Driving south- day1

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Geo: 47.4687, 5.27005

I always used to get excited when we arrived at Dover and put the GB sticker on the car and stuck those orange things onto the headlights. That was when we felt we were on holiday. With GB plates and modern technology there isnt the need, not to mention the fact that they are so quick at loading the cars nowadays that there is no time to get out of the car. We pay the extra for Priority boarding which means we are first on and first off and also has the advantage that we can go straight to the Brasserie before it fills up and sit and have a leisurely breakfast.
Once at Calais we take the motorway and head south. This time we had a Tag fitted to the windscreen which meant we didnt have to queue at the Peage and fiddle around finding the right change to pay as the barrier lifts automatically when it senses the Tag.
I had brought cold meats and salads etc for a picnic lunch and we even managed to buy a stick of bread from a garage en route. I love the way the French provide lovely picnic spots with tables all the way down the motorway.
Our overnight stop was in Beze in Burgundy, a pretty,quaint town with a river running through. The hotel was the 2 star Auberge de Quatre Heuries just opposite the church so easy to find. It is a lovely old building with beams and old fireplaces and has its own restaurant. It also has secure parking in the rear courtyard.Our first task after a long drive was to walk through the town and have our first beer outside in the square. We had a lovely dinner in the evening choosing the set 28 euro menu which was excellent value and the wines were not too expensive either. The following morning after the basic continental breakfast we set off for the South, once more having a picnic lunch on the motorway and arriving in Rognonas just south of Avignon by mid afternoon. The Mas St.Antoine is a place we have stayed previously. Before we have always stayed in the main farm house with our friends Paul & Jane but on this occasion it was booked so we have our separate places on the property. Our little gite with its own kitchen/dining room,sitting room and garden with tables and chairs is perfect. Ian & Pierre who renovated the property and put pool and gardens in were caretaking for the week so we had a great reunion. Dinner was in the local town at Norbertsas we had had enough driving. Excellent fish soup in the basic 28 euro menu.

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