The plan said I did 25.4 km, but the road signs give me credit for 36 km (22.5 mi), and it felt like it, too. I started with the trekking route (GR 655) for about an hour, but that led me to a crisscrossing maze of paths in a dark forest and slowed me to a crawl while checking my route every few minutes. That's enough, so from now on it's the bicycle route (near my electronic track). The bike route had excellent way marking--there weren't any markers in the forest!
And a statue of a pilgrim is always a good sign that you're on the right track! Ideal hiking weather--cool and even a slight drizzle. I returned by train for my third night in Chartres, and will leave tomorrow just when I get to know my way around pretty well.
This morning, a couple of Belgian bicycle pilgrims convinced me to use Airbnb for a source of lodging at reasonable prices. I joined, was impressed, and booked my first two nights (for days 85 & 86). I've known about them, but never explored them. It was time; Booking.com and HostelWorld have tried my patience!
If I had more time, I would explore Illiers because of its association with Marcel Proust, considered by many to be one of the greatest authors. As a tribute to Proust's literary masterpiece (In Search of Lost Time), the people of Illiers decided, in 1971, to change the town's name to Illiers-Combray, on the occasion of the first centenary of the author's birth--Combray is Proust's fictional name for Illiers!
