Friday 27th May 2011 - Tuesday 31st May 2011

St Jorioz (Annecy), International du Lac Annecy, (ACSI2011-1462) continued


My comments about the thunder were a bit premature! it developed into torrential rain, we had to go rushing outside to rescue the awning!


Friday begins cool and dull, but it is hair washing and general chores day, so no real harm done.


After washing her hair Kathleen is able to indulge in one of her favourite pass-times, ie counting her money on the internet banking, she particularly likes the "Money in" column on the on-line bank statement.

It is the weekend, so it is decided to “take it easy”, although quite how you can “take it easy”, when you have spent your week doing nothing very much, is a mystery to me.



I spend most of Saturday cycling, while Kathleen sprawls in the sun, topping up her tan, after all, we have had one whole day without sunshine, and her tan may have just faded a little.

In the evening, we cycle the six miles into Annecy, to have a meal.

Even at eight o'clock in the evening, it is still warm and sunny.


It is a holiday weekend here, and the place is very busy.

We find a pleasant restaurant, by the river in old Annecy, and have a very enjoyable meal, and of course a few drinks. We are served by a Frenchman who probably speaks excellent English, but indulges our efforts at ordering in French.

Afterwards, we must cycle “home” again of course, here is Kathleen, drunk in charge of a bicycle, overtaking a roller skater on the way back.

and just to show we were not dawdling along, you can see my cycle computer showing over 10 miles per hour, almost 11 in fact.


Sunday is church day of course, Kathleen goes to the nearby church in St Jorioz.

We spend the rest of the day strolling along the lake shore toward Duingt.

Although we have been here before, and on this trip, have been here several days, we still manage to find a "new" and very pleasant walking route along the lake.


The site is now filling up, there are more new arrivals by the day, almost all Dutch. Not that there is anything wrong with the Dutch, they are mostly very friendly, and have a sense of humour.


I am told the other Europeans, refer to them as the “White Wave”, because in the summer, they hitch up their caravans and sweep south from Holland, in their thousands.


There are so many of them, I am sure they must only be able to return home, by appointment, otherwise the country could not cope with the influx.


Monday, and I knew I would manage to coax Kathleen into cycling around the lake again. You only have to hint that she cannot do it, and of course she will do it to prove you wrong. A true McCaffery.


I did not manage to convince her to do it anti-clockwise, but there is always next time.

Accordingly we peddle off along the lake, towards Annecy, stopping in Old Annecy to buy bread for our picnic.

We have barely broken sweat when we reach the ten mile point.


This is the view from our first rest stop.

Here is Kathleen, looking as fresh as a daisy, having a drink of water, yes, that is right, water, at the ten mile point, by now we are past Annecy and heading along the other side of the lake.

Our Dutch neighbour, a very friendly, but very large woman, was asking, before we left, where we were off too. When we said we were off to cycle around the lake, she explained that she had been a keen cyclist, but after having a knee replacement operation she had gained weight, and her cycling activities had diminished.

Her English is very good, no English person should ever criticise a foreigners grasp of English, since we are almost universally useless at speaking any other language.

But for her, it is a foreign language, and she wanted to say that now, she cycles only from bar to bar, having to stop at each for a drink to refresh herself. But she could not think of the word for "bar", and since, here, bars are often "terraces", instead used the word terrace, this has now become our little joke, we talk of how many "terraces" we are going to cycle. 

There is no continuous cycle track on this side, and it is much more up and down.


But not a word of complaint is heard, and we have not even done one "terrace" yet.

About half way round, there is a BIG hill, and I mean BIG.

It starts at Menthon-St-Bernard, and you are peddling up hill for about a mile.

At the top there are people half our age, flopped on the grass verge panting, but here is Kathleen, just about to reach the top, and not a hair out of place.


Having gone up, of course we then go down, into the village of Talloires.

I have to admit, the down is much shorter and therefore steeper, so doing this ride in the opposite direction would be much more of a challenge.

This is the seventeen mile mark, and we stop for our picnic lunch.

Here is the view across the lake, the place you can see on the opposite shore is Duingt, just along the road from our campsite.

This is the view “down” the lake, where our route will take us, to Verthier, then Dousard, at the end of the lake.

At Dousard we join the cycle track to head along "our" side of the lake to “home”.


At twenty miles, we stop off (at a "terrace"), for a couple of Panaches (Shandies), and some chips!, before rejoing the cycle track to finish off the remainder of the 25 miles.




Kathleen decides to check her blood pressure (and mine), as soon as we get back, after so much strenuous exercise, you would expect it to be high, I would have thought. But no, it is 111/57 for Kathleen, and 119/72 for me. When we get home, I think I will ask Dr Thornley-Walker to forget the prescription for blood pressure tablets, and instead give us a prescription for campsite fees!

The rest of the evening is spent undoing the good work by sitting in the sun drinking wine.

I encounter another of our Dutch neighbours at the recycling point, feeding empty wine bottles into the Verre (Glass) container. I explain to her, that the English phrase for this is "hidding the evidence", which she finds hilarious, possibly becuase she was putting at least five bottles into the container!.

The bad news is, the weather forecast is for rain, and sure enough, it begins to rain overnight, we awake to a grey and wet Tuesday.

A day for planning our next move I think.

Tuesday 24th May 2011 – Thursday 26th May 2011

St Jorioz (Annecy), International du Lac Annecy, (ACSI2011-1462)

Unusually, when we left Thonnon, we felt rather sad, we had a really good time there.

You may note, I have not mentioned the weather. This is because it has been brilliant, and I do not want to tempt fate.

Today, it is 28C when we arrive at Annecy.

This site is excellent, we have been here before almost exactly two years ago.

The Dutch are here in force, but there are no fewer than four other British vans, in addition to ourselves.

The campsite is excellent, two swimming pools, one for “serious swimming”, and this one for floating about and cooling down.



It is so hot today we have had to change our routine, so that in the heat of the afternoon, we can just lie about.

Cycled into Annecy(about six easy miles away), in the morning, before it became too hot.

The old town really is beautiful, with colourful old buildings.

and quaint little alleyways.

Plenty of scenes to paint here, if Kathleen ever gets round to using her talents and giving it a try.

Not to mention pavement bars, yes that is Kathleen drinking a half litre of beer.

This is her pondering if she should buy the handbag she had just seen and liked very much.

I told her I was not moving from this bar, until she went and bought it, not a bad deal for me I thought!.

So kids, you had better get saving, because if your inheritance is not going down our necks, your mother is spending it on handbags!

Kathleen again, drunk in charge of a bicycle, as we cycle along the cycle track back to the campsite.

Thursday, again we wake up to a beautiful morning, it is going to be hot again today.

We cycle to Faverges, about 10.5 miles away, in the opposite direction to Annecy.


For those of you who know anything about Physical Geography, you will recognise this as an excellent example of a glaciated valley. Steep slides, and almost flat valley floor, gradually sloping up to the head of the valley.


Isn’t it marvellous what you learn reading my stuff? You could probably get a GCSE Geography with that knowledge alone.

This may look like a road, but it is in fact a dedicated, traffic free, cycle route (Piste Cyclable they call it) which runs the whole length of the lake and beyond.


The white gravel bits at the side are for pedestrians, while the tarmac area is for bicycles and people on Roller Skates/Boots.

I am not sure how far it runs for, the last time we were here (almost exactly two years ago), we made it as far as Faverges, which we do again this year.

My ambition is to get Kathleen to cycle all the way to Albertville, which is about 12 miles beyond Faverges, nothing doing so far, but I am sure I will coax her into it.


Another little scheme this visit is to cycle around the lake, anti-clockwise, we did it clock-wise, last time we were here, it is about 24 miles.

As you can probably tell, the route is an old railway line, which they have reclaimed as a long distance cycle route and footpath.

It is all very well done, and very pretty, but some stretches are so beautiful it is difficult to keep watching where you are going, instead of looking at the scenery.

The final proof it is an old railway line, we disappear into a tunnel, just beside the village of Duingt, about halfway along the lake.

It is all lit and perfectly good to cycle through, no cars or lorries to compete with here.










I have managed to find a source of Tonic water for the Gin and Tonics, now I am going to have to find a Lidl, to buy some more Zinfandel Rose, the last bottle has just gone in the fridge to cool, it must be evaporating.

Kathleen is on half a bottle per day, plus a session with the Vanish soap every other day, I think I will have to check her into a clinic when we get back to the UK.

After such a hot day, thunder was always a possibility. Sure enough, at about 6:00pm, the thunder claps began to roll around the hills surrounding the lake. By the time I am writing this, at about 8:00pm it is begining to brighten up again.

Thursday 19th May 2011 – Monday 23rd May 2011

Time is running out, so if we are to spend some time in Annecy, we need to leave Switzerland and head back towards France.



We never really make detailed plans for our Campervan trips, we have what I like to call a “pencil plan”, which is a rough idea of what we intend to do, but which may be changed if we want to.


So, when we come to look at the map (remembering we are still on kat-nav), we realise we have painted ourselves into a bit of a corner. Our next “planned” destination is the French side of Lac Leman (or Lake Geneva as we know it). There is no “good” road, from where we are, to Thonon-les-Bains, Lake Leman.


We have the choice or retracing our steps, to join a motorway going in the right direction, or, taking the mountain route. I never like going back, so, we take the mountain route.

The route first takes us along the southern shore of Thunnersee (ie the opposite side to where we cycled yesterday), about half way along the lake to Spiez, this is child’s play, even dual carriageway in places.


At Spiez we turn west, and join the much smaller road 11 (like the Germans, the Swiss seem just to give their roads numbers, no letter), heading for Zweisermmen.

No dual carriageway now. (sorry about the sideways photographs, still have not figured out how to turn them around in blog!)

We are following a river along a valley through the mountains, but it is certainly not flat.

I must admit, I have no problem with the ups and the downs, or the twists and turns. I am confident the van will go up the hills, and that the brakes are up to slowing us down on the downs, and that I can get around the tightest hairpin.

What concerns me, is the width of the road, and that coming in the opposite direction are 32 tonne wagons, some towing trailers!

Meeting one of them filling the whole opposite side of the road when you have crept even near the white line to ease a tight corner is a bit scary!

These lorry drivers deserve respect for negotiating these roads everyday.

The things that concern Kathleen are, because we are driving on the “wrong” side of the road, these lorries are coming at her on “her” side of the van and some of the corners have drops of several hundred feet, with only a flimsy fence to stop you going over if you (well I), misjudge it.

A plus point is, there is not much traffic, as you can see from the photographs.

So, bearing in mind, it is Kathleen taking these photographs, you are only seeing shots of the less scary bits.

For the “real” bits of excitement she is holding onto the grab handle over the cab door with one hand and the seat with the other hand, leaving no hands to hold the camera.

At Zweisermmen, amazingly, we find a Lidl.

We stop and shop, spending the remainder of our Swiss Francs on beer, and food.

Then head on past GStaad and towards Chateaux-d’Oex.


Here we have a choice to make, do we take the longer route via the slightly wider Road 12, towards Bulle, or do we continue on the 11, to Aigle via the 1445 metre high Col des Moses.

Naturally, we choose road 11 via Col des Moses towards Aigle.

I even manage to make it seem to be Kathleen's idea, by simply suggesting she may not be upto it, no McCaffery can resist that challenge.


There are no photographs of this stretch, since there were no hands available to hold the camera!


At Aigle, we stop for lunch, and then across the River Rhone, and back into France at St Gingolph.


Thonon-Les-Bains, Saint Disdille, (ASCI2011-1473)


This is a large site, but at this time of year, not very busy. So it is suitably quiet. Facilities are upto scratch. There is a nature reserve next to the site, and 200 yards from the entrance to the site, you are in a parkland area, on the shore of the Lake.


For once, the Dutch are not in the majority, mostly French and Swiss, with a few Germans and Dutch. Initially, we are the only Brits, but over the course of the next few days three more turn up.


We need to explore over the next few days and see if there is enough to keep us amused. For now, we have only the afternoon and evening. It is hair washing day, so that is the rest of the afternoon accounted for.


Kathleen spends the rest of the afternoon in hair care activities, a brief panic, Kathleen is running short on one of her hair care products, will be able to buy a replacement in France?


Friday and we need to do some “chores” ie washing. I think Kathleen has been having too much sun when she begins being very enthusiastic about the merits of Vanish Soap in removing ground in dirt. OK so the stuff works, that is what it is supposed to do isn’t it?


With our washing hung out to dry, we cycle into Thonon-Les-Bains.


It is a very pleasant place.


When we were in Switzerland, the campsite offered discount on several “extreme” activities, for example white water rafting, paragliding and travelling on a funicular railway. We decided that having lived to be 60+ we were not going to risk death hurtling down a river in a rubber dinghy, or jumping off a cliff with a kite tied to our back. We thought we might try the funicular railway, but when we saw the height of it, we decided riding our bikes thought unlit tunnels was probably safer.


On one day, we did see some paragliders landing in a field, and I almost had Kathleen talked round to trying it, on the basis it would mean being strapped to a fit young man. But the prospect of jumping off a cliff dulled her enthusiasm. I was not keen to start with, since there were no female instructors.

But, here in Thonon-Les-Bains, they have a funicular railway from the port up to the main town, and we decided this was probably adventurous for two OAP’s like us.

Although the views look impressive, it was not too high, and only took about five minutes to make the ascent.

It was lunch time.

The French take lunch time very seriously, so everything except bars and cafes was closed.

Personally I do not see that as a problem, and we soon sat in a nice little bar in the square sipping a half litre pitcher of cool rose wine.


Next task was to find the church, job done, Kathleen is all set for Sunday, 9:00am.


Kathleen is worrying the she is eating and drinking too much, so Saturday we have a mammoth cycle along the shore of Lake Geneva.

We first pass this chateaux on the way out from Thonon.

It is a working vineyard, it is called “Chateaux de Ripaille”, cannot say I have heard of it, it is a white wine I think.

The route is very pretty, although not always flat.

We pause for a refreshing beer in Port Sciez.

This photograph is very rare, and is especially for Bryan Crick, if you look very carefully, you can see Kathleen with her purse open.

We turn back at the thirteen mile mark, and head back towards Thonon, stopping for our picnic on the way.

At Thonon, Kathleen suggests we stop for ice cream, and again pays, there is something amiss!

On the lake, there is a yacht race in progress, it all looks very interesting, but having watched yacht racing several times before, I have to admit, to me, it is impossible to tell who is winning, or even where the course is, since boats seem to be going in just about every direction.


So todays little outing is 24 miles, we must have come back by a slightly shorter route than we went, I think that justifies a glass of two of wine tonight, and some crisps etc.


Sunday, we are up bright and early, because Kathleen is going to Church at 9:00 in Vongy (a small village on the edge of Thonon.


After church, the plan was to take a stroll in the Nature Reserve, but instead Kathleen is washing clothes again. I think the UK Government needs to classify Vanish Soap as a Class A drug, because it is clearly highly addictive.


When all of the clothes are hung on the line, we have a coffee, and then walk into Thenon to have our lunch at one of the many cafe/bars by the lake.


After lunch, we walk back via the lakeshore. We come upon a sign, which I translate as “Nudist Beach ahead, if you want to avoid it, follow the path to the right”. Kathleen refuses to believe my translation, so we end up walking through the nudist beach. I would just point out, Kathleen’s French is better than mine, so I leave it to you to decide if this was a deliberate ploy on her part. There were, by the way, more nude men than nude women (aren’t there always?).

When we get back to the site, there are two new British arrivals. A campervan and a caravan.


Then, this turns up.

At first it looks like a Volkswagen Passat, with a rather large roof box. They park, and fifteen minutes later they have the tent folded out, on the roof, complete with ladders to climb into it, and a neat little porch area to sit in.


I have seen this kind of set-up before on the roof of a Land Rover, but never on an ordinary family car.


Monday, we take our walk in the Nature Reserve next to the site.

We take the gate from the campsite, and follow the path, soon, we come to a very organised “hide” which overlooks a lake, (the nature reserve is the delta of the river Dranse and is heavily forested, with water waters running through it).


The information board says there are various kinds of animals and birds to be seen here. Over 800 species in fact, including beaver.


Other than several types of bird and a couple of cyclists, we don’t see a living thing. This reminds me, that, to see animals in the wild, you need two things, which are in short supply in present company, ie patience and quietness.


Presumably, I muse, if we had emigrated to North America in the 1700’s, and had to rely on our hunting skills to survive, we would have either starved to death or been killed by Indians who would have been able to hear us coming at a distance of several miles.

We eventually emerge from the forested area, onto the shoreline of the lake, at least here we have scenery to admire, and some rather magnificent swans.

A short distance along the coast, we come to this rather exclusive marina development, where many of the houses have their own mooring for a boat at the bottom of the garden.


After lunch we decide to cycle in the opposite direction (to which we went on Saturday) along the lake towards Evian, of bottled water fame.

This is a good choice, there is a good track, with easy cycling, leading to an area called “City de l’eau”, at Evian.


This is an area of parkland, by the lake, where people are lying on the grass, sun bathing.


Many of them are topless, young women.


Sorry chaps, no photographs.


I get the usual talk from Kathleen, that all of the goodies on display must be “boob jobs”, since no natural woman’s boobs stand up and point to the sky, when she is lying down. I am told, if they are small to medium size, they go flat, if the are big ones the flop under your arms.


Some plastic surgeon must have made himself very rich from this lot, is all I have to say.

We stop to refresh ourselves with a glass or two of cool, Rose.

As the sun sets over Lake Geneva, on our last night at Thonon-les-Bains.


An informal mass football game is going on in the park, mams, dads and kids all joining in. It is impossible to tell who is which side, or even where the goals are!

Well, this is a mammoth post!, we have had no internet for several days, sorry!

Wednesday May 18th 2011

Interlaken-Ost, TCS Camping Interlaken 6, (ACSI2011-717) continued.

The weather forecast says it will be a sunny and warm day, and it certainly is.

We cycle to Thunnersee, the other lake in the Interlaken "pair".

First we go along what is described as a canal, between the two lakes.

It is easy going, flat, but the cycle track wiggles about all over the place, and you have to keep watching out for signs telling you which way to go.

In the picture above, there is, believe it or not a high, snow covered mountain in the middle between the other two peaks, but for some reason my camera settings have merged it in with the sky and you cannot see it!

The route becomes more pleasant, passing along an avenue of trees.

We peddle along quite merrily, until some five miles later, we come to the next lake (Thunnersee).

This is quite stunning, but there is no cycle track, so we set off along the road. It is not a major road, and does not seem to have too much traffic.

But, it is certainly not flat!

If you look in the photograph, just to the right of the group of trees, you can just see the road, suspended on the hill side over the lake.

The plan is to cycle to the end of the lake, to the town called Thunn, it is still 17km (10 miles approximately) away.

So far it has been all up a steep hill, you can see Kathleen soldiering on up the hill.

Eventually it levelled out a bit, and was easier going, but then there we came to a series of tunnels.

Cycling through a relatively dark tunnel, with cars, lorries and buses overtaking you, is a bit intimidating.

We made it through the first series of a about 150 metres, but then came to an even longer one, with road works in progress in the tunnel and traffic lights for a traffic contra-flow.

We decided commonsense had to prevail, not being ready to have our wills read out just yet!. So we turned around and headed back for Interlaken, covering 17 miles.

We had our picnic in Interlaken, just across the river from our van!

The rest of the afternoon was spent in Kathleen's favourite occupation, ie lying in the sun.

Further experiments with the Remoska, were successful. This time using Joan Crick's method of making low fat chips in it (cut up chips, put in plastic bag with a little cooking oil, shake so all coated, then put chips in Remoska and cook).

Suddenly there are several new arrivals, and among them are no fewer than three British vans, this is the most we have seen in one place since we left home!