Autumn 2014, Destination France, Bordeaux Area (perhaps).

Final Preparations, Complete, Tuesday 9th September 2014 

It must be some form of perverse "human nature" thing, but, I spend the summer rescuing the garden from the neglect resulting from our campervan trips, then, just as it is looking "rather good", we go away again!

True, perhaps it is not up to Alan Titchmarsh standards, but, to me, it is looking "rather good".

The scooter is loaded on the trailer, the van is packed.

Our "pencil plan" this trip, is to meander south from Calais, taking in La Rochelle and then Bordeaux. It remains to be seen if that is what happens!

Wednesday 23rd July 2014 - Thursday 24th July 2014

Cromer, Incleboro Fields, Caravan Club Site, contd...

Today, Wednesday and a beautiful sunny day.

Kathleen wishes to visit the Catholic Shrine at Walsingham.

A quick check on the computer shows that getting there by bus is not going to be easy, and is going to take over an hour.

The idea of going on the scooter is not popular, on the basis that it is "too far". The sat-nav says it is 28 miles away. After studying the map, for short cuts, and with fingers firmly crossed, I manage to convince Kathleen it is only 20 miles each way.

So, following my "short route", A149 to Blakeney, then B1156 to Langham,  unclassified road to Binham, then on to Walsingham.

All is well to Binham, but, then, the road is closed, and we have to follow a signposted diversion, which takes us via Wells-next-the-Sea, we may as well have followed the sat-nav route!

Eventually, 30 miles later, we arrive at Walsingham.

Kathleen is not a happy bunny, but, puts a brave face on.

A good wander around, including the Slipper Chapel, and, the inevitable "candle lighting area".

I am not a religious person myself, but, this is a calm and tranquil place, all beautifully kept,  with a notable absence of commercialism, plus, the tea shop does

excellent sandwiches!

We decide to go back via the sat-nav "fastest route", via the A148, calling in at Holt, a very nice Georgian Town.

It would probably have been a very nice Medieval Town, except, a fire in the 1700's burnt most of it down, and it was rebuilt in the Georgian style.

Eventually, back to the van, a 59 mile round trip.

If nothing else, Kathleen is now an accomplished pillion passenger! She is so good, I do not even know she is there, I have to keep checking in the mirror to re-assure myself I have not lost her off the back of the bike!

Thursday, up early and back home, exciting stuff, cutting the lawns.

Monday 21st July 2014 - Tuesday 22nd July 2014

Cromer, Incleboro Fields Caravan Club Site, (continued)

Monday, and it is overcast and a bit cool, so, a trip to Norwich on the train.

Norwich is a one hour journey, with five or so stops, not bad at £8 return each, and quite comfortable.

We do the usual visit the Cathederal, and very impressive it is.

A very unusual font, it was a chocolate making vessel, in a Chocolate factory. When the factory closed down, the vessel was given to the cathederal and converted to a font!, so, you can get baptised in chocolate (well, not really).

Lots of quaint narrow streets, even some thatched roofs!

Then, Kathleen gets down to the serious shopping. 

It is a mystery to me, a company like Marks and Spencer spends a fortune to develop a "brand". Every one of their stores in the land has the same stock. So, when you have two enormous branches of Marks and Spencer (substitute Next, Dorothy Perkins, Primark etc as required), in Newcastle, and Metro Centre, Gateshead, why would you travel hundreds of miles to shop in a smaller version?

But, I am pleased to say, Norwich is my kind of shopping city. I am able to avoid going into any shops at all! instead I spend my time sitting in the sun at various locations listening to the numerous street musicians, playing everything from classical guitar music, to 60's pop, to Irish folk music.

Tuesday, a day of gentle exercise.

An adventurous walk to Sheringham. By adventurous, I mean using the OS Map, to find our way, and not a printed list of instructions.

Almost six miles, in total.

Using the usual maxim of "if a place looks busy, it is probably good", Meat and Potato pie for lunch, from a bakers in the High Street.

They say, the exception proves the rule, well, it was a potato pie!.

At least there was a real steam train at Sheringham Station.

Friday 18th July 2014 - Sunday 20th July 2014

Cromer, Incleboro Fields Caravan Club Site.

We made the major misjudgement of deciding to do some jobs around the house, during possibly the best period of sunny dry weather which has occurred since we retired!

We had planned to visit Cromer earlier, when my brother, Brian, and his wife were here, but the house and garden renovations disrupted that, so, here we are sneaking in a quick week before the School Summer Holidays begin.

The drive here is as uneventful as any journey by road can be in the UK, the usual traffic hold-ups at road works with 40mph speed restrictions, miles of beautifully arranged cones, but, sadly not a sign of any WORK.

Incleboro Fields, is quite a large site, but, is arranged in small areas, so the overall impression is one of seclusion and quiet. It is to the usual Caravan Club standard, so, no complaints there, and is within easy walking distance of both a Railway Station (West Runton) and Bus Stops.

Unusually for Norfolk, it is on a hill!

So far, the weather has been very hot and dry (during the day), with overnight thunderstorms.

In addition to the folding bicycles, we have brought the Yamaha xMax with us.

Thus far, Kathleen has not been a willing passenger, but, I have fitted a "top box", to make her feel more secure that she will not be jettisoned off the back during lively acceleration.

In addition, I have kept up a subtle (well I think so) serious of remarks directed at her lack of enthusiasm for the scooter.

I think, the latter has done the trick, any suggestion to Kathleen that she is perhaps not upto the task is like a red rag to a bull, and, you WILL be proved wrong.

So, we have been for several jaunts on the scooter:

twice into Cromer, (once for the inevitable Church attendance),

a visit to a "Car Boot" Sale (what a load of tat!),

and a trip to Tesco.

I can officially state, Kathleen is now a confirmed "biker chick".

Sunday is rounded off with an excellent Sunday lunch in the pub in West Runton. It does not seem to have a name, other than, "the village inn".

Neufchatel-en-Bray, St Claire

Friday 25th April 2014 - Sunday 27th April 2014

Oh dear, Friday and it is raining!

Kathleen decides to bring forward "hair washing day", from tomorrow, to today.

I amuse myself playing on the computer, and, doing what men do best, ie "pondering" on important topics, like, "why do women live longer than men?".

I think, perhaps it is a case of natural balance. Women need to live longer than men, to make of for the time they spend "doing" their hair, and other such tasks.

For example, washing my hair takes 2 minutes maximum, and, is incorporated with taking a shower. No drying / straightening is required, a quick comb, and that is that for the day.  If by chance, I have worn my cycle helmet, or motorcycle helmet in the course of the day, a further 15 seconds of hair care MAY be required.

So, in the course of a week, say 35 minutes total?

Kathleen's regime averages at least one hour PER DAY, so, something in excess of 7 hours per week.

It is not hard to see why, natural balance, dictates that women need to live longer than men, just to compensate for that alone.

Saturday, we move up to Gravelines, near Dunkirk, for our last overnight in France, or this trip.

Sunday, through the tunnel, and, off to visit brother, Brian, for a couple of days.

Nefiach, La Garenne, La Couvetoirade, Faverolles, Dry, Camping St Claire

Sunday 20th April 2014 - Thursday 24th April 2014

It is Easter Sunday, the plan is, Kathleen will attend church at 10:30 in Nefiach, I will wait for her, and we will leave at about 12:00.

The Priest is late in arriving (an hour late!), slept in again?

So, the plan almost works, we just leave a bit late!

Sunday, La Couvertoirade, Mid-Pyrenees (N43 54.766 E3 18.970). 

The Aire is part of a Car park for a 12^th Century Knights Templar Village. 

3Euro per each time you leave (there is a barrier on exit, which costs 3Euro to open it), no facilities except toilet. 

The village in an amazing state of preservation!, and is open to wander around freely. 

Rather high (approximately 800 metres), so rather chilly at only 12C. 

The aire is convenient as a stop over as it is only about 3 miles off the A75. 

Tip, if you use this Aire:

when you leave, if you are heading North, do not follow the signs to A75, for some reason known only to the French it takes you on a cross country route for about five or six miles, to rejoin A75 South of where you left it, with a massive hill to climb! Just go back the way you came, to the A75 services at the top of the hill!

Monday. Faverolles, Auvergne (N44 56.339’ E3 8.858’). 

We first checked out Ruynes en Margeride (N45 0.075’ E3 13.437’), which was just fine, village perhaps had more going for it than Faverolles. 

Decided to check out Faverolles (which is less than 5 miles from Ruynes en Margeride, both of them are just a couple of miles off the A75), on the basis, it has a toilet. When we got there, toilet was locked. Not sure if that is because it is Easter Monday, and the person whose job it is to unlock it, is on holiday? Decided to stay at Faverolles anyway, perfectly pleasant, with stunning views. Nothing open, not even the bar, presumably because it is Easter Monday.

Tuesday Washing up disaster. 

As we are preparing to leave, and Kathleen is washing the breakfast dishes, suddenly, (hot) water starts gushing from under the sink unit. 

Quickly we turn off the water pump and water heater, to kill the water pressure, but, not before the contents of the food cupboard are soaked, and the kitchen floor is awash. It turns out, the “push fit” water hose for the taps hot water supply has come adrift. This gives us a problem, we cannot turn the water pump on, that means no water from any of the taps, no shower, no toilet flush.

An hour of mopping up and we are on our way at last.

Neris Les Bains, Auvergne (N46 17.207’ E2 39.137’). 

An excellent aire. 

Located alongside a campsite, for 7Euro / night, you get toilet, shower, usual aire services included, 10amp electricity. Maximum stay is 3 nights. 

Neris Les Bains is a spa town, a sort of French version of Harrogate.

The Aire is located next to what used to be the Neris Les Bains, railway station. 

What a magnificent building it is. But sadly, it had a very short life as a railway station. It was build 1929-1931, then enjoyed a short period of use, before the outbreak of WW2. Services were suspended until the end of WW2, and, when they restarted in 1946, they never achieved profitabilty, with the result, the French version of Dr Beeching closed the line for passenger traffic in 1957. The station is now a exhibition centre etc (I suspect that means an under used liability for the local council).

Once we are “settled in”, I manage to fix the water leak, so we have a functioning water system again. Kathleen assures me, she had every faith in my ability to fix it, why do I not believe her?

Before leaving on Wednesday, we have a walk around the very pretty lake, just alongside the aire.

Wednesday. An Aire, just south west of Orleans, in a village called Dry (N47 47.896’ E1 42.857’). The aire has the usual services. 

The village is a sleepy little place, but, it is most certainly not “dry”. It has a single cafe (Cafe du la Paix), which doubles up as the bar, restaurant, newsagent, tobacconist.

Thursday. It is back to one of our old favourites, Camping St Claire, Neufchatel-en-Bray.

Every time we come here, I suspect, I say the same things!, but, this is an excellent First or last stop after / before Calais, the site is superbly well kept by the owner, it is only 120 miles south of Calais, so, an easy drive.

 There is good cycling and a town with plenty of shops to stock up on wine etc.

There is also a sort of French version of Quick-Fit, which is useful when I discover we have a puncture in a trailer tyre. Fortunately, I did buy the optional spare wheel!. The bad news is, tyre is not repairable, so, an unexpected 23 Euro to spend.

Les Pedres, Capmany (Spain); La Garenne, Nefiach (France)

Tuesday 15th April 2014 - Saturday 19th April 2014

Leave Benicarlo, moving North, the plan is to be in Narbonne for Easter.

We arrive at Capmany, Les Pedres (N42 22’22” E2 54’47”), only about 20 miles south of the French Border, and well located as a stopover just about 2 miles off the N11.

Very pretty location, in Pine woods (but not too dense, just enough to give a little shade) and surrounded by the foothills of the Pyrenees.

We are fairly high up here, I think, but, it is very hot, at 25C, and that lasts well into the evening.

Wednesday 16^th April 2014

In my humble opinion, this site is just fine for a stop over, enroute to/from Spain, but, the Reception staff and not particularly helpful or friendly, so, Kathleen is not happy.

We have a quick explore of the village it is very pretty, but, there is just a single shop / cafe, a Restaurant and a bread shop.

It is decided we will head for France, Nefiach, in the vineyards of Roussillion.

Other than being pulled over in a roadside check, just after the Spanish / French Border, by French Customs officers, who gave up on whatever they were checking / searching for, when our French was not up to the job or answering their questions, and simply waved us on.

If nothing else, it is a very scenic drive, winding through the foothills of the Pyrenees, with the snow capped peak of the Canigou Massif in view, despite the temperature outside of the van reading 25C.

We have a short hair raising section, when the satnav directs us along a road barely wide enough to  squeeze the van along it, through a vineyard, with deep storm drains, both sides,  ready and waiting for a slight steering error, to put a wheel down. 

Ordinarily, I would not have followed a satnav instruction to turn into such a small road, but, we are supposed to be very near the site, and, I therefore assume it is the approach road to the campsite. 

Two miles later, and lots of squealing from Kathleen, we emerge onto a slightly wider road.

La Garenne, Nefiach (N42 42’26” E2 39’28”) is a small but well kept ACSI site.

We cycle from the site to the village of Nefiach, about 2km away, along a traffic free track, there is a church, with a full complement of Easter Services. 

Kathleen is made up, all talk of going to Narbonne is forgotten. 

Even better it is only 12Euro per night!  

We will be here until Sunday, or even Monday, I suspect.

Mission accomplished, ie Church location and times established, we cycle on to the next village, Millas, for a refreshing glass of Rose. 

In France, they have "PMU bars", which are a bit like a betting shop with a bar combined. Very civilised. I notice that, the building next door to the PMU Bar, is the Bailiffs Court, very appropriate?

Suitably refreshed we, return via rather pretty fishing lakes, on the edge of the village. 

Thursday, we cycle to Nefiach for the first of the Easter Church services on the agenda, Stations of the Cross at 10:00 (according to the notice outside the church). 

We arrive 10:00 prompt, church is closed, absolutely no sign of life!

We cycle on to the church at the next village, Millas, same routine.

Here a young French couple, who are visiting from Paris, and speak good English, translate the notice outside of the church for us. 

Not that it really helps, we had understood it correctly, but, whatever the notice says, it is not happening!

We cycle back to Nefiach, it is now 11:15, the church bells are ringing, and a service is just starting, perhaps the priest slept  in?

I amuse myself for 45 minutes, including finding this quaint house (the one with the turquoise shutters), it is only one room wide and three storeys tall.

After lunch, feeling safe after attending church, Kathleen is willing to venture out on the back of the scooter. 

We ride along to the village of Ille sur Tet about two miles away.

We have a little explore, and visit the inevitable pavement cafe (only orange juice for me, the scooter has its draw backs!). 

Then I suggest we go a little further and visit the “Orgues Ille sur Tet”.

I am amazed when Kathleen agrees to this, early days to think this, but, perhaps she is beginning to enjoy riding on the back of the scooter, just as the trip is almost over.

We find the place, get parked, but, then we find I have forgotten to bring the camera, we will have to come back tomorrow.

Back to the van, via Carrefour to buy more wine.

Kathleen has instituted a little regime, to keep our drinking under a modicum of control, we do not drink on Monday, Tuesday or Thursday evenings.

Today is Thursday, but, it is decreed the “rules” can be relaxed, because, tomorrow, Good Friday, is a “Holy Day of Obligation”, and Kathleen cannot eat meat or drink alcohol, so, the Friday drinking evening is brought forward to Thursday.

As a non-member, it seems like a scam to me, you don’t actually give anything up, you just do it a day earlier? But, who am I to question the might of the Roman Catholic Church and 2000 years of doctrine?

Friday, we take the scooter and visit the “Orgues Ille sur Tet”, this time, with the camera.

The Orgues are a natural rock formation which have been produced by water erosion (the Tet is a river, this small stream is just a tributary, not the main river, but, the literature says, at certain times of the year, this becomes a raging torrent).

Most of the erosion of the rocks is produced by rain, rather than the actual river. The rocks are "soft" and sandy, and are eroded into these fantastic shapes by rainfall.

I have not found a translation for “Orgues”, but, I assume, from the appearance, it is “Organ”, or “Organ Pipe”, since that is what the rock shapes look like.