Friday 31 May 2013

I want to ride my bicycle


Yesterday evening, taken from edge of campsite

Shortly after we got back to the 'van, it fell down with rain again!

Today we completed all the exercise we need for the next four weeks, at least! We cycled 12.5 miles to Chaumont-sur-Loire; luckily we found somewhere to buy chocolate to ease the pain.





I had not paid much attention to the map beforehand and naively thought we would be cycling along a path by the river, ie very flat. How wrong can you be? The cycle route meandered in the vicinity of the river with lots of twists and turns and … hills! Through vineyards and small villages, including one misleadingly titled “Le grand village” which consisted of about six houses and a farm – I wonder if the French do irony?

We had thought that the river level seemed very high, with a lot of vegetation immersed in the waters and near to Chaumont-sur-Loire the cycle route was closed due to flooding.


Despite the exertion, it was very enjoyable, but we opted for a quicker route home along a minor road closer to the river, which was therefore pretty level. I am probably tempting fate by saying this, but it's 20:30 and we have had no rain today.


Thursday 30 May 2013

Da Vinci Code?

Once we were settled last night, we realised that there was a large number of (British registered) Autotrail Motorhomes gathered at one end of the site; it turned out to be a rally of their owners' club. First thing this morning we were entertained by a exhibition of Synchronised Departing, by the Autotrail Owners Club Display team, as twenty large motorhomes moved off in rapid succession. Theodora looks quite tiny in comparison.

Once the entertainment was over, we walked into Amboise to visit Le Chateau du Clos Luce, the summer residence of the kings of France for 200 years.



This is where, at the invitation of Francois I, Leonardo de Vinci spent the last three years of his life. De Vinci was not only an artist, but also an engineer and architect, and the basement of the chateau houses The Model Room, devoted to his inventions.


Leonardo De Vinci's proposed wooden tank

A great doodler of ideas, there are models based on many of his “ahead of their time” ideas, such as a machine gun, a wooden tank, and a steam powered (!) cannon. More peaceable exhibits included bevel gears, a swing bridge and his famous helicopter. Outside in the gardens twenty of these machines are exhibited as large (mostly working) models, amongst the flower beds and ponds.



Another 3-course menu du jour left us feeling somewhat stuffed, so after a brief walk around town we waddled back to the campsite to recover from our exertions.  Restaurant Le Procopio (www.le-procopio.fr) is highly recommended.


Wednesday 29 May 2013

On the road again


The night at the “aire” was absolutely fine, although at first I said it felt a bit like a car park! We were away bright and early this morning to clock up some quick miles on the autoroute, before turning off along the banks of the River Cher, where there were lots of vineyards.

We have now arrived at Amboise on the River Loire, where we are spending a few nights at the municipal campsite, which is very reasonably priced, but has all the usual facilities (including wifi!) The campsite (www.camping-amboise.com) is actually situated on an island in the middle of the river, in striking distance of the chateau. However, any fleeting thoughts of going to take some photographs this evening were quashed by a sudden, violent thunderstorm with hailstones. There's always tomorrow ….

Oradour-sur-Glane


We got away early this morning in the pouring rain and the pretty road we photographed yesterday was swathed in low cloud. However, we made good time to Oradour-sur-Glane. On our way we had our first experience of a toll motorway, rather fumbling when it came to pay, as the instructions were not particularly clear and we thought 7.20 Euros for about 20 miles was a bit pricey. We found the “Aire de Repos” we had earmarked fairly easily. There are 29 pitches, with a service point for water and emptying waste. The “aire” itself is free of charge; you pay 2 Euros for the services. There are probably about twenty 'vans parked here this evening of various nationalities, British, French, Dutch, Austrian. It's ideal for an overnight stop.



After lunch we walked to “La Village Martyr”, details courtesy of Lonely Planet (thanks Chris, Marie, Louise and Steve!)

On the afternoon of 10 June 1944, the little town of Oradour-sur-Glane witnessed one of the worst Nazi war crimes committed on French soil. German lorries surrounded the town and ordered the population on to the market square. The men divided into groups and forced into barns, where they were machine-gunned before the structures were set alight. Several hundred women and children were herded into the church, and the building was set on fire, along with the rest of the town. Only one woman and five men survived the massacre; 642 people, including 193 children, were killed. Since these events the entire village has been left untouched, compete with tram tracks, pre-war electricity lines, the blackened shells of buildings and the rusting hulks of 1930's automobiles – an evocative memorial to a once-peaceful village caught up in the brutal tide of war. After the war, Oradour was rebuilt a few hundred metres west of the ruins.”







An evocative memorial indeed. The exhibition centre alongside gives a great deal of background and contextual information. We came away in rather sombre mood, but it was well worth the visit.

Tuesday 28 May 2013

Changes


As in change of plan! Today is likely to be our last day of good weather, so we decided to stay put and do very little apart from making a trip into Cajarc in the 'van, to get a few items of edible and liquid refreshment. We stopped in an “aire de repos” on the way back to take a few photos.





From then on we basked in the sun like the cat we saw yesterday, until I persuaded John to come for a short walk (more photography).  This is the waterfall we can hear from our pitch.



Lunch and dinner were both enjoyed outside in the shade of the awning and we decided that this is the life. 


Had some company in the form of Milly, the owners' dog, similar “make” as John and Jane's Dawson and just as docile.



Really will have to move on tomorrow, but it's forecast to be showery so it won't be quite so much of a wrench.

Sunday 26 May 2013

Just a perfect day...


(post from John)

When we poked our noses out from under the duvet this morning, the thermometer was showing a distinctly uninviting 1.5 degrees outside. This was not an encouraging start to the day. However, by mid morning the mist had gone and the sun was out, so we unstrapped the bikes and set off for the nearby town of Cajarc (about 5 miles away).

We cycled along the quiet road in the sunshine, climbing up above the river Lot; tall red-streaked cliffs to our left, and to our right the low stone walls were a riot of colourful flowers. Our route into town took us past the old railway station, now a railway museum. Whilst I found some old railway vehicles to photograph, Ruth was more attracted to the flowers growing by the disused tracks.

We found a small restaurant for lunch, and sat outside in the sunshine enjoying the menu du jour; our best value yet – 16 euros per person for 3 courses, coffee and a glass of wine. Hunger satisfied, we wandered round the old centre of town. Most of the residents seemed to be relaxing in the sun:



We cycled back via the river bank, which gave good views of the town:



Back at the site, a relax and cold drink in the sun were the order of the day, before getting organised for the next leg of our journey tomorrow.

The sound of silence


Forgot to include a couple things in yesterday's post. Firstly, I had my first drive in France. For the initial 45 minutes I think I just concentrated on how close I was to the kerb. The road was very hilly and windy. Secondly I didn't mention where we are. A tiny village called Larnagol. The site (www.lotcamping.com ) is run by an English couple; it only has 49 pitches but they are large and well spaced out and divided into sections. We hadn't realised how quiet it would be prior to beginning of June – not all the facilities are up and running and there are only two other units here at the moment. It's very peaceful, just the birds and noise from the river.



We had a leisurely morning on the site today and went over to the site cafe/bar for coffee and hot chocolate. (You get free internet access if you buy a coffee, and that's no hardship for John). After lunch the bright intervals were outweighing the showers so we went for a walk across to the other side of the river and on to the village of Calvignac to blow the cobwebs away.  Could see Chateau Cenevieres in the distance.



The level of the river Lot is. quite high at the moment due to all the rain, but thankfully not as high as it has been in the past. We came across this archway, with markings showing the height of the river in various years. Almost to the top of the arch in 1927.






Saturday 25 May 2013

Things can only get better


Not only has Theodora been well and truly christened on the outside, I managed to knock a glass of wine over yesterday evening, thankfully not red, and mostly over John. Problems never come one at a time, so it wasn't surprising really when we developed a blocked waste pipe from our washroom sink causing minor flooding this morning. Sorting this out delayed our departure from Brantome. Driver, navigator and Snoopy satnav are still not syncronised, resulting in a many point turn at the entrance of a height restricted car park and wrong turns in both Perigueux and Vers. Supermarket shopping in Cahors on late Friday afternoon was probably not a good move either! However, the latter part of the journey along the river Lot was very picturesque, with steep cliff faces on one side of the road, and the river on the other. Sometimes the road went further into the rock passing through tunnels, or half tunnels, formed by big rock overhangs. We had noticed that the cliffs and the earth are a very rich red; apparently that this is due to the presence of iron in the rock. Weather still cool and wet but forecast promises something better on Sunday and Monday.

Friday 24 May 2013

Lost in France


Looks like another reasonable day, cool and cloudy, with sunny intervals. Decided it was time to get the cycles off the cycle rack. Tourist information advised that there are no specific cycle routes in this area, so we resorted to a map from reception, indicating “chemins rurals”. At the first attempt we were battling along a narrow path with grass growing head high, so retraced our steps and found an alternative track, which led us high above Brantome …..... 





and then straight back into the town.

A coffee stop recharged the enthusiasm and we set off again along the road by the river, and then out into the countryside. After about a 40 minute steady climb and arrival in a small village, with …... absolutely nothing, we turned round and enjoyed the freewheel back to the road in a quarter of the time, disturbing a pair of herons as we passed a lake.

There seemed to be more shops, cafes and restaurants open today and we felt we should do our bit for the French economy by having the “menu de jour” at one of the restaurants built into the cliffs. Real French life – sitting on the pavement watching the world go by.

Wednesday 22 May 2013

Here comes the sun

Post from John

We awoke this morning to the sound of birds singing; the last few days they've barely managed a soggy croak. As we were not travelling today (yay!) we could have a leisurely breakfast – coffee and croissants at last!

As the sun began to break through the clouds, we walked the short distance into Brantome. This lovely old town is known as “The Venice of the Perigord”. Whilst that description may be slightly overdone, the town centre is certainly surrounded by the river Dronne, The main focal point is the 16th century abbey and adjoining church, which were impressive.






Punctuating our walk in the sunshine with a coffee (John) and hot chocolate (Ruth) on the old market square, we explored some of the small byways of the town. Having espied a likely looking restaurant on our wanderings, we adjourned there for a delicious menu bistrot; three courses for 18 euros. We would certainly recommend www.restaurant-les-saveurs.com .

After lunch we headed back to the 'van, to mix relaxing with some essential chores. We've also been poring over maps and guidebooks, to get a plan or two in place for the coming few days, as the weather is starting to look a bit iffy......



Happiness is .....

For John



For Ruth


Tuesday 21 May 2013

Raindrops keep falling on my head


Boring, boring, boring! Raining again. You can see the puddles for yourselves. Last night's site will be lovely when it's finished, but there is a lot of development going on.




We managed to take a few detours this morning, even with the help of Snoopy (the satnav) but in doing so came across a Carrefour supermarket, so stopped there to catch our breath and do a bit of shopping. Unfortunately the petrol station was out of diesel. Snoopy's “quickest route” was proving to be very cross country and some road number signs didn't tally with the atlas and satnav. So I put in a polite request (need I say more?) to head for a major road, which sped things up a bit.

It's been a long drive today (ca 210 miles), which we have agreed was too far. But we are now pitched (if that's the right word to use for a motorcaravan) at a site in Brantome – www.camping-dordogne.net and plan to stay for a few days.

In the car we usually have “emergency rations” ie a small bar of Cadbury's Dairy Milk aka CDM, which is unlikely to be available if the event of a real emergency. At first we thought it wise not to put chocolate in the glove compartment during a summer holiday, then decided it might be a lucky charm to tempt the sun. It's not working! There have been some brief dry interludes today, albeit murky, but guess what …... it's raining again now (21:20).


Monday 20 May 2013

I Can't Stand the Rain


As forecast very wet again this morning so we have decided to move on – we had intended to visit Monet's garden at Giverny today, but perhaps we will be able to do that on the way back. It has rained most of the day – even the oilseed rape fields don't look particularly vibrant. Have added “internet access” to our site wish list so I can update the blog and hence find ourselves at

Sunday 19 May 2013

Towards les Andelys


As our sailing friends will know, you never say you are going to arrive somewhere; you are only “on passage towards” somewhere.

Initially the landscape was very flat, with plenty of oil seed rape in full flower (rather like home really) but the fields are huge with few hedgerows. Wonder where the birdies sleep? John drove today and I was navigator. We had a preview of the satnav instructions against the atlas, but even the very minor roads have a number, which we quite often couldn't see on the map. I began to think of the game of Battleships ….. D12 to D567. We thought we could see a better route so why follow the satnav instructions when you can have so much fun doing your own thing. Which is why we passed through one village crammed with a funfair and had to do a detour around another in the throes of a street market / entertainment. Nevertheless, we arrived at Les Andelys just before 5 pm, no later than originally intended.

Recently we read somewhere about categorising motorhome tasks into blue jobs and pink jobs. Very sexist, I know, but it seems to be how it works out. We arrived on site, John scurried outside in the rain to connect the electricity and turn on the gas (having already filled the water tank and primed the chemical toilet) while I stayed inside and made tea! It has been raining all afternoon but we did walk around the site this evening for a breath of fresh air seeing some local pseudo-wildlife on the way.





We can't really pass judgement in these weather conditions, but situated as it is on the banks of the River Seine, it looks as though it would be a lovely spot on a sunny day – www.camping-troisrois.com




Going underground (well, undersea actually)



Up early this morning and tried our best not to disturb the neighbours as we made our departure.
Sunday is definitely a good day to travel on the M25, with very little traffic about. We realised that it's thirteen years or more since we last used Le Shuttle so we were expecting some changes (self service check in with vehicle recognition and a terminal building, for example). The process was all very slick and we departed on time at 10:20 and we were in France before we knew it.



Saturday 18 May 2013

Taken for a ride?


Some weeks ago I was supposed to check that our house contents insurance covered the bikes while being carried on the motorcaravan. At the eleventh hour, I finally found time to look into it yesterday. And what a minefield that turned out to be. In order to meet the conditions of the house insurance policy, the bikes have to be secured to a fixed object (motorcaravan not accepted as such!) so I then checked what the motorcaravan insurance had to offer on the subject. Pedal cycles specifically excluded! Thanks, very helpful. The only option seemed to be to get specific cycle insurance. So having found a suitable company I then had to go to buy the “Sold Secure silver-rated” locks in order to comply. We'd better use the bikes plenty after all that!

Monday 13 May 2013

A Space Odyssey

(Guest posting from “The Other Half”)

Well, Theodora was back on our drive on Saturday morning, as our first major trip is only a few days away. Exploring other countries was always part of our objective in having the van, and Sunday 19 May will see us off to la belle France. Over the winter much planning has been done, site books and maps bought, websites and blogs consulted and spreadsheets constructed (no self-respecting accountant can survive without a spreadsheet). We’re about as ready as we can be. Apart from packing...

We spent a lot of the weekend trying to plan where to put everything in the van. It’s not that there is a lack of space; in fact the IH Tio R is quite well endowed with lockers and cubby holes. It’s just that this is our first time loading her up for more than a couple of nights stay, and we will be taking A Lot Of Stuff.

Ruth, in her organised fashion, has a number of lists of what to take, with possible locations for it all. By Sunday afternoon, we’d got the basics sorted out (we think); just the clothes and food to put in. The “boot” that is a feature of the IH range is very useful, but it’s getting fairly full already. 


We aim to get the van loaded on Saturday morning, and head off to a local weighbridge in the afternoon to see how close we are to our 3500kg maximum weight (must allow space for bringing back wine!). Then we’ll be off bright and early on Sunday for a mid-morning Shuttle to France.

Only six more sleeps ‘till we’re on holiday!