France 32 - cars, trains, trams and low bridges

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Walked down to the reception to pick up our early morning crossants and baguette. I always feel quite French with the baguette under my arm when I carry it back to the motorhome. We ate a leisurely breakfast continental style before setting out from Switzerland to Mulhouse. We were running short on provisions and hoped that we would be able to pick something up on our way. We had planned to use the municipal camping D'Ille based near to the river as it was handy for a visit to the car and train collections in Mulhouse.

Our journey was fairly uneventful until we arrived at the outskirts of Mulhouse and started to follow the Camping site signs. These unfortunately led us to the first obstacle of our trip so far. We had not used our specialised sat nav which should have told us about low bridges. Instead we used Maddy and she led us to a railway bridge with 2.7 metres clearance. Suzy was 2.9 with the satelitte dish on top so there was no way we would be able to get under it. . Luckily for us there was a turning area just in front of the bridge which seemed well used. I guess rather a lot of motorhome got to this point and realised they could not creep under the low bridge. We knew we should be able to get to the camping ground as it advertised motorhome access. Back on the road we negotiated narrow streets filled with cars,skirted the river whilst I as navigator watched out for other signs to the campsite. Eventually we found an alternative route which again went under a low railway bridge but this time the clearance was 3.1. With a few inches clearance above our heads we tentatively went under praying not to hear a scraping noise. The sitet was a lovely one with an excellent reception area and the most friendly French lady I have ever spoken to. Nothing was too much trouble . She issued us with gate passes and a map of the site advising us to park on hard standing. As the site was on an island with the river to all sides it was prone to flooding and she didnt want us parking on grass only to get stuck.

The site was peaceful, bread and crossants were delivered fresh each morning and she spent time explaining that there was a swimming pool on site, a small shop, next door was a rugby pitch and municipal swimming pool. I didnt have the time to use the pool and the weather had turned cold too. She issued us with an excellent map of Mulhouse and took the time to explain that we would be better leaving the van on site and using the tram system. The stop was just through the park next to the camping ground and would take us 5 mins to walk to. She marked the tram stop and explained we could buy a single ticket for 1 euro 20 cents or a 24 hour ticket for 4 euros. On the map she wrote our stop in town at Porte Jeune which was handy for the centre, she named the tram Coteax to Nouveau Bassin and advised us to cross the track to catch the Line 1 tram to Charaiguier or at least it sounded like that to Gare Central which would take us to the car museum. She very helpfully marked up the return journey and then marked up the tram from Gare Central to Lutterbache Gare which would take us to the train museum.

The walk indeed proved easy and the tram stop clean and tidy full of students. There seemed to be a green river of grass all along the tram line into the city. We bought our ticket easily and caught the first tram. They seemed to run every 10mins at least. A very efficient and quick way to travel around the city.

Arriving at the Cite de l'Automobile we queued up behind a bus load of visitors. The combined cost of the two museums was 37 euros which seemed excellent value for money. The collection was put together by Hans and Fritz Schlumpf who owned woollen factories and with their money they purchased cars particularly Bugatti brands. The museum is now listed as a National Heritage site by the French Government. The museum is still dedicated to the Schlumpf brothers' mother Jeanne Schlumpf; there is a large shrine to her at the entrance to the museum. The collection includes over 520 vehicles, with 400 displayed and these are put together under the headings of the motorcare experience, a grid of 35 Bugattis, Maseratis.Mercedes Benz and Grand Prix cars. I even saw a Veyron which was quite spectacular. Considering how much interest there is in cars whether these are old cars or more modern I was surprised how empty the museum was. We had both been to the motor museum at Beaulieu in Hampshire but this was much better and well set out. We ate our lunch fruit and a salad in the cafe before returning to the tram to return to the city centre.

Mulhouse itself was fairly busy as we arrived about lunchtime. We had plans to go to the city of the train so just managed a walk to the main square where there were a large number of cafes all full. the cathedral which didnt interest us too much and a very interesting town hall in the Swiss style. Painted pink it looked very odd and typically unfrench and out of place.

Our second museum of the day was to see the trains. This museum was placed the other side of the city. The Cite du train is the biggest railway museum in the world. As I have never been to York I cannot compare anything to it. We had the place almost entirely to ourselves and wondered if this was anything to do with the poor signage from the tram. We walked from the tram down a lane past allotments until eventually we saw the silver building that housed the collection. The displays trace french railway development from 1860 to 1940, in the new hall nearly 6,000 square metres with its 25 additional exhibits, bringing the total number in the museum to 103. In semi-darkness, we wandered from train to train all of them looking very different to trains back home. The hall was full of steam and smoke making it quite an evocative space. Napoleons carriage, signalling equipment, trains designed for warfare and snow plowing trains. It seemed everything was there with all of them having that French chic look. We finished our visit with a snack mine a hot dog which tasted like rubber before heading back on the tram to the local supermarket to stock up the store cupboard. It seemed like everything had come together today. A lovely visit to see cars and trains, a well stocked supermarket - what more could you need?

Suddenly we felt less like Old Mother Hubbard with a bare cupboard and no longer needed to stock up on essentials after our visit to Supermarche. Unluckily for us though the weather turned on the way back. The sky turned black as we got off the tram and light drops of rain started to fall. Even though we walked quickly the heavier rain began to beat down, thunder and lightening started up. We got soaked before we arrived at the van even though we tried to shelter under a tree on the way back.

Despite the rain we both had really enjoyed our day out with a difference. Its not every day you see racing cars and that lovely Veyron.

What a lovely two days, an ACSI site cost 28 euros 30 for the two days and we were ready to move on ....still in France but just up the road to the pretty town of Colmar. The only downside was that most of our holiday was over and we were heading north which meant heading home. Our next campsite another municipal site near to the river and within walking distance of the town.

Talking of cars we are averaging 26.5 fuel consumption which is not as good as we had hoped for. Everything is working OK, Kathrein picked up English tv and we have finally received our refund for our geotagging device. Still nothing though from our manufacturers about the locker cracks but then what did we expect from them.

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Photos

Mulhouse
Our preferred mode of transport

Mulhouse
The entrance

Mulhouse
The car collection