Saturday 13 June 2012 After a really good sleep we felt we were raring to get out and continue exploring Lyon for a second day. It is really handy having the tram stop just a very short distance from the hotel. The weather has brightened unexpectedly after last night's brief rain and it feels just right for today's excursion. Today we are taking tram T2 to the end of the line and beyond. Lyon has a fabulous integrated transport system that links trams, metro and buses and the fares are so cheap. Why take a car into the city. Our first destination is the confluence of the Rhone and Saone Rivers. These two mighty French rivers meet in Lyon with the Rhone continuing to the Mediterranean Sea. On a piece of land separating the two rivers ... read more

Thursday 11 June 2015 Today we drive from Dijon to Lyon, taking back roads that will let us make stops at several villages or towns that intrigue us. We plan to visit at least three, GPS willing: Brancion, Taize and Cluny. With some regret we headed away from Dijon. Burgundy has captured our hearts and we will return one day to explore in a more leisurely way. The back roads that lead to Brancion wind up, down and around, through tiny villages, and past what we understand is an ancient standing stone with a stone cross added to the top. History upon history. Our arrival at the carpark just outside the medieval village of Brancion brought us right back to the present in the form of a class of school children enjoying a leisurely lunch in ... read more

Tuesday 9 June 2015 Some days just feel good and Beaune did this for us. We had slept soundly and woke refreshed and ready for our day trip to Beaune, not far from Dijon. The drive in morning sunshine through vineyard country was spectacular. Vines were spread up and down the gentle southeast facing slopes as far as the eye could see. Occasional châteaux and related buildings broke the expanse of green, while in the rows of vines It seemed pruning and spraying were under way. Machines that do this work were crawling like some fantastic huge insects through the rows, and sometimes appeared on the road en route to their next appointment. Traffic chaos did not result, all remained calm and good humoured on this lovely morning. The same sense of calm accompanied us as ... read more

Sunday 7 June 2015 Both the Château of Chenonceau and the nearby town of Amboise are places we really want to see and on this sunny early summer day we did. Our intention was to get to Chenonceau early and avoid the crowds, as we well remember an uncomfortably crowded Versailles on our visit there four years ago. Despite our good intentions, the reality of driving even short distances over beautiful back roads meant our arrival at the glorious place that is Chenonceau was a little delayed, but there was no problem finding a park in the shade (both free), then strolling leisurely up the drive with the Château showing through the trees. We seemed to have beaten the tour groups and were able to enjoy the experience without jostling for position. Chenonceau is simply stunning. ... read more

Friday 5 June 2015 We have made a list of places that would be great to visit. Some involve driving some distance. If we had to drive about 100 kilometres in NZ it takes about 75 minutes. The roads on which we are driving it takes about two hours. The speed limit varies between 50, 70, 90, 110 and 130 kilometres an hour. Most of our driving is 50, 70 and 90 kilometres an hour. We have told Polly to keep away from toll roads. So what seems a short distance takes a while. Today we head for Villandry, a chateau with a reputation for having one of the best gardens in France. By the time we get there the temperature is nearly 30. After a quick lunch we enter the garden. It is made up ... read more