If it had a pulse... or even if it didn't, the French will probably eat it...

After a start slightly delayed to let the early morning drizzle move further north and to allow a few

sore heads to be assuaged by a coffee or two, we headed south toward Dijon. Possibly more by luck than judgement, we wound through the Marne valley to the town of Chaumont for 'lunch' to be made unexpectedly very welcome by the owners. True hospitality expressed which we reciprocated in the only way we know. There followed the usual afternoon episode of 'Speed Frenzy' as we made it to Dijon in overcast yet pleasant weather.

We spent a night here last year but unlike then Dijon is casting a better impression this year and is actually a very pretty place with some big churches. However, true to their sacred roots the Dijonnaise do sod all on Sundays... thankfully save for an Irish bar and the adjacent fabulous restaurant (name regrettably lost in the mists of French beer) the proprietors of which recognise that a good profit is far holier than a day in with the wife and kids.

Our headline act, Brian, didn't disappoint today after his explosive debut on Saturday... Slight issues negotiating both a blind right hander and the inconvenient accompanying 40ft truck followed later by similar difficulties a) getting to grips with an escargot and b) climbing the stairs back to his hotel room after 'a few wee steadiers' proved that 'Mad Dog' has the staying power required for this venture. The rest of us are proving mild by comparison.

Tomorrow we aim for Grenoble where we welcome the arrival of 'two pants' Tony and also our innovation for 2013... yes, our very own Support Vehicle manned by George and Joey. I've been asked to impress upon them that a ready supply of cigarettes is the primary function of any such back-up team.

Tony, seen pictured here at a recent WI meeting