France August September 2006

Diary

Tuesday 29 August fine / partly cloudy, 19°C - Dublin - Rosslare - Sea

· Up @ 8:00, packed and left @ 9:00, full tank of gas

· Drove to Calor gas in Docks, swapped gas bottle for full one, no charge as the old one was quite full

· Drove back to flat ( to get AC’s razor and throat lozenges for AC) then to N11 and south @ 10:00

· South on N11 to Wexford then N25 to Rosslare, arr 12:15

· Drew €300 (€200 for safety), had lunch @ café @ shopping centre

· Sat in van, read paper then down to docks @ 1:30

· Checked in and sat in queue, called to board @ 2:45

· Put our stuff into cabin then watched the loading

· Went to café in stern and watched, then announcement of problem with loading ramps, ½ the cars still on the wharf, had tea @ 6:00

· Problem fixed @ 7:00 then finished loading and left @ 7:45 (instead of 4:00)

Wednesday 30 August mainly fine, 24°C - Sea to Granville

· Up @ 9:00, up to have breakfast (€10 for cereal and croissants)

· Went up and sat on top deck in the sun, ETA now 12:45 (1:45 french time)

· Arrived on time at Cherbourg (instead of 11:00), out of boat @ 2:15, drove through Cherbourg and onto D650 and southwest through Normandy , rolling countryside

· Turned off and went to Carteret and up to lighthouse for look around, view across to Jersey

· Back to D650 then onto D903 to La Hayes du Puits then south on D900 then D971 from Coutances

· Filled up with petrol (still small leak) @ Lessay (€55 for 41 litres, @ 54270 kms)

· Turned off D971 and into Donville-les-Bains then down to beach for Camping l’Ermitage (€32 for 2 nights) @ 5:30

· Parked and set up, relaxed

· Tea @ 7:30 then walked up hill into village @ 8:00, drew €100, back to camp @ 9:00

Thursday 31 August fine, 24°C - Granville - Jersey - Granville

· Up @ 8:00, packed and left camp @ 8:30

· Cycled up hill and through Donville-les-Bains and then down to Granville Harbour

· Went to Manche-iles-express dock @ 9:15, checked in (paid extra €12 for bicycles return, already paid €90 for tickets)

· Onboard and off @ 9:45, good crossing, arr St Heliers @ 9:45 (local time, british time)

· Got off and cycled through town and onto cycle route 1, rode along promenade to St Auben then inland and over to St Corbier, on old railway track, arr 11:30, rode down to look at lighthouse then back up and back to St Auben

· Drew £30 in Jersey Pounds (own notes / coins), rode back along Prom

· Had lunch @ café (burgers and chips £9.50), then back to St Heliers @ 1:30, parked bikes and walked around town

· Very pretty town, british shops but French / British colonial architecture, a bit Australian like, walked past market and to library, checked email (£2 for ½ hour)

· Walked around some more, drew £40, Liz bought perfume (anais anais 30ml for £10), back to info centre for Jersey icecream in the shade

· Walked back around shops, AC bought SD memory card (£12.90 for 512MB)

· Walked to beach for a walk on the golden sands

· Back into town to buy tea @ 5:00 (pasta salads), sat at Charing Cross

· Back to bikes and then to boat @ 6:15, checked, onto boat @ 7:00 and away @ 7:15

· Back to Granville @ 9:20 (French time), dark, cycled back to camp, arr 10:00, relaxed

Friday 1 September fine / high cloudy, 24°C - Granville to Mt St Michel

· Up @ 9:00, packed up van, had croissants for breakfast, left camp @ 10:15

· Drove through Granville then onto D911 south along the coast to Avranches

· Then onto A84 motorway then off onto N175 then D75, view of Mt St Michel from road across bay

· Stopped for photos at Bas-Courtils then on D75 to junction with D976

· Checked into Camping du Mt St Michel (€15 for 1 night) and parked up

· Rode along causeway to Mt St Michel, stunning, parked bikes and went in

· Walked up Grand Rue, drew €100, had lunch at café (omelettes, €31!)

· Kept walking up Grand Rue (only 1 street in town) then up steps to Abbey

· Bought tickets for entry (incl tour) €8 ea, then waited on west terrace

· Got English tour @ 2:00, walked through church then cloisters then down into supporting structures which house dinning rooms, chapels etc

· Finished tour @ 3:00, walked around then back down through town to bikes @ 3:30

· Very impressive inside and out

· Rode back to camp, relaxed in sun

· Walked to supermache next to camp for groceries then back @ 6:00

· Tea then out for a walk around camp and surrounding hotels etc, back @ 8:00

· Rode back to Mt St Michel for photos of lights, back to camp @ 10:00

Saturday 2 September high cloud / light drizzle, 22°C - Mt St Michel to Evron

· Up @ 9:00, packed up van, had breakfast at boulangerie @ supermache (€5)

· Checked out and left @ 10:15, drove south on D976, becomes N175, turned off @ Antrain onto D155

· East through Fougeres (big market on, streets closed), then east on N12 through Mayenne, turned south on D7

· Stopped @ Jublains to look at Roman ruins then on to Evron, found camp @ 12:30 (Camp Municipal)

· Checked in (kind of) and parked (€7.60 for 1 night)

· Went for a walk into town, around markets stalls, had crepe and sandwich (sausage in ½ French loaf, €2.50) for lunch

· Back to camp @ 3:30, got groceries on the way (1/4 bottles of wine €1!), relaxed

· Finished checking in @ 5:00, relaxed again, few spots of rain

· Tea @ 7:00, out for a walk around camp and through sports fields next door to new swimming pool (closed)

Sunday 3 September showers / cloudy, 24°C - Evron to Tours

· Up @ 9:00, had breakfast, packed van, left camp @ 10:15, in drizzle

· Drove to D7 then southeast, more good straight roads

· East @ N157, stopped for petrol @ Coulans-sur-Gee (30 litres = €41 @ 54526km)

· Onwards and into Le Mans , round on N138, to Le Mans Museum

· Went in and walked around (€8 ea) loads of cars

· Bought PC’s birthday present, t-shirt, €28

· Back to van @ 1:00

· Drove round to N138 again and along straight used by Le Mans 24hr race (back straight to Mulsanne)

· Carried on south on N138, arrived in Tours @ 1:30

· Drove through town (market on so detoured around), stopped for lunch @ McDonalds in Joue-les-Tours (€9)

· Drove east to N76 and to St Avertin, found camp (Les Rives du Cher, €34 for 2 nights), checked in and set up @ 2:30

· Out for a ride around, rode over Cher to Gare St Pierre du Corps, where we catch the train from tomorrow to Paris , then back to camp

· Relaxed

· Out for a walk @ 6:00, along river Cher then back to St Avertin village, drew €100, back to camp @ 7:00

· Had tea then walked around camp

Monday 4 September cloudy / drizzle / clearing, 25°C - Tour - Paris TGV - Tours

· Up @ 9:00, had breakfast (croissant and pain-au-chocolat, sitting outside)

· Relaxed

· Left @ 11:30, rode to Gare St Pierre des Corps, caught TGV @ 12:20 for Paris Montparnasse (prebought tickets €20 each way each), stopped @ Vendome on the way, arr Paris @ 1:30, after speeds of 300kms

· Caught Metro to Concorde then walked through Jardin du Tuileries to Louvre, went in through Richelieu passage (prebought tickets on internet €12 ea)

· Walked through to Sully Wing, through to Mona Lisa and then Venus de Milo

· Walked around Egyptian artefacts, Oriental (near east) Artifacts and Base of old Louvre fortress in the basement

· Had coffee and éclair overlooking Hall Napolean

· Walked through Carrousel du Louvre shopping centre, looked around bookshop then out onto Rue de Rivoli @ 4:30, walked along back streets to Concorde then Metro to Gare Monparnasse

· Out through station to streets around, found internet café, surfed the net etc (€2 for 20 minutes)

· Back into station, had tea @ Quick (burgers) @ 6:30 then to train

· Left on TGV @ 7:30, arr St Pierre des Corps @ 8:40, rode back to camp, arr 9:15

· Walked around camp then relaxed

Tuesday 5 September fine / hot, 30°C - Tours to Huisseau-sur-Cosson

· Up @ 9:00, had breakfast (croissants and pain-au-chocolat) in the sun

· Packed up the van and left @ 10:00, drove to N76 the east

· Crossed the River Cher then to Chenonceaux to Chateau Chenonceau

· Parked van and got entry tickets (chateau and garden €9.50 ea)

· Walked around gardens then into Chateau for self guided tour

· Out again to look around more gardens, lovely setting on River Cher

· Sat in the shade and had a drink (2 cans and 2 choc bars €9!)

· Walked around, past the maze then back to the van, drew €100

· Left @ 12:30, drove east on D176 to Montrichard then northeast on D764

· Then onto D52 then north on D956 to Vineuil, stopped @ Auchen for groceries (€34) @ 2:00

· East then to Mont-pres-Chambord then north to Huisseau-sur-Cosson, found camp (Aire Naturalle) and checked in (€27 for 2 nights), parked up

· Had lunch (ham and cheese in a French stick) @ 2:30

· Out @ 3:30 for a ride, 7km to Chambord Chateau on cycle tracks

· Walked around the outside (free), in the heat, sat and had an icecream in the shade

· Back on the bikes and back to camp @ 5:30, relaxed in the shade

· Had tea @ 7:30 (cold chicken and salads!) then for a walk around the town then around the camp

· Dark @ 9:00

Wednesday 6 September fine / hot, 30°C - Huiseau-sur-Cosson

· Up @ 9:00, had croissants for breakfast then out on bikes @ 10:15

· Rode southeast into forest then around past Viilesavin, across River Beuvron then south to Cour-Cheverny and to Chateau Cheverny, arr 11:30

· Bought tickets and went into grounds (€6.50 ea for Chateau and park), looked at dogs then went into Chateau to look around

· Back out and down to the duck pond, had lunch (brought our own sandwiches) in the shade

· Walked back to entrance and rode back to camp, shortcut this time through Mont -pres-Cahmbord, arr 2:30 (35km round trip)

· Relaxed, cooled off, chased the shade

· Walked to village @ 5:00 to get croissant for the morning then back

· Tea @ 7:30, walked around camp

Thursday 7 September fine / hazy, 30°C - Huisseau-sur-Cosson to Moulins

· Up @ 9:00, had breakfast in the sun then packed up

· Left @ 10:00, drove through Chambord then south to Bracieux then to Cour-Cheverny to get petrol (30l for €39.77 @54755kms)

· South east on D765 then onto N76 to N7

· Stopped for petrol @ St Pierre le Moutier (20l for €27 @ 54927), got some lunch (yoghurts etc) and drew €100, at 1:30

· On south on N7 to Moulins, stopped @ L Elclerc for groceries, found camp (Municipal Camping la Plage) @ 3:00

· Checked in and found pitch (€10 for 1 night), relaxed

· Out for a walk @ 4:00, walked to pool, opening @ 5:30, walked into town through medieval streets, bought icecreams then back to the pool @ 5:30

· Went in for a swim (€2.45 ea), out @ 6:00, walked back to camp

· Relaxed, tea @ 7:30 (steak) then out for a walk along the river next to camp

Friday 8 September hazy / fine / hazy, 27°C - Moulins to Geneva

· Up @ 9:00, had croissants then packed up

· Left camp @ 10:00, drove south on N9 then east on N79, good road, no villages to go through

· Missed turn @ junction and wound up on N70 going north so cut along D25 to Charolles

· Got petrol (30l for €38.70 @ 55064kms), then back on N79 east

· Through Macon , stopped @ Intermache to get bread

· On east on N79, through Bourg-en-Bresse then on N75

· Got onto A40 autoroute (peage) @ junction 7 and headed for Geneva

· Stopped for lunch @ 1:30 @ rest area then on through Jura Mts

· Off peage near swiss border (€16.10 toll) then on to Annemasse

· Crossed swiss border and drove through Geneva and along lake shore to Vesenaz

· Found camp (Camping Pointe le Bise, office shut) @ 3:00, found spot near lake shore and set up

· Walked to village of Vezenaz to get money (SF200 = €133) and look around, had coffee and cakes (SF10)

· Walked back to camp, checked in @ 4:30 (SF82 for 2 nights = €53) + SF30 for power adapter deposit

· Relaxed in hazy sun

· Had tea @ 7:00, walked around camp

Saturday 9 September cloudy / fine, 27°C - Geneva

· Up @ 9:00, had bread for breakfast, made croissants for lunch

· Left @ 10:15, walked to Vesenaz and bought travel ticket (SF10 for 2 people for 24hours)

· Got bus E @ 10:30 into Rive stop in town

· Walked up to St Pierre ’s Cathedral, went up tower (SF4 ea) for view over city

· Down again then walked down to river and across to info centre in middle of Rhone River

· Walked to Starbucks for a coffee @ 11:30

· Walked alond west bank of Lac Leman ( Lake Geneva ) then through to main railway station

· Walked back over river to Parc de Bastion and had lunch in the shade

· Walked through parc, past monument to the reformation then up hill past St Pierre ’s and down to east shore of lake

· Walked out on pier next to Jet D’eau (140m high fountain) then back and got icecream and sat in the sun

· Walked to Rive and caught bus to train station then bus to Airport @ 4:00

· Looked around airport then train back to station @ 4:40, then bus to Rive and bus back to Vesenaz @ 5:30

· Got groceries @ Migros then walked back to camp

· Relaxed

· Tea @ 7:00, relaxed

Sunday 10 September fine / hazy / spot of rain, 30°C - Geneva to Lyon

· Up @ 9:00, had breakfast then packed up van

· Left @ 10:00, drove back to French border, got petrol in Swizterland (30l for SF55 (€36) @ 55294)

· Drove onto A40 then onto A41 @ 10:30, drove through mountains south west

· Got off A41 @ Aoste @ 11:45 (€16 in tolls) then west on N516 west then N6 west to Lyon

· Onto N346 ( Lyon peripherique) north to junction 6 then east on D6, north on Rue Victor Hugo to camp

· Arr 1:15, shut until 2, so went to end of the road and had lunch (French stick sandwiches) in the park

· Back to camp @ 2:00, checked in and set up (Camping du Grand Large, €37 for 2 nights)

· Relaxed in the shade, did some washing

· Went for a walk @ 4:00 to D6 to look at bus routes/prices then back to camp

· Tea @ 7:00, out for a walk around park next to camp then back @ 8:30

Monday 11 September fine, 26°C - Lyon

· Up @ 9:00, had breakfast and left @ 9:45

· Walked to bus stop and caught 10:20 bus (no 67) to Bonnevillemetro station, bought ticket from driver (€1.50 ea), arr 10:50

· Bought day ticket (€4.30 ea) and got metro to Perrache station

· Walked north through town (6 storey buildings) to Bellecour then walked to Soane River, walked through market, bought spare bbq lighter

· Walked across Pont Juin to Vieux Lyon (old town) and south through narrow cobbled streets, with loads of cafes / restaurants

· Got funicular up to Basilique Notre Dame de Fourviere, looked inside and in basement “chapel” as big as the main church

· Looked at the view across Lyon, then walked to Roman Theatre and Odeon (10,000 seater and smaller ampitheatres)

· Caught another funicular back to bottom station

· Walked around Vieux Lyon then had lunch @ 1:00 @ patisserie

· Walked across river again, got milkshake / sundae @ McDonalds then up Rue se la Republique to Hotel de Ville and Opera House

· Walked across Rhone river then south along bank

· East on Cours Lafayette, bought nectarines then walked to Part Dieux station

· Looked around shopping mall (4 storey’s), got groceries in Carrefour then caught metro to Charpennes then metro to Bonneville, bus then walked back to camp, arr 5:30

· Relaxed

· Tea @ 7:00, sunset @ 8:00

Tuesday 12 September fine, 27°C - Lyon to La Coucourde

· Up @ 8:30, had breakfast then packed up

· Left camp @ 9:30, drove to Decines to get petrol (30l for €37 @ 55489kms), drew €120

· Got onto N346 then to A46 then A7, off @ Vienne onto N7

· South on N7, got groceries @ 11:00 near Roussilon

· On south on the N7, along the Rhone river, to La Coucourde

· Found camp (Camping Floral, €13 for 1 night) @ 1:30, parked, to check in @ 5:00, camp on opposite bank of Rhone to nuclear power plant

· Sat in the sun / shade, relaxed, read

· Went to office / bar @ 5:00, had free sangria and checked in

· Liz went for swim in pool @ 5:30, then to bar to check internet on owners wi-fi (free), watched owner acting the fool

· Tea @ 7:00, outside, then dishes, walked along main road then back @ 8:30

Wednesday 13 September fine / cloudy / breezy, 27°C - La Coucourde to Avignon

· Up @ 8:30, had breakfast, packed up and left @ 9:45

· Headed south on N7, past vineyards and nuclear power plants

· Turned off on N86, crossed Rhone then south, got petrol in Bagnol-sur-Ceze (30l for €37 @ 55711kms) turned off to Pont du Gard

· Parked van (€5) @ 11:15, walked to Pont du Gard (aquaduct), walked across, took photos etc

· Back to van @ 12:30, on to N100 and east to Avignon , found camp (Camping Bagatelle, €31 for 2 nights), parked and set up @ 1:30

· Relaxed, walked along the bank of the Rhone , relaxed

· Went for a cycle @ 5:00, north along Rhone and back (6kms), relaxed

· Tea @ 7:00, walked around camp then out to Rhone

Thursday 14 September thunder storm / cloudy / fine / cloudy, 26°C - Avignon

· Awoken @ 4:00 by thunderstorm, until 5:30, with torrential rain

· Up @ 9:30, had breakfast etc

· Left @ 10:30, walked across bridge to town walls then through to Place de l’Horloge

· Walked down Rue de Republique, looking at shops, Liz bought footscraper

· Back up to Place de l’Horloge then to Place de Palais, went into Palais du Papes (€9.50 ea) @ 11:00

· Walked around with audiotour, home of the popes in 13^th/14^th centuries, out @ 12:30

· Walked up to Notre Dame church then up to Rocher des Doms for view over city and Rhone Valley

· Back to Place du Palais, had lunch (packed sandwiches)

· Walked east through to Place Pie, went to Webzone internet café (€1.50 for 20 minutes)

· Walked east to English Book shop, AC bought Ulysses by James Joyce (€12)

· Walked around city walls, along river Rhone , then back inside walls and back to Rue de Republique, Liz bought magazine

· Out of city and back to camp @ 4:00

· Relaxed

· Tea @ 7:00, out for a walk along the river

Friday 15 September rain / cloudy, 25°C - Avignon to Arles

· Up @ 9:00, had breakfast, packed up in wet

· Drove from camp to Gare TGV, looked inside

· Drove south on N570, turned off east on D33 and to Les Baux-de-Provence

· Parked van, walked up to “village”, tourist shops etc

· Bought herb grinder (€5), walked around, back down @ 12:00

· Drove back on D33 to D17 then to Arles , through town then to camp (Camping Le City, €21 for 1 night)

· Set up, had lunch

· Walked into town, looked at Roman Theatre and Ampitheatre in amongst shops, went into Ampitheatre (€5.50 ea), looked around, set up for bull fights

· Sat and had coffee next to amphitheatre @ 2:45

· Walked through streets to Thermes (roman bathhouse) next to Grand Rhone (free with Ampitheatre ticket) then through shopping streets

· Liz bought David Jones handbag (€15), drew €100, walked through shoping area then south to Fourchon retail park, bought groceries @ Intermarche then looked at Decathlon and InterSports

· Walked back to camp, arr 5:15

· Noticed front tyre going flat so drove along road to tyre repair place, replaced valve in tyre, free

· Back to camp

· Relaxed, tea @ 7:00, walked around camp

Saturday 16 September rain / cloudy / partly cloudy, 25°C - Arles to Celles

· Up @ 8:30, raining overnight again, had breakfast, packed up, rain stopped

· Left camp @ 10:00, drove N570 then to E80, west

· Turned off before peage onto N572 across Carmague delta

· Turned south onto D979, got petrol in Aigues-Mortes (30l for €35 @ 55890kms), through Grande Motte then north to Montpelier , through Montpelier

· North west on E11 into hills then onto A75, turned off at junction 55 then to Celles, south to Lac du Salagou, found camp (Camping Municipal de Vailhes), parked @ 1:30, set up

· Relaxed in the sun

· Tea @ 7:00, checked into camp @ 7:30 (€13 for 1 night)

Sunday 17 September fine / cloudy / misty / breezy/ mainly fine / showers, 25°C - Celles to Toulouse

· Up @ 8:30, got bread from van at camp (4 croissant and 1 french stick (baguette) = €3.10!), had breakfast

· Packed up and left @ 9:45, back onto A75 motorway and up the valley, breezy but fine

· Climbed up and onto plateau (800 metres above sea level) then across to Millau Viaduct (tallest roadbridge in the world) (€7.70)

· Turned of A75 @ Aveyron Services, stopped and got petrol (30l for €39.72 @ 56074), drew €150, @ 11:30

· Drove west on N88, through to Rodez (started to drizzle) then southwest on N88, got misty for a while, then down off the hills to Albi, fine again

· Onto A68 and back to N88, onto A62 ring road of Toulouse then A620, off at junction 33a and to camp @ 2:15, camp closed until 3:00 so sat in carpark and had lunch (leftover croissants from breakfast)

· Checked in at 3:00, camp nearly full (reduced area being used), parked and set up (Camp Municipal de Rupe, €17 for 1 night)

· Relaxed, out for a walk around the park next door @ 5:00

· Tea @ 7:00, walked around the camp then along the road to the canal, showers started

Monday 18 September partly cloudy / showers / fine, 26°C - Toulouse to Canillo , Andorra

· Up @ 8:30, had breakfast then packed up and left camp @ 9:45

· Drove to N20 and went north, looking for caravan shops to get replacement water tap for the van, all closed

· Got groceries @ Geant, then petrol (30l for €35 @ 56286)

· Back onto N20 heading south @ 11:15, onto A620 south to N20 again

· South along flat valley floor, then onto motorway into start of Pyrenees , back to single carriage way again

· Stopped for lunch at rest area @ 1:30, then for petrol @ Ax-le-Thermes @ 1:45 (15l for €21.75 @ 56428)

· Then started climb up to Pas d’Envalira, up a norrow gorge then up long switchbacks

· Avoided top of passand went through new tunnel (€10!) and out into Andorra