The first light spreads over the meadows of the Nièvre, where white Charolais cattle chew the cud and the dew soaks through your shoes. That’s how you start in Guérigny. The landscape is open and rolling, with no real climb. You walk along quiet country lanes and through little villages where the morning bread is still warm.
The day is of medium difficulty, but the kilometres add up. At just over 7 hours on the go, it’s mostly a matter of keeping a steady pace. The highest point stays low, so your legs have little to do, but your mind does. That’s exactly the secret of a stage like this. Magny-Cours announces itself with the sound of engines in the distance. It’s famous for its racing circuit, but the village itself is peaceful. Just put one foot in front of the other. Step by step, you’ll get there.