Heading for the blue sky the forecast says is further north and west at Laon

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Well that was rather a lot of rain... but can't complain the only other rain we have had this trip has very kindly fallen at night and cooled the air down after excessively hot days.

Smart Car was already loaded and ready on the trailer but still needed tying down to the trailer with its straps and the trailer needs to be on the back of the motorhome.

Fortunately the overnight rain gave us a break as we were getting ready to leave. Long enough to load car and trailer. We had such an enormous pitch that it was quite easy to get set up and on our way.

Heading north in a Westerly direction as the rain cloud very defintely to the East. We were heading for the blue sky and sunshine again.

The drive was through what I have previously referred to as Weetabix country. Field after field, stretching as far as the eye can see (and eyes can see quite a distance from the raised cab of a motorhome).

We had to plan a route avoiding Reims as it has a low emission area and we have not to date bothered to get the appropriate sticker to display..... if spotted the fine is quite high. This will remind me to get a sticker before we go to France again as it will last the lifetime of the motorhome and is only a few Euros.

The big grey and rather wet cloud followed us for at least half of the drive, long enough for me to wonder if the improved forecast I had seen had been too optimistic. You can tell from the photos it was wet as it is tricky snapping a picture when the big windscreen wipers do a sudden sweep but when they don't the windscreen is covered in rain drops. ?



Between the weetabix fields we drove through lots of typical French towns. Cars parked on the pavement to leave the road clear for traffic, sensible traffic calming not by use of multiple white and yellow lanes as in the UK but using mini chikanes, plants in the middle of the road and some more dreaded Speed Bumbs. These bumps are fine if something goes over in front of you so you can watch how high they bump. We didn't have that for one rather bad one and Bob saw Smart Arse jump which was a little alarming. Sure enough when we stopped to check it had slipped all its wheel straps, which had been checked to be absolutely fine after we set off. Not only had it slipped them but it had move 2 inches so all the wheels were on the straps. Had to take the handbrake off the car and push it back into position so we could get at the straps and redo them. Not sure how we can fasten them any better than we did, they look to be exactly the same as all the tutorial pictures we have seen.

Despite the bumps the roads are just so fantastic to drive along. A real pleasure. The thing I dread about going home is that the minute we are off the ferry we will be in a traffic jam. Inevitable.

Eventually the sky started to turn blue agan and the rain stopped. We were driving through the area where a lot of WW1 had been fought so went past lots of signs to the cemetaries of the different countries. Neat Lines and rows of white crosses. So sad.

Another thing that the French do well is roundabouts. In the UK if you are lucky you might get a few wild flowers planted. In France they compete to have the very best display and some are quite amazing.
On this drive there were a few too many heavy trucks on the roundabouts... obviously avoiding paying tolls by using the N roads but Bob did find the drive more tiring than usual as a result.

We knew we had driven part of this route before when we came round a corner into a village and Bob said... you went into that Boulangerie last time we came this way and yes, I had ?

And so we came to Laon. City on high to the right, campsite Camping La Cheneaie to the left. As soon as we drove down the lane to it we recognized it. We have stopped here before. A check of my records says this was in June 2018, a single night stop. It was so recognizable as the reception is on the bottom road as you go in and the campsite up a little hill out of sight in the trees and the pool out on a bit of a limb on the other side.

All fine though. Excellent campsite for a one ot two night stopover. We grabbed a pitch, killed a few ants which were hanging about looking ready to fly and I had a swim in the pool. Tomorrow we will visit Laon as my previous blog says next time that is what we must do, so we shall.

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[Home and Away]

Laon...
and we hope for better weather!