France 91 - The Puy de Dome - a panoramic ride on train up a volcano and how to park on a bus lane

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The Auvergne is a lovely area of France. One that we have sadly driven though without giving it much Suzy attention. Pretty little villages, lanes full of flowers, a church here and there or perhaps a convent. It has the lot in abundance and more. Chateaux hidden behind long winding walls,vines as far as the eye could see and to top it all Puys. Not one puy but what look like scores of them. Puys the extinct volcanoes that pepper this landscape.

The sun shone too so that was a bonus and made our visit to this area even more special. Our destination was going to be the Puy de Dome. A high point that can be seen for miles away across this otherwise flat landscape. The roads wind slowly round the countryside and it is a joy to bimble along at less than 50 miles per hour just enjoying life. Things have improved both weatherwise and in general since we arrived here in France.

Glenn had "done" the Puy de Dome in the 1970's when it was possible to drive a car to the top. Something he did and which involved much gear changing and a head for heights as there were few safety barriers and a big drop all the way down to the valley below. It was also used as one of the big climbs on the Tour de France. Since the rack and pinion railway was built cars were stopped from climbing the Puy and the road is too narrow for cyclists so it has been taken off the tour route. The rack and pinion railway called the Panorama de Puy de dome was paid for through EU money. We wondered if the EU would give us anything for our proposed electrification HS2 route linking the north of our country with the south or for CrossRail which crosses London. Hmmmmmm didnt take us long to think not.

Huge car parks have been provided at the bottom with ample spaces for both cars and motorhomes and it is possible to overnight in a camping car if you want to. We parked up in front of a motorhome and walked to the station housing the pure white train. The boards in the station advised the temperature at the top was 8 degrees so Glenn walked back for our coats. As he got back he pronounced that he thought he was parked in a bus lane. It was a bit clearer to see now the motorhome behind us had moved. Ooooops this seems the story of our holiday. Do we walk back a third time to move it or just think what the hell? What is another ticket along the way?

The trains run every 40 minutes this time of year. I dont know if they run more frequentl y in the summer season. The fare for us oldies was 9 euros 50 each for the billet retour. I got away with it as I am not strictly a pensioner in french eyes yet. The ticket collector was kind to me I think letting me off with a cheaper ticket. The train was packed with school children, the disabled in big beds being taken up for the air which is thinner up at the top and with paragliders who carried their parachutes in enormous back packs. The journey up took 20 minutes. The track which has a gradient of 1 :5 climbs steadily through the trees with one passing place half way up. Chamois live in the forests and wild orchids grow in the spring. The track follows the path of an original steam train track which once climbed the Dome from Clermont below.

On the top is a cafe, a brasserie and a viewing platform with fantastic views of the countryside below and of Clermond Ferrand. There is also a temple to Mercure built by the Romans and a television mast. It was worth the money to come up and we didnt need our coats either. The journey up had reminded me a little of the Gornergrat railway in Zermatt but without the Swiss efficiency. Having said that it did run on time and ran like clockwork so perhaps I am being a tad unkind there.

The wind blew, the paragliders jumped off . I was in awe of them. They were either completely mad or needed huge adrenalin rushes.

It was a shame to come down but come down we did . With trepidation we walked to Suzy and she hadnt got a ticket . For once something had gone right . But mental note - avoid bus lanes in future.

Have to say our holiday seems oddly to be coming together now we have got on the homeward leg. Our overnight stop was on a camping ground which again was in the throes of closing. The Ranch was styled on a American wild west theme with bars catering for cowboys in the season and a restuarant serving hamburgers and grills . I felt sorry for the young lady working there . She was on her own and had to serve in the bar, take the food orders and prepare it and serve it . Luckily only us and another couple came in so she was hardly rushed off her feet in the end. A funny old campsite but it did serve the purpose .

Tomorrow we are up on the banks of the Loire another of Frances great rivers .

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