Return on Travelling Taylors, via Italy, France and Belguim

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Travel blog 21

Have been struggling with internet down in southern France. For last blog took our lap top into a hairdressers where Andy left me for an hour or so to catch up quickly on some e-mails. Funny sitting typing with hair flying all over the place, hair dryers blowing across my back and spray getting in my eyes. Pity I took Andy in as he got ideas above his station with the hairdressing lark. Thought it looked easy and decided he could give me a cut and blow dry. Whata mistaka to maka! Hair all different lengths despite his trimmers. Good job I am not too fussy. Andy happily watched his football and we were ready to move on again.

Wednesday, 30th April
Left the little harbour of Miramar in the pouring rain. We had enjoyed being in this little place by the sea, a suburb of La Londes. We got the feel that there was a good community spirit here. Boules are played every afternoon and many, many people take part in this. Despite watching for an hour we did not get to grips with how they worked out who was playing who. Sailing was extremely well supported with competitions every evening in addition to children sailing as part of their school curriculum. The walkways around the coast were always busy and the beach is well used by people of all ages.

We were soon heading down the coast towards St Tropez and the roads suddenly became very busy. Despite the crowded roads we really enjoyed the coastal ride and because we were going slowly were able to enjoy it all the more. Just after St Tropez the road split and we were heading up over the mountains. The roads needed real caution as they were very narrow and the tiny barrier between us and the abyss below may have given a car some security but to our 3m vehicle, no comfort at all. After stopping for lunch we arrived at our next port of call mid-afternoon. Dora was directing us to Mandelieu La Napoule-Plage, south of Cannes.Campsite Les Pruniers. Small, grassy site in the middle of an island, with the usual grotty French shared toilets which I hate. It was raining on our arrival but we were keen as usual to explore so soon had on our waterproofs.

What a lovely place La Napoule turned out to be. We had booked in here as the book said we could cycle to Cannes. On leaving the site we crossed the island bridge. Unusually there was a golf course cut in two by the river but to our surprise there was a foot ferry for use by the golfers. Seemed strange to see the buggies and golfers with their bags leaving the green and getting on the ferry ready to play the next hole on the other side. We soon reached the beach and our walk took us around and through an old castle which was well preserved and made an unusual backdrop to the sand and sea. It really was picturesque and as the rain had stopped we thoroughly enjoyed our walk. Andy thought the supermarket might be nearby so we headed inland and as usual ended up going too far and having to carry our few purchases too far, especially as it had started to rain again. Think we walked 5 miles in the end.

Thursday, 1st May
Awoke to blue skies and a camp site that had rapidly filled up overnight. Of course, we later find out that it is a bank holiday here and across Europe. We are suddenly surrounded by Italians. Boy oh boy. Had had trouble picking up French lingo again after leaving Spain and now we are the only Brits on a site with an all Italian contingent.

Soon had bikes off back and were cycling to Cannes! What a strange experience. Sun was out and people already out in force on the beach. Most of the beaches are private with entrance fees. At least ride was easy going with no hills. Tied bikes to a lamppost on outskirts of the town and joined the throng of multi-cultural people walking along. Spent the whole day strolling along the promenade and people and boat watching. Gosh, you certainly have to be moneyed to be here. Only shops were designer Armani, Jimmy Choo and Gucci, all out of our price range. Weather was great and the atmosphere fantastic. Enjoyed looking at all the famous handprints in the cement outside the film festival venue. Decided to have a meal out which was great but we were totally stung with the price of the beer we had with it. Shame.

Cycled back to campsite had a cup of tea and then enjoyed another walk along the river bank nearby. All sorts going on here; mini-golf, tennis, boules, small restaurants. Joggers and walkers everywhere. Lovely that we could just absorb it all and take pleasure in watching a duck and her ducklings. Noisy evening with the excited Italians. Not sure of plan tomorrow as bank holiday. Tried to book in at a camp site in Italy only to be told it was full.

Friday, 2nd May
Lovely blue skies so decided to stay put and enjoy the lovely campsite pool. Pool looked out across the river so whilst swimming we could watch the many people out with their boats.

Saturday, 3rd May
Rang a site at San Remo so set off for the lovely ride around Nice and Monaco and then arrived at beautiful Menton right on the border. Unfortunately it was just too busy to stop. The whole coastline is lovely but the Riviera is busy all year round and of course it is very expensive. Had to queue to get to San Remo as it was also busy being the bank holiday weekend. Found the campsite and parked up at a cost of 40 euros! There was an Aire next door where we could have parked for 7, but it was absolutely packed with camper cars (must have been a 100 there, and who can blame them with camp sites charging the earth). However it was hot and dusty and we did not fancy parking on a car park. We soon headed off into San Remo where we were slightly disappointed. The sand is all imported and a bit like the rest of the Riviera where you had to pay to get on a dirty looking grey beach edged with what looked like builders rubble. Shame really as the town was nice with a wonderful back drop of flowers on the hills which are grown for market, although absolutely manic and Italian drivers are really something else. As we wondered along a car came past and caught Andy's arm with no warning. Whilst in town we visited the Russian Orthodox church which was spectacular outside with elegant golden cupolas. We paid a euro to go inside where it was quiet and peaceful (compared to outside) but sadly a contingent of tourists from a certain country entered and destroyed the calming atmosphere by their giggling and chatting and lack of respect of the building they were in.

Stopped at a little supermarket near the campsite and bought a piece of steak which we cooked for a celebration meal and I opened the tacky card with an ugly gorilla on the front which Andy had bought me and which when translated read something like "you are off your head you little rabbit". Not the romantic card one might expect but fairly typical. The reason he bought it was that it played a tinny "happy birthday" when opened and he said at least he knew it was a birthday card. In the evening walked down to the sports field next door and enjoyed watching a game of American Baseball.

Sunday, 4th May
Really thought we could not stay on the site as it was poor and we were not pleased at having to pay so much for so little. Pool was closed, no swimming off the beach and most facilities closed. In addition we had to be off by 10 so decided to head inland for a bit of piece away from the madding crowds. The coastline was wonderful in a very different way to France. It seemed reminisant of an age gone by with typically traditional houses built into the hillside. I think I really liked it for this reason as it seemed like an area where time had stood still, despite the main coast road being quite busy. Felt quite sad that we could not have stayed as I think once we got past the Riviera and down the leg of Italy it may have settled down, but we were running out of time and new we had to leave this one for next time.

We were soon heading up the scary hair pin road into the Italian Alps and what a journey it was. Very hard going with wonderful views of the mountains and valleys. We stopped at a place called Limone Piedmont on the N204, a beautiful ski resort, still being used. It was a real picture postcard village totally geared up for winter sports. We enjoyed our night here, especially being able to drink the fresh ice cold mountain water.

Monday, 5th May
Set off for Torino which was so busy that we changed direction and headed off back into France. However, in the Alps we came across a lovely little camp site with wonderful views of the snow-capped mountains where we were the only ones on the site which was mostly made up of caravans permanently attached to little wooden sheds. Lovely having place to ourselves, especially the toilet and shower block. Rated these as 9 out 10 as they were spotless, heated and with piped music. They lost a point due to having only two traditional toilets with the rest being continental... ugh!

Tuesday, 6th May
Spent the morning on the campsite just enjoying the wonderful scenery and watched the herdsman taking his cattle up the hillside. Early afternoon, left for the Frejus tunnel into France. Was surprised it cost us 42 euros to go through, but it would have been too difficult for us to drive up and over so was worth the money. Tunnel must have been 8 miles long!

Our next stop was Annecy and what a delight it was. Our French Aire book gave us directions of an Aire where we could park for free, right beside the lake. However book said 10 vans were allowed to stay and by time we arrived there were about 15, although there were plenty of parking spaces. Andy being Andy was uncomfortable about this but I persuaded him to leave van saying we could look for a site later.

Annecy was really charming. Surrounded by snow capped mountains and with an attractive medieval quarter laced with canals, flower-covered bridges and arcaded streets. What a perfect place. Being quite late in the afternoon we did not have time to see it all so decided to stay overnight and visit again the next day. On the other side of the road was the lake which was edged with rushes and the noise from the frogs in the evening was quite deafening. Thought the frogs may have had more sense and kept quiet if they wanted to hang on to their legs! Andy still not comfortable with the parking arrangements but despite that, the frogs and the road noise, we slept quite well.

Wednesday, 7th May
We were soon up and out today. The walk around the lake into town was quite beautiful. There is absolutely everything you could wish for here. Swimming, sailing, ski-ing, sail boarding plus the wonderful gardens around the crystal clear lake which had cycle paths and areas for ball games. Cyclists, rollerblades and children with prams, dog-walkers, mothers with pushchairs were all strolling along. Of course the French always speak so there is a good atmosphere. A shop assistant told us that it is expensive to live here as in Paris (as they have everything to give them a wonderful lifestyle). A 3 bedroom apartment would be 700,000 euros. If you could afford it, it must be a top place in the world to live.

We had the most wonderful day and walked miles. When we got back to our van an English couple had parked up next door so after dinner sat outside chatting to them until quite late. I knew their grand-daughter who attended Thurstable!

Thursday, 8th May
We never have much luck on these Aires. Rumours abounded that the car park was being tarmaced and we would need to be off by 8.30. However, we were awoken at 7.00 by road sweepers and vehicles of all shapes and sizes. No time for a cuppa, instead quickly stacked everything away and were heading down the road to our next destination. Andy still sings his favourite song when we leave anywhere, Destination unknown "I left my job, my boss and my home...."

Drove for two hours and then pulled into a shopping complex to stock up at good old Lidl and then into the Intermarche.Filled up with diesel and decided to head on towards Bourg en Bresse. Journey was beautiful but before we got to Bourg we saw a sign at a little village, Poncin, for a camp site so pulled over to have a nose. Turned out to be very nice, big grass pitches including a hard standing. 16 euros a night and as weather getting hotter by the minute we were glad to be parked up and having brunch sitting in the sun. Campsite situated alongside a river so enjoyed a walk into the next little village which must have had all of 10 inhabitants. Late afternoon walked into the village which was not as quaint as we first thought with most of the houses derelict and some with warnings for your safety. Interesting watching life go on in another country. Much the same as home really. Children all turned out of school together (juniors and seniors) at 5 and then most seemed to head off to the sports area to attend a club. Became too hot today by the end of the day and we felt almost too lethargic to cook. Hunger got better of us and we ate dinner at 9.30 - just not like me, a 6 pm person!

Friday, 9th May
Blue skies and I enjoyed my first cuppa today watching a nuthatch building its nest in an old woodpecker's home. Housing market obviously still buoyant here! Cooked a chicken before we left so that we had a dinner at our next port of call. Enjoyed a lovely ride through the wonderful Cote d'Or in the Burgundy region. Here there is a run of 30 miles of vineyards with plenty of caves inviting you to enter for a wine tasting. All looked as though it could be pricey so we continued on to our destination of Beaune. The Aire was actually a public car park with marked places for camping cars. After a leisurely cheese and biscuit lunch we ambled into the town, only 5 minutes away. Good job as very hot and humid today. What a lovely place it turned out to be. The old centre with ramparts and circling boulevards and filled with many wine shops. The whole place is geared around wine with many bars offering a taste of a certain vintage for 7€. The piece de resistance however is the Hotel Dieu, a hospice founded way back in 1443 and now considered a medieval jewel with the most superb geometric multi-coloured roof tiles.

This place is really worth a visit and to Andy's delight Beaune was also hosting a vintage car show - all free, of course.
We wondered back to our car park where we prepared and ate dinner alongside all the other camping cars taking advantage of the perfect parking spot for this lovely tourist town.

Saturday, 10th May
After a quick breakfast and visit to the supermarket next door for a baguette we were up and away again. Andy's theme tune today was "Homeward Bound", as we now really needed to head north ready for ferry next week.
Planned to do 100 miles to another Aire. Unfortunately after a fairly long (but interesting) journey we found the Aire to be full with no additional parking. Moved on into the town of Joinville, parked in a public car park, ate our baguette (one of the better efforts) and enjoyed a walk through an interesting town. Everywhere here there is a surprise around every corner and we were surprised at the little town that did not get so much of a mention in any tourist book. However, the local shops were really making an effort to increase trade and business so it was a shame we could not find anywhere to spend the night. Got back in the van and headed off anywhere hoping to find a spot to stay. By now it was 5 and very hot and with it we were getting tired. Stopped at first campsite we came across and parked up in a quiet site in the middle of nowhere. We did not even know where we were. However, someone called by later in the evening to collect our 11 € and we were left in peace with 2 other Dutch couples nearby.

Sunday, 11th May
Lovely sunny day (weather same as home). Soon heard the toot toot of the bakers van. Armed with our baguette we set off for Verdun on the N35 road. We wanted to visit the war graves there. It suddenly seemed important for us to pay our respects to those who had died in order that we should have our freedom, enabling us the opportunity to travel. Each little village en-route to Verdun had cut outs of figures of soldiers and their trucks placed in the grass verges along the roadside. In the town itself there was a striking monument by Rodin depicting the winged figure of Victory unable to soar, triumphant because she has become caught in the remains of a dead soldier.

A million men lost their lives on one year of continuous bloodshed where the French tried to hold their north-eastern stronghold. The stalemate and killing continued here right up to the end of the war and not until 1918 did the Germans draw back from their positions 5km from the town. 9 villages here were obliterated without trace. There was so much to see when we arrived that we could have spent a whole day here easily. We called in at the museum but felt we could not do it justice in the short time we had so drove up to the Ossuaire de Douaumont, a sentinel for the regiments of crosses on the battlefields. The Ossuaire contains the unidentified bones of over 130,000 French and German dead.

The whole area deserved more of our now precious time. However, we munched our way through one of the better baguettes and got back on the lesser 'D' road towards Sedan. We drove through nearly 50 miles of rolling green countryside with canals, fields of corn and rape seed (and yes, we sneezed and rubbed our eyes), farms with different herds of cows, in and out of tiny little villages, and hardly saw a soul. This is truly rural France and yet quite near the big cities.

We arrived at a haphazard camp site in Sedan about 3.30 and had a quick beer as temperature risen to 29. Sadly although we had driven right through Champagne region we never saw a bottle or even got a sniff of a cork! Collected a map from the campsite office and headed into Sedan to visit Chateau de Sedan, the largest fortified castle in the whole of Europe. We thought we would not have needed a map but unusually the castle was not built high, but it certainly was large and took us 2 hours to see only a small part. We paid the 2€ for an English audio guide which led us around the castle and gave us a good history. There has been a bastion here since the 11C but each Ardennes conflict spelt a new tier of defences for Sedan, giving the place a muddled appearance. The bastion is surrounded by 17C slate roofed houses which hug the banks of the Meuse. These reflect the city's earlier prosperity as a Huguenot stronghold.

At closing time we left the coolness of the castle (really not a trip for those not steady on their feet as certainly no Health and Safety inspectors have visited recently - thank goodness). Back at the site we cooked dinner and sat outside in the heat until gone 9 with children still playing around us, someone strumming a guitar and the usual routines of campsite life - great!

Monday, 12th May
Moved on again today as we had seen all we wanted to see and there was a new corner to go around. Stopped to do a shop and fill up with diesel only to find shop still closed, so headed off north. Eventually found one shop open and only then did we realise it was a bank holiday. As roads were really quiet drove up to a nice little site on the Belgium border. Weather was good and facilities 10/10 and very peaceful…. Were slightly sucked in on this one as at midnight suddenly there was a roar of traffic and we soon realised the French bank holiday had finished, and France was back to normal and also we were on the main lorry run from the north. So much for our peace!

Tuesday, 13th May
Walked into the town of Mauban which turned out to be awful. The original town had been blitzed during the war and re- built in the 50’s in great haste…. Nothing wrong with the little town, but the houses were now in quite a poor way. There were very unusual little circular places like a Dairy-lee cheese(!) consisting of 5 homes. When people leave these properties they are bordered up ready for demolition and we felt sorry for a few old folks still living out their time in these run down little places. Did the council here wish them gone? Really have no right to say this as we all live very differently and these little places are people’s homes and a home is where the heart is.

Just as we thought we had seen enough we stopped to look at one of the ugliest churches ever, but as usual things were not what they seemed, and entering this building totally made my day - and week the outside was made of corrugated iron sheets with tacky lights around the roof. However, on entering I found it to be the most peaceful and serene building. It was spotlessly clean with beautiful background music, light wood pews and a fantastic altar. The glass windows were an abstract mix of cerise colour, lending the most wonderful light. On our travels I have seen so many ‘stations of the cross’ in churches in varying styles, but I found the ones here amazing. Each station was an abstract work of art. I do not know why this place reached ‘the spot’ for me, but it did and I felt it a wonderful place of worship

Spent an interesting evening trying conversation with an elderly couple from Paris, parked next door. He was a real character and believe it or not gave us a bunch of onions when he came back on his bike!

Wednesday, 14th May
Up early and off today as decided that being so close to Belgium we would like to visit. First we went to Mons, a town nearest to the French border with an interesting church. Unfortunately in Belgium the minor roads are not well signed and we wanted to use the minor roads and not the motorway. Belgium officials have other ideas and I think, only want one to use the motorways.
Undeterred we headed up for Thourai, but it was quite a busy little town and difficult to park, so we drove on, relying unsuccessfully on Dora to lead us through the little villages en-route to Calais.

Once back across border we headed for St Omer and stopped at a pretty village called Cassel. Only thing wrong here was that the whole route through was made of cobble stone, not good with a camper van. We had more rattles than the biggest nursery. We stopped at the most enormous Auchan in St Omer to stock up before heading on to a place called Gravelines which sits between Calais and Dunkerque. An unforgettable place, not to be repeated, especially with 100 15/16 year old boys staying in every available static home around us. Kindly the leader of the expedition came and told us if there were any problems day or night we could knock on his door. Expecting the worse we battened down the hatches only to have a peaceful, undisturbed night.

Thursday, 15th May
After a leisurely croque monsieur breakfast we headed off to Calais. Found an Aire right in the town where we could park for 24 hours for 7 Euros. Nice to spend the day exploring this town only previously seen as a by-pass into France. Hotel De Ville in the middle is an amazing building and the many gardens in the town immaculately maintained with the name of all the plants marked up for easy identification. It was a damp old grey day, but this certainly did not spoil it for us. The only thing we felt concerned about was the vast number of young Eastern Europeans hanging about all around the town. Security seemed quite tight though with guards hanging on to rottweiller dogs.

Had a cup of tea in the afternoon watching the boats coming in and out of the harbour. Right up Mr T’s street. In the evening walked back into the town for our last European supper.

Alarm set for 5.30 (ugh) as we were only five minutes from the car ferry port.

I want to record my thanks to Andy for his excellent driving skills and his loving care. His excellent company, knowledge, practical intellect and humour made the trip for me. Our love/hate relationship with Dora the Explorer, who we could not have managed without. I would also like to record my thanks to Lakeland plastics for the production of the wonderful Remoska, allowing us to eat so well!!!! I feel privileged to have seen what I have seen, whether in the form of a wonderful city, amazing scenery, a tiny act of nature or humankind and most of all having the luxury of time to savour it all.

We look forward to seeing all our family and friends again very soon. To acquaintances new, we hope one day to see you again. Rob and Sheila, Koos and Geesje, Peter and Elizabeth (highly recommended for full English breakfasts) Pat and John, Graham and Pat, Geoff, Steven. In addition to all the wonderful characters; the English couple who refused to change their time to French time so that their dog could get fed at its usual time, Terry who asked if Andy’s chamois leather was made of nylon, the giver of the gift of engine oil which emptied all over our van, plus the many others who may yet feature in our “Travelling Tales”

Au Revoir….until the next time, as who knows what is around the corner from Holland?

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Photos

Mandelieu
Golf buggies off to try for next hole in one

Mandelieu La Nepoule
Beautiful backdrop to Plage at Nepoule

Canne
Canne seafront

Canne
Beach area

Italy
San Remo Russian Orthodox church

San Remo
Icons in San Remo orthodox church

Italy
Wonderful Alps

Italian Alps
What a view

Annecy
Annecy had it all and we loved every bit of it!

Annecy
View of lake from camper van

Annecy
Could have used one of a 100 snaps of Annecy

Beaune
Two old vintages in Beaune

Verdun
Memorial graves at Verdun

Sedan
Largest castle in Europe

Maughban
50's exterior of this lovely place of worship

Maughban
Abstract art of the 10 stations of the cross

Maughban
Windows in the church