France 38 - Langres - a walled city and those french roundabouts

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Our holiday is nearing its end. The sun is still shining and we are still finding places to see. We travelled slowly from the Vosges scenery of Alsace leaving behind the ballons, the vineyards and the beautiful scenery. The hills petered out and were replaced with rolling fields full of charolais cattle. We saw many signs which told us that we had reached a watershed in the river systems of France. On one the name of the river and its destination to the Mediterranean and on the same board another name of a river with its destination the Atlantic. Further on we saw more signs with the rivers heading one way to the Mediterranean and the other rives heading north to the English Channel - La Manche. The area was very wooded and looked almost like any English shire. Roundabouts were planted informally with cornflowers and mock orange making a wonderful display beloved by butterflies and bees. Sarah Raven would have been proud of the towns who had made a real effort to plant informally rather than use sterile summer bedding plants.

Tolls were still causing us problems and we have decided now that we know the van is Class B to invest in another little box that will allow us to use the roads and add the cost to the credit card. At least in September I wont have to hang out of the window trying to reach the ticket machine or put my money in.

Our destination the town on Langres.

Langres is a historical town with ancient defensive wall which surround the old city for 3 .5 kilometres. Much as we would have liked to have walked their entire length it was too hot and we had walked so much our feet were aching. I wished I had a foot bath at times to soak the aches and pains of walking away but that would be a luxury rather than a necessity in the motorhome.

Langres was a pretty town which had had the sense to provide a free aire behind what looked like the medical school. Not a pretty site but nevertheless functional with a working borne and the faciility to dump grey water. I took the opportunity to empty our tanks. We have found it easier to place a bucket under the tap and empty as we go along rather than fill the tanks and wait until they are full. There were around 5 motorhomes on the site and I guess more would arrive later in the day as it was free which is always a bonus.

We ate before we went in to the town using the brioche style bread I had bought locally. Too sweet for my taste. We wished after eating that we had not bothered as the town was well blessed with many interesting cafes and restaurants all serving different cheap plat du jour all priced at around 13 euros.

The town is entered through an impressive gateway opposite a long avenue of poplar trees. . It was relatively empty and the shops closed for the dinnertime siesta. Work was being carried out on the streets with the old tarmac being lifted and replaced by stone setts which would make it very attractive when finished. We walked as far as the impressive Baroque church.

After our visit we headed north and tried to find our next campsite. The co-ordinates led us down narrow lanes and eventually we came out on the main road. We eventually found the site down a long lane and over some very narrow bridges. It was set in an area of large and small etangs. Ducks were swimming on the etangs and large buttercup flowers were floating on the water. The cuckoo was much in evidence. Our welcome was friendly and efficient and we told to go and look around both sites , by the large etang and by the smaller and pick a plot. Again the site was given over to permanent caravans . The gardens were pretty and full of English style planting - Grannys Bonnets and roses . The roads on the site were named after flowers - the Allee de Violettes, Allee des tulipes, Empasse des privets and the Allee des roses. There was a covered swimming pool which I had all to myself for almost an hour. On site a creperie opened but just on Fridays. What a shame - we love crepes.

If there was a downside to this site it was the water and etangs . As lovely as they were we were bitten to death by mosquitoes. Despite the mozzies we had a fabulous day and our nights stop only cost us 14 euros. Tomorrow Provins.

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Photos

Langres
Only the french can so this