a Venice kind of vibe. In fact, its often referred to as the Green Venice of the Aube. The greenery is everywhere. Trees, gardens, and riverside plants spill over into the streets, softening the edges of the buildings. 

There are restored original communal bath houses here. I wondered if we were allowed to bathe in them, but Mike thinks not. So we continued on our smelly way. We stopped and snapped a few photos of a 16th century gothic church, then made our way back to the van, where we settled down to eat a stale baguette for dinner.