Summer 2015 - First Post

7th May 2015

Selonnet to Digne-les-Bains

Section 43 miles

Total 1876miles

 

Dwarf oak forest and wooded slopes walking above Digne-lesBains

Yay! More blue skies this morning and bout 24C in the afternoon. Let's hope this keeps up until October. Slow drive through wooded valleys with a relatively low col (Col de Maure -1345m) before a long descent down the Bleone valley into the spa town of Digne-les-Bains. The Aire is a free, very large parking area about three kilometres outside the town in a deep, wooded, gorge like valley with some limestone cliffs located just below the very smart looking Thermal Baths. The French are well into spa treatments - you can get them paid for by their Health System (can't imagine the NHS ever getting round to such delights). The spa just up the road seems to specialise in rheumatoid conditions - I am sure just visiting such a good looking place would cheer you up! Had a walk up into the hills this afternoon - views southwards towards the Parc Naural Regional de Verdon - and theoretically the Mediterranean - but I couldn't see the sea. Most of the hills are wooded with limestone escarpments on the ridge lines of some. Most of the trees that I was passing were stunted oaks only about four metres high - they look very old with very knurled and wrinkled trunks and branches - some look like they had been coppiced in the past. Bright green lizards and signs of wild boar.

 

6th May 2015

La Breole to Selonnet

Section 15 miles

Total 1845 miles

 

St Vincent-les-Forts - on the way to La Breole to Selonnet



View from the Aire at Selonnet

Blue and white skies today! Short drive today southwards towards Digne-les-Bains; but, stopping off part way at Selonnet at an  Aire in just outside the small village (amazingly, still has a full range of shops - boulangerie, epicerie, bar-tabac, restaurant and hotel). A quiet Aire with great mountain views across the valley. Followed the GR6 in the afternoon to take a look at Seynes with yet another citadel above the village - quite a lively vibrant place. Was damn cold at night it went down to -1.2C (but the village is at about 1000m).

 

5th May 2015

Sisteron to La Breole

Section 43 miles

Total 1830 miles

 

View from the Aire at La Breole

 

Lac de Serre-Poncon - La Breole is on the left behind the dark wood.

I woke up to high grey clouds, at about 2500/3000m, little wind. Had decided to spend a few days in the general area. I have been three or four times before, even managing ten days back packing around the Massif des Ecrins some time around 1997. I seem to have ended in another of my favourite parts of France rather than picking up the bits I don't know. But I have become a fair weather camper! So the Vosges and Jura will have to wait for a bit. Pleasant drive up the Durance Valley, full of fruit trees, apples and pears (being irrigated - a good sign - it must be dry around here!), to the huge artificial Lac de Serre-Poncon to stay at an Aire in La Breole (on the road to Barcelonnette and Italy via the Col della Madellena. La Breole is about 400m above the lake. Grey most of the day but at ;least warm (about 24C this afternoon and still 18C at 20:30 this evening). Found a good circular walk, up to a ruined castle and then round through woods, above the lake, and back up to the village. Then sun appeared briefly in the late afternoon. Better stop, my chicken in red wine smells as if it is ready, it's been bubbling away for about an hour - so time to put the veggies on and eat dinner.

 

4th May 2015

Annecy to Sisteron

Section 156 miles

Total 1787 miles (32.6 mpg)

 

Towards Gap up the Durance Valley from the Citadel in Sisteron



Looking down on the Aire, including me parked-up, at Sisteron from the Citadel

Sadly disappearing characteristic of France - the painted advertisement - fewer each time I visit

Down the Durance from the Citadel,Sisteron

Still wet in the morning, decided to make a another jump south. Through Cambery and Grenoble and on down to Sisteron. Once south of Grenoble through the Vercors, I wanted to stop around there, as I have only been once before; but, the weather was awful. The weather picked up later and the sun was out when I got to Sisteron - an impressive 'gap' town at the confluence of the Durance and the Buech with high cliffs to the east and a massive citadel above the town on the west side of the Durance. Stpped at a small Aire at the base of the citadel with impressive views up the Durance Valley toward Gap. Noisy though due to heavy traffic, goodness knows why they don't make it divert on the Autoroute that  is to the east of the town, Got woken up by HGV's pounding up the hill into the town at 5am!

 

3rd May 2015

Mensay to Annecy

Section 129 miles

Total 1631 miles (32.7 mpg)





 

Guess what - still raining all morning and most of the afternoon. Southwards, through the Jura, in the hope of better weather. Found a small Aire at Annecy, about a kilometre from the old town and just the other side of the main road to Albertville from the lake. Amazingly, the rain stopped, for a couple of hours at about 16:00, had a wander down to the old town. Very quaint with the river passing through and some Palace on a small island. Walked up to the chateau above the town and managed to get some reasonable pictures. Even managed a walk after dinner before it started to rain again.

 

Ile de la Palais and old houses, Annecy

Le Chateau, Annecy - free entry!

Sun trying to come out, Old Town, Annecy - from the Chateau

 

2nd May 2015

Thann to Mensay, Jura

Section 119 miles

Total 1502 miles

 

Departing the Aire at  Mensay - on a driek morning

Still dark grey and wet, headed south towards the Jura and ended up at a very quiet Aire, with vineyards, woods and hills next to a museum at the edge of Mensay. Thank goodness I have about 12,000 books on my laptop. With this weather I am going through a novel a day!

Some idiot bumped into the back of me at a roundabout today, where I was having to be cautious because the visibility to the left was bad. No obvious damage apart from a slight crack on the bumper that I noticed later. The tow bar ball,on the back of the van,  left him with quite a dent!

Went past Louis Pasteur's house in the village next to Mensay. You know the guy that discovered oxygen (I think).

 

1st May 2015

Trois Epis to Thann, Parc Natural Regional des Vosges des Ballons

Section 40 miles

Total 1383 miles

 

Vineyards and wooded hills of the Vosges - from the Route de Vins d'Alsace

It rained all last night and rained all day today - just like Scotland! Awoke to mist and rain at 600m at Trois-Epis. Hung around until lunchtime, hoping for a break in the weather and a good walk in the afternoon. But, after lunch decided to move on in the rain. The intention was to go to another Aire at Thann via the Route de Cretes (built by the French during WW1 to link up and supply the heads of the easterly falling valleys that were being defended against the Germans). Constant rain and foggy mist didn't bode well for idea, and I had seen part of that area the day before - just. As an alternative, and hoping that the weather would be better and clearer lower down, I worked my way around to Thann mainly by the Route des Vins d'Alsace, at the eastern foot of the Vosges hills. Some chance regarding improved weather! As I write, it's been raining consistently for the last 27 hours! The mist now barely rises above the vineyards where they meet the forest and you can't see the ruined castle on the top of the hill that over looks the town. Looking out now, even the top of the bloody church steeple is shrouded in mist! At least the van is cosy with the heating on - certainly beats camping in this sort of weather! Today is a public holiday for May Day in France - everything - bakers, cafes, restaurants, supermarkets and even museums seem to be shut for the day.  

 

30th April 2015

Bitche to Trois-Epis, Parc Natural Regional des Vosges des Ballons

Section 149 miles

Total 1343 miles

 

Cold wind, about 8C in the morning, but sun and clouds. Had a slow drive towards the southern end of the Vosges. Following the Route de Vins d'Alasce for most of the way and then heading up into the hills Colmar to the Col du Bonhomme and the Col de Schluct (1139m). Was going to spend the night on a large parking area on the col; but, the clouds came down and it started to get windy and very wet. Decided to head for a more sheltered location, at about 600m, at Trois-Epis about 18km further on. Rain continued all night; fortunately when I went for a walk at about 18:00 the visibility wasn't too bad and although everywhere looked various shades of grey it was possible to appreciate the amazing view from the edge of the village - across the Rhine graben to the Black Forest about 30km away and then behind that the peaks of the Eiger (3970m) and Jungfrau (4158m) (in the Swiss Alps) some 180km away. Well, I thought I could see them, they were marked on the printed panorama at the view point and the bumps were in the right direction! Waste of time trying to take photographs in the awful light and greyness.

 

29th April 2015

Bitche, Parc Natural Regional des Vosges Nord

Section 79 miles

Total 1194 miles (32.9mpg)

 

Wengelsbach - a hidden valley



Main Street and Chateau, Lichtenburg

Started off in a happy mood the amber warning light had gone off! Drove through steep wooded hills (mainly beech) and then up a small road, close to the German border, to Wengelsbach. Just a small village lost in the folds of the hills. Stopped on in a parking area on a col for brunch and then followed a way-marked circular trail through the beech woods. Then the dreaded amber light cam back on, decided to look for a Peugeot dealership/garage (sat-nav and POI's are really helpful). Seemed to drive for ages to get to the closest one - and then there were about three within a ten kilometre radius. Really helpful guy, just stopped the job he was doing on a car and he managed to understand what the problem was, not helped by my appalling French. He checked out the diesel (no water) and drained the filter and pump (again no water). He concluded, and hopefully he is right, that the sensor was faulty. An amazingly cheap 22 euros fro about 40 minutes work. Just feels uncomfortable driving around with this warning light on most of the time. On the way back to the Aire at Bitche for a second night stopped off at the Chateau de Lichtenburg (which the Germans captured in 1870 after a three day artillery bombardment). Had intended to visit some Maginot Line installations and a few other places during the afternoon; but looking for garage and getting the van looked at seemed to take up most of the afternoon. Warm and sunny day - surprising as the temperature went down to -1.5C on Tuesday night!

 

28th April 2015

Chantonois to Bitche

Section 115 miles

Total 1115 miles

 

The Citadel above Bitche - the Aire was at the right hand end of it

Decided to spend a few days in the Vosges. The whole area extends some 120km north to south. There are two higher, protected areas - Parc Natural Regional des Vosges Nord (obviously in the north) and in the south, the higher, Parc Regional des Ballons des Vosges. Pottered slowly nortwards to spend a few days initially in the northern area and stopped-over at an Aire in the car park to a huge citadel above the town of Bitche. Great views form the walk around the citadel walls of the surrounding wooded hills and valleys. The van is being naughty, I have a amber light coming on that according to the handbook means that there is water in the diesel filter - goodness knows why as I have been using premium fuel to date.

 

27th April 2015

Etival-Clarfontaine to Chatenois

Section 51 miles

Total 1000 miles

 

Abbey, Moyenmoutiers  -  on the way to Chatenois

 

A day pottering around the Vosges, not very high in these parts (with the cols going up to about 750m) and ending up at Chatenois on the eastern edge of the Vosges and the western edge of the Rhine graben. The Black Forest hills, on the eastern side of the graben are visible about 20miles away on the horizon. This area is littered with vineyards on the eastern slopes of the wooded Vosges and more flat lying fields down in the graben area. The hills are dotted with ruined medieval castles. A multitude of small growers and sellers with very trim, neat and prosperous looking houses growing vins d'Alsace (mainly, white whines such as Riesling). The villages are very 'twee', often pastel coloured, timber framed buildings. Most names are German rather than French and the whole area feels more like Germany than France. Stopped of at an Aire in Chatenios. Again quite busy with about eight vans parked-up. Cold, damp and cloudy most of the day. Wandered into the town to find a strange, and still inhabited, double-moated and double-walled medieval town part way up the hillside which covered a  mere  two hectares in area.

 

26th April 2015

Bar-le-Duc to Etival-Clairfontaine

Section 132 miles

Total 949 miles

 

Restored veteran car and abbey, Etival-Clairfontaine - the tower oddly
rebuilt from the other side during the last restoration

River and Vosges Hills beyond - Etival-Clairfontaine

Along the Meuse valley towards Toul (interesting looking walled town with a large cathedral) where I crossed over into the valley of the Moselle. Problems buying petrol,this has never happened before, none of my Mastercard or Visa cards would be accepted by two different self-service petrol station. Amazingly, for a Sunday found a Total Station with some one actually working a till. Must remember to be cautious, and buy when I see an attendant at a Supermarket outlet! Worked my way down the Moselle. Passed-by Vittel, where the mineral water comes from, on the way to an intended stop-over at an Aire, next to the Canal, at Thaon-les-Vosges; but, it was busy with kids, fishermen, and family noise. After a brew, sat in the sun, I moved on to Etival-Clairfontaine. A quiet Aire behind some houses and next to a small stream with four vans parked up. For April every where seems very busy, well at least in the evenings. Etival-Clarfontaine has the remains of a large 18th century abbey (the church and some of the buildings are still extant). The Vosges seems to be full of abbeys, there were two more just up the road at Moyenmoutiers (stopped of here the next morning) and Senones (wanted to have a look at this place as well - but suffered from the ubiquitous 'route-baree' and market stalls blocking anywhere to park and get into the town - the French seem to enjoy closing roads all over the place - it's unusual to go a day with out encountering the dreaded 'route-baree' sign - often without any obviously signed diversion).

 

25th April 2015

Bogny-sur-Meuse to Bar-le-Duc

Section 109 miles

Total 817 miles (32.8mpg)

 

River at Bar-le-Duc

New Town, Bar-le-Duc

The miles are adding up! Good thing that the pound is doing well against the euro (around 1.38euro=£1) - so diesel in France is about 87p a litre.

Through wooded hills to Charleville-Meziers and then along the wide valley of the Meuse to Verdun with low wooded hills adjacent to large mixed fields. Passed through Argonne, where the American Army was in action in 1918. Again German, French and American cemeteries every where. By-passed Verdun (I visited the WW1 forts and monuments there about twenty years ago - it's unbelievable that there were something like one million casualties at Verdun in the 1916 attack by the Germans).

Then followed the 'Voi Sacree' (the main road used to supply the French defenders in the Verdun salient) down to Bar-le-Duc. The old, medieval town is on a hill and the new Renaissance Town down by the river. Parked up at an Aire next to the Marne-Rhine Canal. You must be able to take a boat from the Atlantic or Mediterranean to the Baltic - so many canals in Europe and not narrow like most of those in the UK - sort of small ship/large barge sized. Unfortunately, a grey showery day and getting a bit chilly this evening.

 

 

24th April 2015

Richebourg to Bogny-sur-Meuse

Section 129 miles

Total 708miles

Meanders of the Meuse - from the Nature Trail

The Meuse and hills of the Ardennes, Bogny-sur-Meuse - Aire and vans on the far right

Have a vague plan to work my way down to SE France to spend some time around Sospel and Menton near the Italian border via the Ardennes, Vosges, Jura, Vercors and Alps. Today headed off towards the Ardennes in warm sunshine south-east (still passing through many places familiar from the First War - such as Lens and  Cambrai, I visited many of the sites a few years ago and didn't stop anywhere of note on this trip).

Eventually encountered the low, densely wooded hills of the Ardennes and drove down into the valley of the Meuse, not far from the Belgian border. Parked up for the night on a small free Aire on the banks of the Meuse at Bogny-sur-Meuse; but, the next morning noticed a larger and perhaps more pleasant location a few kilometres down stream at Mentherme. Very warm and muggy afternoon when I wandered off on a footpath up to a nature trail in the forest. Nasty looking clouds began to appear at about 16:00  and rained all night.

 

23rd April 2015

Tankerton to Richebourg

Section 106miles

Total 509miles

 

Richebourg - Flat Flanders fields around the village totally destroyed in WWI

Quick breakfast and off to Dover for the 11:50 Ferry to Calais. Bargain booking system with MyFerry.com, if you pay in euro there is a saving of about £12! Great if you have a card that doesn't make any charges and gives a good rate when using euros (like Halifax CC)!

The sun came out at Dover. Pottered down through Flanders to Richebourg (a small village between Lille and Bethune) through the BEF area of the Western Front. So many cemeteries from the First War - the most poignant memory are the countless headstones of the unidentified engraved 'A Soldier of the Great War - Known only to God'. I hadn't realised how flat this part of Flanders and you can visualise how an area of slight elevation, such as Hill 60 (just a few tens of metres high), would have dominated an area. Parked up overnight at a free Aire, with about eight places neatly laid out with hedges and grass next to the Sports Centre.

 

 

21st/22nd April 2015

Edinburgh-Tankerton, Kent

Section 473miles

Total 473miles (31.3mpg)

 

The van eventually sorted on Tuesday, awaiting delivery of a new lid for the cooker. Had intended to leave Edinburgh early on the Wednesday; but, when trying to get some sleep the telephone woke me at about 9pm ... so, unable to get back to sleep, set off at about 11pm. At least there was negligible traffic on the A1 until Leeds! Parked up at Clumber Park, just off the A1, near Worksop for a three hour break at 6am. Arrived at my sister's place in Kent at about 15:00. Spent the night parked up in the road there - the neighbours must be getting used to my occasional stop-overs.