Summer 2017 Seventh Post - Home!

14th September 2017 - Sereilhac
7299 miles

Having tried to escape wet weather fronts by moving down to virtually as far as one can go in south west France, close to Biarritz on the Spanish border, the wet chilly weather caught up with me again. Spells of warm sunny weather alternating with wet and chilly. So decided to call it a day and head back to the UK. Made a booking for Dunkerque to Dover on the 18th September, and headed that way. Followed a quiet route through the Lands and the Dordogne to end up in a place I had stayed at a few weeks back, Sereilhac, a few kilometres south of Limoges.

15th September 2107 - Marcilly-en-Villette
7463 miles

Quick progress for part of the route along the free section of the A20 from Limoges up to Vierzon, pleasant winding run down through the hills of the northern part of the Massif Central to, what seems to be the endlessly flat Berry region. Stopped off for the night at a pleasant village, just off the N20, about thirty kilometres south of Orleans, even managed a bit of a walk in the evening! Came across the large brick-built kiln shown below, turns out after googling that it was a brick kiln which were common in the nineteenth century in this region, the Sologne.

Tuileries de Pont-Long - Marcilly-en-Villette

16th September 2017 - Buchy
7631 miles

Through Orleans, then skirting Paris, Chartres and DReux to cross the Seine at Vernon, east of Rouen. After passing the impressive Chateau Gaillard, built by Richard I, through the Normandy hills to end up at the market town of Buchy with two impressive timber halles (open-sided market halls) in the town centre.

Les Andleys - Chateau Gailard

Buchy - Les Halles

17th September 2017 - Bergues
7835 miles

Some more free motorway driving to Abbeville on the A28, a rare experience in France most carry punitive tolls, gave time in the afternoon to search for the graves of two distant cousins killed in the Great War in France. I managed to find both cemeteries; one near Arras and the other close to Lille, and also their graves. I wondered if they had ever been visited by anyone else. Then drove onto Bergues a great aire adjacent to the walls and moat of the fortified town of Bergues about 20km south of Dunkerque.

Benvillers Military Cemetery - Pt Owen A Monery (1872-1915), Royal Sussex Regiment

Cambrin Military Cemetery - Pt John Monery (1876-1918), Royal Fusiliers

Bergues - Part of the Fortifications, mainly constructed in brick

18th September 2017 - Tankerton

7885 miles

Easy crossing from Dunkerque to Dover, the ferry terminal at Dunkerque has been re-built over the last year or so, Now very secure with four levels of check and army in place. No immigrants sighted. Stopped off at my sister's place in Kent for a couple of nights before heading back to Edinburgh on the 20th, a quick trip without any significant delays found me back in Edinburgh in nine and a half hours - but it didn't do the fuel consumption much good driving at 70mph on the motorway compared to my usual sedate, and of course economic, 50 to 60 mph - it's such a long tedious drive, it's best gotten over with as quickly as possible!

Some Stats for the Trip

Total distance                                               8335 miles
Fuel consumed                                             276 gallons
Fuel cost                                                   £1403
Average consumption                                 31.3 mpg

MPG - a tad lower than previous years, maybe more faster motorway and dual carriageway driving this year.

Total time away                                          174 days 
Comprising:
Number of nights on roadside                        5
Number of nights on aires                          102 - total cost 10euro!
Number of nights on campsies                    62 - average cost around 15euro a night

Summer 2017 Sixth Post - France

9th to 11th August 2017 - Martizay
5816 miles

Still in the Berry, south of Tours, a few days of relatively wet and chilly weather was spent at the riverside aire at Martizay, a small village south of Tours in the Berry. Managed a couple of walks across the gently undulating landscape between the showers. Boulangerie just up the road, free electric and a decent internet connection on Orange France.

Chateau de Tourneau - a few clicks from the aire when walking one late afternoon

12th to 14th August 2017 - Charroux
5885 miles

South from the Indre Department, into the Allier, and a few days at a quite aire on the edge of the village of Charroux. An impressive ruined tower, apse and part of the cloister is about all that remains of a once important abbey founded in the tenth century under the protection of Charlemagne. On the pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela, it's important relic was part of the 'true cross'. Noticed a pilgrims refuge near the cloister for people walking the trail.  Blue skies and hot again after the recent rain and managed a couple of walks along the Charente, through woods and fields.

Charroux - Abbey Tower, Cloister and Chapter House in the foreground

15th August 2017 - Londigny
5907 miles

A few miles to the north west to end up at a small well shaded aire next to the twelfth century church, with yet another free electric supply, at Londigny. Not such a great idea at 7am in the morning when some kind sole decides to start playing tunes on the church bells in the, much more recent, wall belfry just thirty metres from the van.

Londigny - Another 12th Century Church - was parked up just off to the right

16th August 2017 - Lesignac-Durand
5986 miles

Following plans, made a week or so ago in Ceverny, to head south down towards Limoges and the Dordogne headed off in that direction to Lesignac Durand in the Charente Department. The village and the central aire are on a hill overlooking the artificial Lac de Mas Chaban. Yet more free electric hook-ups for the aire users and of course the aire was free to use as well.

Lesignac-Durand - Village church with its rather strange domed spire

17th August 2017 - Sereilhac

A village on the RN21 some 20km south of Limoges, parked in the aire on the edge of the village looking over a park and a couple of lakes. A blazoned trail from the lake went up into the forestry and followed part of the route to Compostella for a while where it went past a medieval pilgrim's lodging in one of the small hamlets.

Sereihlac - Church and Village

18th to 19th August 2017 - Queyssac
6108 miles

South into the Dordogne Department, to stop just outside of Bergerac, at a gorgeous aire in a meadow filled valley at the edge of the small village of Queyssac. Spent a couple of nights here and and followed a couple of waymarked walks in the local hills and forestry.

Queyssac - Village Church across the stream from the aire

20th August 2017 - Beaumont de Perigord
6129 miles

Just a few kilometres and south of the Dordogne river ended up outside an interesting bastide town, founded by Edward I. Great square and the fortified church with one of the towers built as a keep. Managed a walk in the early evening; but getting very hot again in the top thirties during the afternoon.

Beaumont de Perigord - the church and its fortified southern tower

21st to 22nd August 2017 - Montpazier
6139 miles

Just ten miles away to stop off at an aire at another well preserved Edwardian bastide at Monpazier.  I was beginning to find this part of the Dordogne really interesting; but, the chances of doing much exploring or walking were being ruined by the on going heatwave which hit 40C the two days I was here. Really too hot to do anything apart from try and stay cool! The weather forecast suggested that it was going to last for the next ten days. Decided to head up to Brittany, over the next few days, where it looked like low twenties for the next week or so.

Montpazier - Church and arcaded market place

23rd August 2017 - Moutiers-sur-le-Lay
6370 miles

A long days drive towards Brittany to end up in the Vendee at Moutiers-sur-le-Lay, on a small river that eventually reaches the Atlantic just north of La Rochelle. Where I crossed it again about a week later when heading back down south to les Landes. Quiet aire near the village centre provided shade for a couple of days of more hot weather before heading further to the north west and into Brittany.

Moutiers-sur-le-Ley - Old Mill on the Lay from the bridge at the edge of the village

25th August 2017 - Port de Feloux
6495 miles

Into the Morbihan Department, in the historic duchy of Brittany, to stop at an inland marina on the Villaine, some twenty kilometres from the coast in a flooded river valley, before heading for some coastal aires. Busy with boats and people during the day but pretty quiet at night. 

Port Foleux - Part of the Marina near the aire.

26th to 29th August 2017 - Plage des Kaolins, Ploemeur 
6590 miles

Found a great aire about ten kilometres west of l'Orient. With a beach, in a relatively undeveloped stretch of coastline, just ten minutes walk from the aire at the rear of a huge car park. Very busy with locals at the weekend. Unfortunately, no services; but, being France, all the local parkings for access to the clean, coarse sandy beaches (from weathered granite) were free and plentiful, the litter bins were emptied every morning when a couple of guys also went around picking the few bits of litter that be left around. So different from the UK - pay for everything and litter everywhere.

Plage de Kaolins

30th August to 2nd September 2017 - Plage de Salins, St Hilaire de Riez
6774 miles

Weather was turning a little chilly and damp in Brittany so I headed down to another coastal aire just to the north of the resort of St Hilaire de Riez. The Aire, in A pine forest, was free and located about a click from the beach. Services were a problem all the local ones seemed to be out of order! Managed to find a private aire to fill up with water, dump waste and get some power for a few hours but had to pay, ten euros for the privilege!! Can't really complain, since landing in Nice on the 13th June I have spent a total of ten euros for services and nothing to park overnight! Charges to date were four euros for electricity, one damp and chilly weekend, on one occasion one euro to fill up with water and then the five euros today. In Scotland last year I had to fill up with water from a stream, as there wasn't even a tap to be found with or without a charge!

Plage de Salins - backed by dunes and pine forest

3rd September 2017 - Cartelegue
6883 miles

Heading south to les Landes, skirting around La Rochelle and down the right bank of the Gironde, to overnight in transit at a small village aire, near Blaye. Vines everywhere!

VIllage and vines near Blaye, Gironde

4th to 10th September 2017 - Messanges
7078 miles

Drove on down into les Landes, to stop for a week or so, at a great value campsite in pine forest about a kilometre from the fantastic beach, at Messanges about fifty kilometers north of Biarritz. The beach is very busy with loads of surfers and sun lovers. Unfortunately, the sun isn't being too cooperative today; but, at least its relatively warm, low twenties in the afternoons. Camping works out at 13 euro a night, there are two pools and the santiares are spotless. Nearby, the small  resort of Vieux-Boucau-les-Bains, on a coastal lagoon, fifteen minutes by bike, serves excellent oysters and moules frites, best enjoyed with un quart de vin blanc while overlooking the lagoon and the pine forest beyond. I met an english lady who had been coming to this site for the last twenty-one years!

Messanges - Plage Sud

Vieux-Boucau-les-Bains across the coastal lagoon

Summer 2017 Fifth Post - France

12th July 2017 - Massiac
5002 miles

Morning hike on to the rolling plateaux to the south of Blesle, mainly looking down into wooded valleys and across to lava flow capped hills. Fortunately, the lava flows are a few million years old - so no health and safety risk. Late afternoon a slow drive along narrow lanes to the small town of Massiac, stopping at a green roadside aire next to the river. Surrounded by wooded slopes and more lava capped hills. To the north chapels on the hilltops both sides of the river valley. But a sad town as most of the old village centre is deserted, everyone now wants to live in new detached bungalows on the outskirts.

Abbey Church, Blesle

Start of morning's hike over the hills

13th July 2017 - la  Chapelle Laurent
5011 miles

A few miles, mainly uphill, on to the edge of the Plateau de Ally, at around 1000m, to stop aire at the sports field at la  Chapelle Laurent.  In the afternoon walked to the local hilltop viewpoint in the adjacent village: extensive 180 degree panorama of the volcanic area of the Auvergne - from the Puy de Dome Chain, near Clermont-Ferrand, to the north, west to the more eroded Mont Dore cones and to the south the Plomb de Cantal, the weathered remnants of the originally massive Cantal volcano.

Chapelle Laurent

Volcanoes on the horizon

14th and 15th July 2017 - Ruynes-en-Margeride
5046 miles

Mornings drive to that Alllier gorge then back up on to the plateau along a fantastic road to lunch by the lake at the aire at Vedrines-St-Loup. Then on to a large motorhome parking area, pleasantly shaded by trees at the edge of the village of Ruynes-en-Margeride. Their fireworks for Bastille Day had been on the previous evening, to celebrate the 14th it was their 33rd annual book fair. Route barre - village roads shut and centre full if stalls with authors flogging new works and dealers selling thousands of second hand books. Chilled out here for a couple of days, got no further than the castle keep, which is home to an open air museum.

Book Fair to celebrate the 14tg July at Ruynes

16th July 2017 - Pierrefort
5087 miles

Still making the circuit around Clermont-Ferrand, now more or less 100km south, back into the Parc  Naturel Regional des Volcans d'Auvergne virtually at it's southernmost point. End route, stopped off at the Lac du Barrage de Grandval, which fills the bottom of the sided wooded valley of the Truyere  for about 20 kilometres and is crossed at one point by Eiffel's impressive arched Viaduc  de Garabit. Evening walk through forests at fields from Pierrefort. At one point, l could see the high peaks of the Pyrenees, to the north of Andorra, which are about 270km to the SSW. I did the maths, from 1000m elevation you can see the top of a 3000m peak at 307km distance and 2500m mountains at 290km away. The peaks in that area are between 2800 and 3000m - somit makes sense (better take my anorak off).

Lac due Barrage de Grandval

Walking round Pierrefort - Pyrenees on the horizon

17th July 2017 - Velzic
5132 miles

Aire at Velzic - Fortunately the threatening storm didn't materialize

Some terrible roads when crossing from one valley to the next that fan out radially from Puy Mary, very narrow with an incredibly steep set of close hairpins at one point - after stalling and hand break barely holding had a ghastly smell of 'burnt' clutch for miles. Eventually, ended up at a pleasant spot at Velzic.
18th July 2016 - St Martin-Valmeroux
5180 miles

St Martin Valmeroux

After yesterday's experience kept to the roads on the valley bottoms, no more short cuts! Was going to take a look at Aurillac; but the aire was right next to busy roads in the town centre and it was bloody hot. Traveled a bit further, starting the western limb if the ' Circuit de Clermont' and stopped of at an aire right outside the campsite at St Martin Valmeroux. Pleasant walk the next morning before it got too hot, then in the afternoon went looking for a thermal spring, that promised in the Tourist Information warm water. Had visions of soaking in a warm pool. Only found a miserable dribble of tepid water!

19th July 2017 - Drugeac
5186 miles

Disappearing France - Old blue and white road signs

The weather was cooler, grey and wet in the late afternoon when l parked a few miles further north at Drugeac. A damp wander round the small village encountered an old Michelin road sign. You still see them occasionally 

20th July 2017 - Champs-sur-Tarantaine
5216 miles

Former garden used as a quiet Aire

North through Bort-des-Orgues, and its pretty poor town centre aire, where l stopped in 2014, to this great parking area and thriving village a few clicks further on.

21st July 2017 - Champeix
5253 miles

Champeix - Vieux Ville

Cut the circle below Clermont and headed east, passing the pretty hideous skiing centre of Super Bess on the southern slopes of Mont Core. Stopping the night at Champeix - interesting old part of the town with church and castle.

22nd July 2017 - la  Palisse
5350 miles

Still in the Auvergne Region, decided to have a potter around the Allier Department for a few days. First stop was la Palisse with its impressive fifteenth century castle, constructed by the Marchel of France, dominating the town 

Château due Palice -dominates la  Palisse

23rd July 2017 - Creuzier-le-Vieux
5381 miles


Stopped of to take a guided tour of the castle at Billy and ended up in an aire in the pleasant middle class suburbs of the Spa town of Vichy. Which, apart from the Napoleon lll gardens along the Allier, came over as a little rundown. Mainly late nineteenth century with none of the elegance of some of the Czech Spa towns l visited last summer  Some interesting frescoes in a Priory church on the way.

Château de Billy, near Vichy

Medieval Fresco

24th July 2016 - St Pourcain-sur-Sioule
5397 miles

Cooler and grey as l carried on to a huge aire by the river at St Pourcain-sur-Sioule. Fifty plus vans parked up. Dead weird the French seem to travel main roads (two criss here) and park up near lakes, canals and rivers. Really strange church in the town, only one side aisle and an asymmetric timber roof. Classical eighteenth century facade at the west end covering a tenth century porch behind, which could have been part of the original nave. 

French municipal street plantings are so
stylish - would be trashed by yobs at home

St. Pourcain-sur-Sioule - Church, Square and Belfry

25th July 2017 - Jaligny-sur-Besbre
5414 miles

A short drive through gently rolling large fields and woodland to a quiet riverside aire on the Besbre, the same river l was parked next to in la Palisse. A longish walk in the afternoon kept me occupied. Unfortunately, the castle was not open to the pubic. Market day the next morning blocked of the entire centre of the village and one route out, typical of France.

The aire and river at Jasigny-sur-Besbre

26th July 2017 - Diou
5480 miles

Across to the north eastern area of the Allier to end up on the banks of the Loire, which forms the eastern boundary of the Department. Free parking on pleasant hedged emplacements at the edge of the campsite, with free electric hook-up. Why bother to use the campsite; although, it was only about ten euro a night!

The Marie at Diou

27th July 2017 - Paray-le-Fresil

Still in the Allier Department a few miles north to the very quiet village surrounded by woodland and numerous lakes, which all seemed to be artificial. Why? For fish? Strange instruction from the sat-nav "Get on roundabout", as l arrived there!

The Aire at Paray-le-Fresil

28th July 2017 - Lurcy-Levis
5501 miles

Great parking spot next to a large lake, quiet popular but with loads of room. Stayed a couple of nights chilling out and walking a trail or two. Very helpful TO where they kindly offered to photocopy walking routes out of a book for me.

Lurcy-Levis - Bizarre Tourist attraction called 'Street Art' 

30th July 2017 - Limoise
5510 miles

A very small village, fortified by earthworks and yet another lakeside aire to pull in for the night. More walking at this last stop in the Allier Department before moving on to the Berry Region and its relatively flat landscape of large open wheat fields on the southern edge of the Paris Basin.

Sunset at the Aire de Limoise

31st July 2017 - Ainay-le-Vieil
5553 miles

Just into Berry, through the Foret de Troncais, to Ainay-le-Vieil, which with warm yellow limestone has the appearance of a Cotswold village. Quiet parking area at the local stade. Even the smallest French village seems to have a sports ground. The disused Berry Canal, mainly a dry ditch for most of its length, was the other side of the football field.Large château in the village as well.

Ainay-le-Vieil - The Chateau

1st August 2017 - Bourges
5596 miles

North through an amazing village, Drevant, again on the Canal de Berry, which linked the Loire to the Cher and the iron works at Montluchon, to encounter the remains of a huge Roman Theatre and Temple Sanctuary site. The theatre was noted as seating eight thousand people! Also parts of a Romanesque Priory adjacent to the church. Then Bourges, capital of the royal domains at the end of the Hundred Years War with its impressive thirteenth century Gothic cathedral. Which, without a transept, has the appearance of an enormous chancellery chapel, like Kings, Cambridge or Lancing, Sussex. Nearby, the fifteenth century palatial residence of Jean Coeur, who virtually monopolized French trade and further enhanced his wealth as Master of the Mint, can only impress by it modcons - boiler room , central heating and plumbed hot water system!

Cathedral - Bourges

Roman Theatre - Drevant

2nd August 2016 - Valencay
5660 miles

North towards the Loire Valley, but still in Berry. To check out a few Renaissance Chateaux. I visited a few in 2013, time to tick of some more! The château at Valencay is built prominently on a ridge over looking a deep river valley. There is a convenient aire behind the tourist office just about a hundred metres from the entrance to the château. 

The Chateau at Valencay

3rd August 2017 - Cheverny
5709 miles

Keeping the chateaux theme for a couple of days moved closer to Blois on the Loire to take a look at the Chateau de Cheverny, one of the few that has remained in family hands since the fifteenth century. Visit was preceded by that of the Queen Mother who was here in 1963. Great aire just outside, huge flat field with plenty of room. Met up with a Welsh couple from Caerleon and ended up staying three nights.

The Chateau - Cheverny

6th August 2017 - Montresor
5748 miles

Decided to keep away from the Loire Valley, presumably very busy in August and head south towards Limoges. First stop-over being in a really attractive village called Montresor with an impressive ruined castle and a later chateau constructed within it, quite a common site in France. Spent a couple of nights and managed some interesting walks, including sight of some Roman aqueduct tunnels and a large earthwork, dubiously called 'Caesar's Camp'.

Chateau and Village - Montresor

8th August 2017 - Le Grand Pressigny
5795 miles

Across the rolling landscape of the Tournais to yet another village dominated by the remains of a medieval castle and later renaissance chateau! Here used as a museum mainly about the paleolithic. Smashing little aire, room for about five vans next to the municipal campsite, with free electric hook-up. If you stay more than one night they ask you to use the campsite, which would work out at about 9 euro! The outdoor heated swimming pool is adjacent, and has an entry charge of 2.20euro for adults and 90 cents for kids. Hell that wouldn't pay for the parking outside the nearest swimming pool to me in Edinburgh!

Chateau - Le Grand Pressigny