Summer 2018 - Third Post - France and Benelux

31st August to 3rd September 2018
Albertville

A few days chilling out at a pleasant green campsite on the edge of Albertville, home of the 1992 Winter Olympics. Not really doing much at all apart from avoiding a cool, wet spell of weather for a few days. On leaving,  needed to fill up with GPL, what an effort! Only three places anywhere near Albertville. First place, Geant supermarket - headroom restriction of 2.8m, so I couldn't get to the pump or the cashier! Second place, Total Service Station - no GPL, although listed as such on the official French website. Third place an Elan Service Station - success but closes tomorrow, as it is the end of August, until the skiing takes off in December!! Glad that I don't have an engine that needs GPL!

4th September 2018
Val d'Isere

The weather picked up, so back into the mountains just outside Val d'Isere again, at 2000m, at the foot of the Col de I'seran in the Vanoise National Park. Met up with an elderly couple from Devon. The guy was 84 and his wife was 92, they still go to Spain every winter and Europe in the summer. Optimistically, they bought a new mobile home last Autumn. So hope for us all yet! With all the chasing about for gas earlier in the day there wasn't really enough time to walk up into the mountains.

Val d'Isere - View from the Aire at the foot of the col

Val d'Isere - Looking down on Val d'Isere from the col

Col de l'Iseran - mountain tops and glaciers on the Frano-Italian border above the aire

5th to 7th September 2018
Bramans

Over the Col de l'Iseran (2764m) with stunning views toward the peaks along the Franco-Italian border and the mountain glaciers. Drop down into the Arc valley at the quaint village of Bonneval/Arc and stopped just short of Modane at a campsite for three nights. Walked down the valley to the blocking fortresses built by the Italians in the middle of the nineteenth century (Italy acquired Savoy from France as part of the 1815 Treaty of Vienna, it was returned to France in 1860, when Napoleon III did a deal with Sardinia with respect to Italian unification). Trying to do a circular walk, crossing the river gorge by a high suspension bridge found that the footpath was gone a few kilometres further on by a huge landslip. Had to back track for about five kilometres, before heading back to the camping site.

Col de l'Iseran - Hazy view of some of the Vanoise glaciers and descent to Bonneval/Arc

Bramans - Walking to Fort Victor Emmanuel between Modane and Bramans

Bramans - Campsite

8th to 11th September 2018
Col du Lautaret

Down the Arc valley and then climb up to the Col de Telegraph (1565m) and on to the Col du Galibier (2642m), with a steep climb over the summit of the col rewarded by the splendid sight of the mountains and glaciers of the Ecrin National Park above the Col du Lautaret and La Grave. Stopped in a parking area at the Col du Lautaret (2057m) for a few nights.  Walked around to the Col d'Arsine (my third visit I think - previously in 1991 and 1998) and another day a steep climb up on to the ridge of the Col de Laurichard (2654m).

Col de Galibier - Looking towards the Ecrin National Park peaks and glaciers

Col du Lautaret - Parking spot for three nights

View from a lunchtime stop

Col du Lautaret - Start of the walk to Col d'Arsine, goes in front of the glaciers

Col du Lautaret - View from the ridge of the Col du Laurichard

Col du Lautaret - View from the ridge of the Col du Laurichard

12th and 13th September 2018
Barcelonnette

Dropping down from the Col du Lautaret through Briancon and into the Durance valley there is a noticeable change as the countryside, it becomes drier and the vegetation, especially the pine trees, develops a Mediterranean feel. Over the Col d'Izoard (2360m), through the weird scenery of the Casse Desert, to drop down into the Queyras National Park and along the gorge to Guilestre. Then up again over the Col de Vars (2108m) to drop down into the Ubaye valley and stop off in a parking area above the town of Barcelonnette for a couple of nights.

Barcelonnette

Col de l'Izoard

Col de l'Izoard - Casse Desert

14th September 2018
Colmars-les-Alpes

The Route des Grandes Alpes takes the Col de la Cayolle (2326m). However, to the east is the Col de la Bonette (2860m). claimed to be the highest mountain pass with a paved road over it in Europe. While to the west lies the Col d'Allos (2247m). So a detour of a couple of days was required to pick them all up. God knows why! It's bloody hard driving with some narrow roads, often single track with passing places and long, steep grades. Anyway. headed off for the Col de la Bonette and all the way down the Tinee Valley then west and north to spend the night at Colmars via yet another col.
The top of the Col de la Bonette is actually pretty scary driving, as for some daft reason the road loops up and down a steep ridge which feels very exposed. I think they only built that bit of road to make it the highest pass! There is a short cut-off about 100m lower at the true summit of the col at about 2715m - so you don't have to climb to the top of the ridge to get over the pass!

Col de la Bonette - Scary feels very exposed driving the last leg

Colmar-les-Alpes

15th September 2018
Jausiers

From Colmar crossed back towards Barcelonnette, over the Col d'Allos which has a long, seemingly endless descent,  down into the Ubaye valley. Stopped of for the night at the campsite at Jasiers, nice spot have stayed there a couple of times in the past, only 9.50 euro a night. Wanted to stay a couple of nights, but typically for France, it was the end of the season and the site closed down the next day at lunchtime until next Easter.

Col d'Allos

Jausiers

16th September
St-Martin-Vesubie

Last pass of the triplet. the less frequented, Col de la Cayolle, and down the cloud filled Var valley to eventually, after more ups and downs, including the Col de Couillole (1678m) to lunch by the river at St-Sauveur-sur-Tinee. Past a few Maginot Line forts, over the Col St-Martin (1755m) to stop off at a small aire just out side the picturesque town of St-Martin-Vesubie.

St Martin Vesubie

17th September 2018
Port de  Belgrade

Last day of the route travelling via the Col de Turini (1605m), closed for about an hour for motorbike trials by Michelin, and then the long descent via Sospel to end up on the Mediterranean coast at Menton a few kilometres east of Nice. So all of the route finally done. The last time I tried in about 1990 the car gave up on the Col de Cayolle when an engine mounting gave way and I never got to Menton. Anyone with a week or two in this part of France should do the trip, you can always return towards Geneva along the Route Napoleon, from Grasse to Grenoble (the Hundred Days and all that in 1815).
Driving this part of the coast is a nightmare, have done it a couple of times and it takes hours, so took the autoroute and headed west towards some quieter coastal areas west of the Camargue. Ended up spending the night in a parking area at Port de Belgrade, adjacent to the Rhone-Sete canal.

Col de Turini - part of the long descent towards Sospel and the coast

Sospel

Port de Belgarde - Arrived late at the parking area on the Rhone-Sete Canal

18th September to 11th October 2018
Grau d'Agde

A short morning's run via Montpelier, partly along a new twelve lane section of autoroute, to chill out on the coast at a great little campsite, I have used a couple of times before. It's just outside the, originally Greek town, of Agde with it's medieval fortified cathedral on the Herault, near the coast and only about ten euro a night!

Just beach, chilling and a bit of biking for nearly a month...before heading home. Hard life.

Grau d'Agde - some pleasant riverside restaurants great for lunch 

Agde and the Herault

12th October 2018
La Canourgue

Started the drive home heading through some stunning scenery, on the free autoroute towards Clermont Ferrand, through the Causes and Cevennes to spend the night at the attractive village of La Canourgue, with an interesting medieval centre, a few kilometres north of Millau and the Tarn gorge.

La Canourgue

13th October 2018
Thiers

Weather picked up again bright and sunny with good views of the puys around Clermont Ferrand. Heading north west towards Dijon stopped for the night at Thiers, in a large open parking area at the edge of the town close to the remains of the Roman theatre.

Thiers - Roman Theatre just round the corner from the parking area

14th October 2018
Goncourt

Heading past through low hills and around Dijon ended up at a pleasant aire, on the banks of the Meuse, that I had stayed at about three years before, at Goncourt. It just happened to be the closest place to park up for the night when I had done enough driving!

Aire at Goncourt

15th October 2018
Redagne. Luxembourg

Into the hills again at the edge of the Ardennes, past Metz into Belgium then Luxembourg to stop over at an aire at the edge of Redagne in Luxembourg. Every where spotlessly clean, not litter, smooth and well maintained road pavements and never a pothole in sight. Even free electricity to hook-up to in the parking area. Weather has certainly improved, it was 27C and hot in the afternoon. Not looking forward to getting back to the dreary late Autumn weather in Scotland.

Redagne

16th October 2018
Kelpen-Oler, Limburg, Netherlands

Northwards through Luxembourg and into the Netherlands to encounter the Meuse again, now a huge navigable river, at Maastricht. Headed north towards Eindhoven, there are not so many parking areas for vans in the Netherlands; but it probably has more campsites per capita than France! Stayed at a very neat family run site just a few kilometres of the motorway south of Eindhoven. So flat everywhere!

Kelpen-Oler

17th October 2018

North via Eindhoven and around the west of Amsterdam to the ferry port to catch the overnight ferry to Newcastle and an easy drive up to Edinburgh the next morning. The toll free motorway network in the Netherlands is incredibly busy but a very well maintained with lane and variable speed limit restrictions every where keeping the traffic flowing. Absolutely no problem driving around large cities like Eindhoven or the west of Amsterdam - so different to the M6, M62 and M25 that we have to crawl around Birmingham, Leeds, Manchester and London on - that is if the traffic is actually moving!

The car started first time when I got back to where I store the van just outside Edinburgh, I now leave the battery disconnected when I am away.

The sort of large figure of eight through France over about four months added another 4,800 miles to the mileage on the van, now at just under 74,000 miles of which about 50,000 have been added by me since 2014!

Summer 2018 - Second Post - France

9th July 2018
Locmaria Plouzane

After a few days at the beach, although a couple were ruined by sea fog that didn't clear until the late afternoon, back here for a night with a pleasant walk down to the coast and along to the castle at  Plougonvelin mainly on green lanes followed by a bit of biking in the evening.

Plougonvelin - Coastal Defences

Porsmilin - Coastal walk

10th July 2018
Bourg Blanc

Returned to Bourg Blanc to replenish water, do a cycle route and to pick-up the fourth leg of the Tour de France which passed through the village the next day. Loads of commercial stuff initially, quite bizarre, and then the cyclists were past within a few minutes! Loads of people lining the route and a fete with free snacks in the village.

Bourg Blanc - Tour de France - Two of the hundred or so preliminary 'commercial tour' vehicles

Bourg Blanc - Tour de France - Leaders

Bourg Blanc - Tour de France - Peleton

11th to 15th July 2018
Plouescat

Sunny days continue, so moved to a small aire on the north coast for a few days of beach, also some walking and cycling along the coast. Very rowdy on the afternoon and evening when France won the World Cup in Russia followed by a large market and fireworks the next day - 14th July Bastille Day. Spent ages one late afternoon trying to photograph Sand Matins flying in and out of their burrows in the shallow cliff. I found a free local bus service that linked the local villages, beaches and the main town. There was another free bus/coach that picked people up at the Tourist Office and took them to the large aquarium in Brest, Oceanoplois, which was nearly fifty miles away if you just bought your entrance tickets in advance. The French look after their tourists!

Plouscat - Coastal Walk to the east

Plouscat - Bizarre Granite Tors

16th July 2018
Roscoff

Busy aire on the coast a few kilometres west of Roscoff. The old town was in easy walking distance as was a great beach in the other direction. Local vendors turned up with fresh eggs and melons. Both very tasty! As in Plouscat there was a free summer bus service linking the town and beaches.

Roscoff - Town Centre

Roscoff - Old Town and Ile de Batz

17th July 2018
Penze

Short drive to the tidal head of la Penze in its deep wooded valley, similar to the flooded river valleys in south Devon. A great little parking area adjacent to the river with a couple of vans.

Penze - River next to the Aire at high tide

18th July 2018
Caranac

Back to the north coast where the estuaries of two rivers la Penze and le Tromorgant (which flows in a deep valley south through Morlaix) converge in an area of shallow wooded cliffs, broad rock studded beaches and off shore islands. Great walk along the coast, out to the Ile Callot, along a tidal causeway, and then back through the town. The aire was just a simple car park next to the Sports Centre in a residential area - nothing special but did the job. And another free local bus service!

Caranac - Coastal walk - Chateau du Taureau

Caranac - Coastal Walk - one of the small bays

19th and 20th July 2018
Port Diben

Followed the le Tromogrant valley down to Morlaix to replenish water and dump waste at the town aire there, which was packed out at lunchtime. Then headed up to the coast at the eastern side of the estuary at the aire adjacent to the sea at Port Diben where you can park up on the quayside. More coastal walking! Looking back at Caranac from the opposite side of the estuary. But the last few days have been getting very hot in the afternoon.

Port Diben - View from the windscreen when parked up at the Aire

21st July 2018
Lampaul-Guimilau

A cultural day. Initially, on a grey damp morning, a visit to the Cairn de Barnenez, reportedly the largest  megalithic mausoleum in Europe. Later in bright sunshine, a couple of stops pottering around a few the parish closes, for which Brittany is famous. Usually comprising a trilogy of ornate triumphal arch, calvary and ossuary. These are normally within a walled enclosure with the parish church. The church is often highly decorated with sculptures, paintings, mouldings and pinnacles. They mainly date from the seventeenth and eighteenth century when the area became wealthy from the growth of flax and the manufacture of linen and the wealthy poured money into the church fabric. For some reason, perhaps the introduction of cottons from the far east and production of cotton textiles in NW Europe it had declined by the turn of the nineteenth century. Stopped off at the closes Guimilau and Lampaul-Guimilau, stopped at the aire at the latter village. The one in Guimilau was closed for a boules tournament.

Cairn de Barnenez

Guimilau - The Calvary - amazing detail in sculpted granite

Guimilau - The Parish Close

22nd and 23rd July 2018
le Folgoet

Headed west back towards Brest to catch up with friends from Lancashire, Graham and Viki, who had been touring further south in their motorhome and where passing through Brittany on there way back to the UK at the beginning of August. We met at a large aire close to the Basilica Church at le Flogoet, which had an amazingly ornate and detailed carved stone Rood Screen. This important item of medieval church furniture, separating the navel from the chancel, was ripped out of the English churches at the Reformation and only a few nineteenth century replacements exist at home. Enjoyed Grahams outdoor cooking on his wood fired stove, incredibly economic on fuel!

le Folgoet - Basilica Notre Dame du Folgoet - Rood Screen

24th July 2018
Bourg Blanc
Decided to hang out with G & V for a few days and we headed back towards the west coast. Initially stopping off at Bourg Blanc, wet weather but did get out on the bike around the lake. Wanted to go to the Circus; but, stormy weather resulting them taking the tent down and it was cancelled.

25th to 27th July 2018
Penze

Back here for a few days with G&V where Graham put his his fishing skills to work and speared a couple of mullet. Never eaten mullet before! It was really succulent. Just pottering around and a few short walks.

28th July to 6th August 2018
Lampaul-Plourzel

Then back to the seaside for a week before they headed towards the Channel and home. Generally good sunny weather, I headed for the beach most afternoons and did a couple of short coastal walks with Viki, unfortunately Graham was indisposed having badly twisted his knee a few weeks earlier.

7th August 2018
St Theogonnec

Off on my own again and another cultural stop at St Theogonnec with its pleasant aire and nearby parish close. Followed one of the local walks and then cycled around it la
ter in the day - actually looking for the twenty euros that I had lost in the morning!

St Theogonnec

8th August 2018
Glomel

Had made the decision to head towards Geneva, some 900km from Brittany, to follow the Route des Grandes Alpes from Lake Geneva to Menton (on the Mediterranean just east of Nice). So began heading into eastern Brittany in that direction sort of planning to Lake Geneva in a couple of weeks. First stop was at Glomel, on a aire next to the campsite and adjacent lake, the Etang de Coronc, the wooded shores provided a shady 6km walk in the late afternoon.

Glomel - Canal de Nantes Brest

9th August 2018
Beignon

Still in Brittany eastwards to the west of Rennes to stop at Beignon where the aire was a shady green parking area behind the village cemetery. A short walk into the village centre of mainly stone built houses with a couple of restaurants and a boulangerie. Nothing special but a pleasant stop over location.

Beignon

10th and 11th August 2018
Bouere

Last stop in Brittany at a fantastic wooded and shaded municipal campsite that had been turned into an aire for motorhomes at the edge of the village with bar-tabac, boulangerie and recreational lake within spitting distance...and no charge! Followed a walking trail called Route du Feurs du Chaux, confused as to what this meant all was revealled (route of the lime ovens) when I encountered a couple of huge masonry limestone kilns and a helpful information board!

Bouere - Feur du Chaux (Limekiln)

Bouere - Aire des Campingcars

12th and 13th August 2018
Gizeux

Out of Brittany into the Pays de Loire Region to stop at Gizeux, in the old duchy of Anjou, a few kilometres west of Tours. Yet another free and beautifully landscaped aire which was a few minutes walk from the local chateau and park. Cycling around I seemed to find loads of feral flax (the type grown for linen not flax seed and oil) and flowers smothered with dozens of butterflies..possibly peacocks but I am no expert on butterflies.

Gizeau - le Chateau

Gizeau - Butterflies (Peacock?)

14th and 15th August 2018
Villefranche-sur-Cher

Through Tours to follow the wide Cher valley for most of the day to end up in an aire adjacent to the Canal du Berry on the south side of Villefranche-sur-Cher. During a couple of cycle trips encountered the historic village of Mennetou-sur-Cher also on the Canal du Berry.

Villefranche-sur-Cher

16th August 2018
Apremonts-sur-Allier

The last week has been extremely hot in the afternoons, had to hang out in the shade at the parking area at Apremonts before heading for a stroll round the village in the evening. Had the feeling of 'chocolate box' tourist village...virtually dead in the evening when the crowds had dispersed!

Apremonts-sur-Allier

17th and 18th August 2018
Julienas

Further east into Burgundy to stop for a couple of nights surrounded by wooded hills and acres of Pinot Noir grapes on the outskirts of Julienas, just to the south of Macon. Some long hilly walks, thankfully with some shade in the wooded sections, over the two days I was here. There seemed to be an absence of butterflies...maybe too much insecticide on the endless vineyards?

Julienas

19th August 2018
Thoirette

East again across the Saone at Macon into the eastern Jura, with typical steep limestone escarpments, deep valleys and lakes to end up at a noisy roadside aire at Thoirette. It was a weekend and every man and his dog seemed to be out racing cars and motorbikes well into the evening. So unusual for rural France where most roads are rarely trafficked after eight or nine in the evening. Compensated by great scenery though!

Thiorette - Gorge de l'Ain from the town bridge

20th to 23rd August 2018
Reposoir

At last Lake Geneva! Eventually after the boring drag around Annemasse ended up at the lakeside near Thonon-les-Bains, but the wee aire was full and the area was heaving with visitors. So started of on the route to the Mediterranean straight way, hopefully there will be less traffic and noise further south. Everyman and his dog (wife, three kids and grand parents) seemed to be trying to complete an afternoon circuit from Thonon and Evian to Cluses as fast as possible. Luckily, this was to prove to be correct!

Peace and quiet a few kilometres south of Cluses in the 'Alpine' village of Reposoir, in Haute Savoie, with a large free parking area and a service point. Strange to realise that this area down to Nice, formerly the Duchy of Savoy, only became part of France in 1860. Great walks around through wooded hillsides and open alps with occasional an glimpse of the chain of glacier topped peaks that form the Franco-Swiss border to the south of Lake Geneva one day.

Reposoir - Chartreuse de Reposoir
Hidden in a side valley

Repsoir - Towards the Col de St Ann

24th August 2018
Albertville

Started picking up some of the cols made famous by the Tour de France. First the Col de Colombier (1613m) then through St Jean-les-Sixt (where the aire was closed due to a huge fete the next day) and over the Col des Aravis (1418m) to end up in the aire, above the relatively modern town of Albertville, adjacent to the Medieval town of Conflans.

Albertville - from the walls of Conflans

25th to 28th August 2018
Beaufort

Crossing the Col des Saisies (1633m) with clear views of the western end of the Mont Blanc Massif on the way down dropped down into the Doron valley to spend a few days parked up at Beaufort. One of the centres of cheese production in Savoy. Oddly, there were small notices requesting payment of the taxe de sejour (tourist tax) by people using the aire - so eventually filled in the provided form, put that in the provided envelope and deposited same with the cash in the letter box at the Tourist Office....then some one needs to empty the envelopes, count the cash, ledger it and bank the money all for the sake of 22 cents per adult a day! At Least I managed to get rid of a lot of one cent and two cent coins! Chilly mornings and hot afternoons ... so mainly walking in the late afternoon and early evening. Beginning to notice the daylight hours getting shorter.

Beaufort 

Col de Saisies - View to the western end of The Mont Blanc Massif

29th August 2018
Col du Petit St Bernard

From Beaufort up and across the pass the Lac de Roseland and over the Cormet de Roseland (1967m). Had planned to stop overnight at les Capieux....but there were signs up banning over night stops due to flooding risk. Great views up towards the Mont Blanc Massif. Being cautious, decided to move on and parked up in initially in Bourg St Maurice; but, very hot in the late afternoon there, so drove on up to the Col du St Benard (2188m) and took a short stroll into Italy!

Lac de Roseland and pass up to the Cormet de Roseland (1967m)

Les Chapieux

Col du Petit St Bernard - Roman Mansio at the Col and Mont Blanc Massif disappearing into clouds

30th August 2018
Val d'Isere

Wet, chilly and grey start to the day at the Col. Headed back down to Bourg St Maurice to pick up the route and headed uphill past Mont Pourri (with its mountain glaciers) and past the Lac du Chevil to a large parking area to the east of Val d'Isere at around 2000m. Walked in the late afternoon up to a refuge; but, the weather began to take a turn for the worse. Wet, cold and cloudy for the next three days...so having the time to avoid pointless bad weather in the mountains decided to head down to Albertville the next day to chill out some where warmer and drier in a cheap campsite until Monday. when the weather should improve.

Walking from the Aire at Val d'Isere - Franco-Italian border on the ridge line at the horizon

Lunch stop at Mont Pourri and Lac du Chevril - glaciers are better seen from the far side of the barrage but too cloudy to see them when I passed.