Glenn Hugh

Chateau Thierry to Senlis (Chantilly) 26th May 2007 (Saturday 20º Sunshine with some cloud). About 70 kilometres from Châteaux de Thierry we find a little gem, a haven for weary travellers. It is called Senlis. After some recent disappointments, which have only been made possible by our complete lack of planning, Senlis offers a big pick-me-up for both of us. It is quaint but not twee, urbane but not pretentious, happening yet peaceful. It is full of cafes and bars, good shopping and has a wonderful Cathedral. Straight out of the LPG we chose a Hotel. It is a converted 18th Century Mansion called Hostellerie de la Porte Bellon and we score the last available room - Room 11. We check in and also book a table at the Hotel Restaurant for that very evening. A ... read more

Monestier de Clermont to Epernay 24th May 2007 (Thursday 30º Sunshine followed by Storms) We wake up in the grand old house feeling like Royalty. This special feeling is diminished somewhat during breakfast where we are joined, unbeknown to us, by the house Labrador. He sneaks under the breakfast table and proceeds to leak bad air for the duration of our brekkie. Bonjour Monsieur et Madam - would you care for a dog fart with your croissant this morning? He is cute however and does lend the place a certain homeliness. The views to Needle Mountain are more spectacular in the clear morning air and I take the opportunity to walk around the house until it is time to hit the road again. Today will be a short diary as most of the day is spent ... read more

NICE (Cannes) 22nd May 2007 (Tuesday Sunshine and 29º) Today we hit the breakfast tables at Hotel de Kent with a spring in our step. You see today is the day that we could be discovered as the next big thing! After a robust breakfast of croissants and jam we bundle into the Focus and head in the opposite direction to yesterday’s action - we are heading south to Cannes and the Film Festival. After a beautiful drive we park about 2 kilometres from the centre of things and catch a bus into the zone. The ticketing equipment on the bus is AES Prodata, which will not mean anything to most of you, but for us ticketing junkies it is notable for it is the same brand as we have in Sydney on our STA buses ... read more

AVIGNON to NICE 20th May 2007 (Sunday Sunshine and 26º) We check out of the Central Hotel. I go and pick the car up form the long-term car park and do three laps of Avignon trying to find my way back to the Hotel to pick up Deb and our bags. Onto the Auto Route and heading SE following signs to Marseilles. We veer towards Nice and are gob smacked by the traffic heading the other way. Where are they all going? (It is only later that we realise that it is Sunday and that this is the only major road between Avignon and Marseille, Nice etc.) We slip off the big road at St Raphael as this is the start of the Cote D’Azur. The drive is memorable for the views of little bays and ... read more

AVIGNON 18th May 2007 (Friday Sunshine and 27º) A lovely day is on the cards if the sunshine sneaking through our shutters is any indication. Today we are staying out of the car (which is parked some blocks away in a long stay car park). We enjoy a continental breakfast in the leafy courtyard with one eye on our croissant and the other on the pigeons cooing softly above. We visit a shoe shop around the corner where the shopkeeper teaches me the difference between saying ‘just looking’ as opposed to ‘searching’ or ‘looking’ for something. I want to make sure that when we next walk into a shop and are browsing that I don’t say that I am searching for my wife’s shoes. We wander around the streets and get our bearings. The old cite ... read more