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Muttley part en Provence
  • Martin and Debbie Kinally
  • Martin and Debbie Kinally

Muttley part en Provence

Une aventure de 22 jours par Martin and Debbie En savoir plus
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  • Début du voyage
    8 septembre 2022
    Martin and Debbie KinallyMuttley part en ProvenceVoyageur
    1
    111

    Two days - 500 miles, phew!

    9 septembre 2022, France ⋅ 🌧 14 °C

    Well me muckers, how bin thee all? Were off to France, notably the right hand bit of the Rhone Alps and then south and left a bit into Provence. That's the plan, but who knows whether it will happen, weather and time permitting I'm guessing.

    Well we get off well and down to the M25 when the heavens opened big time and we am driving along a river basically, well scary! Eventually we gain dry ground and get to the tunnel in good time and cross OK.

    We drive along on the 'wrong' side of the road for an hour or two and he finds us a stop for the night in a town along the way. We then are aware of the death of our good Queen Liz which is so unexpected and very sad, so we drink to her reign and then apart from a bit of rain we all have a good night's kip.

    Friday we are in transit again along the highways of France avoiding the extortionate toll motorways (cuz he's a bit of a skinflint) , which makes for slow progress but the villages and towns are interesting en route. Then after going through the umpteenth village at a steady 50 killys per hour, he is a bit too late on me brakes entering one, and I get flashed by a camera! Well to say he ain't happy is an understatement! Teks him a few killys to calm down. Quite noticeable are the sunflower and sweetcorn crops in the fields have all been ruined by the scorching weather and fields are burnt to a crisp. We are overnghting again on a motorhome aire in a small village which is very peaceful. Tomorrow thank gawd we aim to complete the journey to Annecy by the lake to a campsite for a stop of three nights to recuperate from our travels. I'm gonna need it too cuz it's a knackering journey.    En savoir plus

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  • Martin and Debbie KinallyMuttley part en ProvenceVoyageur
    1

    On the road again to Annecy

    10 septembre 2022, France ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C

    We am up and on the road early (9am) for them! Good start to the day road wise until we med 2 wrong turnings with satnag to blame, but he ay appy,nor me cuz I am a bit of a beast for 3 point turnings. Anyway, all is well and we nip round Dijon on the ring road very easily,so he's a bit happier now. They ave decided to use a bit of toll motorway to speed progress and check prices, so we speed along lovely. On exit after about 80 killys we pay 9.50 so it ay very cheap!
    The terrain has changed from flat to hilly now and I've got a sweat on as we climb through the Jura mountains, and we stopped for lunch with a great view of the beginning of the Alps which we will be driving through,up,or round in the days to come. Good job I'm in good nick for an old un!
    On to Annecy and satnag again has a hissy fit routing us through some of the town and through a 3m high tunnel which luckily we just squeeze through. This at least gives us a glimpse of Annecy which we will be visiting, and wow the streets are packed with people as we inch on through. This throws up a worry on whether there will be space on the camp site we are heading for,and sure enough the sign "complet" greets us at the entrance. Worryingly there are motorhome and caravans everywhere seemingly hunting for a pitch by the lake, but we strike really lucky on our second site, they have a space, Yippee!!
    Pitch up and they celebrate with Ghost Ship beers, and a stroll to the edge of the lake and a BBQ and a early night after 700 miles. No wonder me tappets am hurting! Still there's some nice young French vans here to keep me company, as we am here for 3 nights! Viv La difference!    En savoir plus

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  • Martin and Debbie KinallyMuttley part en ProvenceVoyageur
    111

    Leisurely day at Lake Annecy

    11 septembre 2022, France ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

    Well finally we all get a break, and I get to rest under a tree surrounded by some new foxy French motorhomes. Vive la difference!
    After a lie in they ave a lazy breakfast and a sit and read session, then head out along the dedicated cycleway which goes around the lake. This is cycleway heaven and there is thousands of bikes enjoying the 45 mile circuit on a very sunny Sunday. Most of the lycra clad bikers seem to think they are in the tour de France as they waft by at great speed past our two leisurely bikers. Lots to see, on the lake and shoreside in bright sunshine and they finally pull up at a cafe for bottles of presentable IPA beer for refeshment. Pedal back home makes a nice end to a quieter day without me hitting the tarmac thank gawd.En savoir plus

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  • Martin and Debbie KinallyMuttley part en ProvenceVoyageur
    1
    11

    Annecy Day Out

    12 septembre 2022, France ⋅ ☀️ 30 °C

    Weme up and its another belter of a day so they are off to Annecy at the head of the lake. Biking again along the dedicated cycle path around 8 killies its an easy pedal for both of them fortunately. They lock their bikes up with hundreds of others and explore the town. And with the waterways and alleyways very nice it is, and can be seen from some of the millions of photos herself snapped!
    A nice plat de jour was had at a restaurant, breadcrumbed cheese and salami followed by a local specialty of a potatoes, bacon and cheese pie washed down with carafes of wine. A final walk around by the lake and back home on the bikes finishes a good day out for them. We break camp tomorrow to continue our journey south, which I'm appy about cos I get itchy tyres staying in one place too long.    En savoir plus

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  • Martin and Debbie KinallyMuttley part en ProvenceVoyageur

    Annecy Day Out part 2

    12 septembre 2022, France ⋅ ☀️ 30 °C
  • Martin and Debbie KinallyMuttley part en ProvenceVoyageur

    Alp us if you can, we're feeling down...

    13 septembre 2022, France ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C

    Well we started OK but then it all went tits up! No problem avoiding Annecy on the way out and we wandered down the lakeside at Aix Le Bains, but they didn't fancy stopping much. Then out of Chambrey he decided theyd take in the wonder of the Chatreuse mountains on the way to Grenoble.
    It wer a steep climb up from the roundabout, and I huffed a bit up the hairpin bends, little did I know I would be repeating this again and again! The first time he missed a turn half way up and we had to descend through some houses to the roundabout. Second time old satnag sent us up the wrong road which he had specified, and bugger me was it narrow. He found us a driveway to turn round in, but I thought at the time...now way am I gonna get round without doing meself an injury. And guess what, he cracked me arse on a grassy bank and gave me what he said was superficial damages. Doh think so mate! So down the hill again to the same friggin roundabout and up again. He werent appy, I weren't appy, and she certainly weren't appy.
    Anyway we finally med it up to the top after a huge climb through the heavily wooded slopes and hairpin bends that made me strain a bit I could tell you, and when we reached the top yow cor seen the views because of even more trees. Everyone not appy. We soldiered on and things improved but it took me all afternoon to get along, and the big descent into Grenoble med me brakes red hot and stinky I can tell you.
    So time was gerrin on and we needed to get round Grenoble and park up for the night. Yer right.... Old satnag again... right through the centre of Grenoble at rush hour. They were still talking, but it wer a bit strained I can tell yer.
    So eventually we gets out of there, and head for the nearest town that has parking for the night, not great, at a car park at the back of a community hall all on us tod. But we am all knackered, so it had to do, and then it started raining........
    They get out the alcohol and settle down at last but wow it is humid here an I've got a sweat on even with all me windows open. They am talking OK, but at least nothing else can happen now...... then he bangs his bonce on the cab roof overhang and the language....... Its a real lump coming so they ice it up, and get to getting some grub then two of me gas burners are barely giving out a flame so dinner teks for ever.
    So off to bed, but they have to close all the windows for security, and it is hot....damn hot! (are you there Mark?).
    Well... tomorrow has gorra be better? Hasn't it?    En savoir plus

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  • Martin and Debbie KinallyMuttley part en ProvenceVoyageur
    2

    Cloudy but a 'Gorge' us day today

    14 septembre 2022, France ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C

    Well after a thundery rainy night which, kept me awake I can tell you, in our night car park, we get on the road, and immediately a closed road sends us down the wrong road out of town... strewth.. hope we ain't gonna ave anther crappy day?
    So we regroup and the forecast rain doesn't happen and all we have is low cloud which obscures the views a bit. but it's a great drive through the gorges, lakes etc on a lovely surfaced road, through villages which are built for skiing purpose rather than summer, but we stop for a while at one called La Grave to where there is several glaciers on view from the town. They are excited coz they have never seen one before. He also buys some cheese from a local cheese shop which sells only three cheeses, goat, sheep and sheep/goat. After great deliberation he goes for the half goat and half sheep. And very nice it is apparantly with a nice baguette for lunch.
    Onwards through some lovely Alpen scenery to reach Briancon, where they manage to park up by the old town at the top of the hill accessed by a gateway. Very steep streets and very picturescue.
    Onward southwards to stop at an Aire for the night, so a better day and progress made southwards without much goin wrong - so all good (apart from the Baggies losing to the Blues on the night) - he wor appy about that!    En savoir plus

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  • Martin and Debbie KinallyMuttley part en ProvenceVoyageur
    1

    Movin South into Provence

    15 septembre 2022, France ⋅ ⛅ 28 °C

    Awake to a luverley morning and we hit the roaf again. Gonna be 1000 miles by end of day, no wonder me 'feet' am aching.
    So we amble along stopping for herself to have photo opportunities, a lake here and wonderful mountain views there , its really nice motoring. We stop for lunch at Digne Le Bains, but what's this, me control switch panel has stopped working and they ay got no water taps, toilet flush, lights and water heating. Duff battery maybe? But the solar panels working OK, so he fires up his brain cell, and disconnects the battery and back on again, to no avail. It ay avin it. Screwdriver out he whips me circuit board out and disconnects that waits and reconnects. VOILA! All is well again. But then she says there's, a pongy smell and the carpets wet, so he sticks his head under the sink and me wastes pipe has come adrift, so he fixes that. So without more ado we head off to our overnight stop at an Aire in Moustiers, hoping nothing else goes wrong before we get there. We'll, yow lot don't wanna hear that we havin a nice easy holiday in the sun all the time do ya?En savoir plus

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  • Martin and Debbie KinallyMuttley part en ProvenceVoyageur
    1

    Moustiers then onto Aups

    16 septembre 2022, France ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C

    Awake and theym up. The plan is to visit Moustiers (one of the beau French villages), and then the short drive to Aups. So off they go and the centre of the village is all uphill against the face of a cliff, but they huff up it OK, and it is worth the effort as it certainly a quaint typically Provence village with alleyways to explore.
    Lunch is partaken and down the hill they trot and then we're off to stop at a campsite in the town of Aups for a few days. The weather is sunny but a bit windy when we get there and he reverses me on a pitch by the swimming pool, so I get ready to settle down for a bit of r and r. Lovely....    En savoir plus

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  • Martin and Debbie KinallyMuttley part en ProvenceVoyageur
    1

    Aups

    17 septembre 2022, France ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

    Very bright clear sunshine wakes us up here in Aups. Forecast is great for the next week so they ave decided to stop here another 3 nights, which will give me a bit of a rest I can tell you. Today its market day in Aups, and they luv a French Market them two. So off they trot leaving me to kip. Well the markets great and they buy honey from lavender bees, Provencale herbs, fruit, and herself a cashmere scarf (great, it does get quite cool at night here!).
    A wander round the quaint mediaeval town with narrow alleyways they visit a charcuterie and buy a home made lasagne and chicken , and the boucher man cuts them two nice slices of beef steak for their bbq later.
    Lunch with a couple of beers and a stroll home for a sit round the pool. Luverley.    En savoir plus

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  • Martin and Debbie KinallyMuttley part en ProvenceVoyageur
    111

    Haut Provence villages (well 3 of them)!

    18 septembre 2022, France ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C

    Hot and sunny and I am enjoying my break when they decide to go out and about today to explore. Luckily it ay too far, and the parking is easy. One good think about the French they love motorhomes and there is always facilities to park, usually at no cost, he loves that!
    Villecroze is first, a small walled village with tiny alleyways, shafts of sunshine darting down, a lovely amble round. THE Cascades to a grotto lake are closed though, but the lack of rain probably means they day miss much.
    Siilians is next, smallest and again water cascades from the hills but quite a walk to view, and again lack of water. So they have a lunch instead.
    Last is Cotignac again very pleasant with quaint streets and alleyways. There is troglodyte caves up in the cliffs but its a good old climb in hot sunshine so...... nah.
    Back to our site and a sit in the sun, we must be on a flight path so herself tracks all the aircraft overhead. Thanks Mrs Mc!    En savoir plus

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  • Martin and Debbie KinallyMuttley part en ProvenceVoyageur

    The Queen, and a falling down

    19 septembre 2022, France ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C

    Well we have stopped here at Aups for another day primarily to witness the funeral of the only monarch we have ever known in our lives. Our mifi device drops in and out but we witness this once in a lifetime event and marvel at the pageantry which we excel at. Glasses are raised in a toast at lunch........ God bless her.
    Then it goes tits up......
    Himself goes off to the swimming pool and is bubbling away in the jacuzzi when she sets out to follow him and trips on the uneven pathway, Down she goes and scrapes her knee, elbow, and wrenches her already poorly neck. Back to the van for medical attention. and ibruophen to help the pain. Thankfully not much blood but very painful. By the evening it's little better thankfully and hopefully a good nights sleep will help.
    God Save The King.    En savoir plus

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  • Martin and Debbie KinallyMuttley part en ProvenceVoyageur

    Now he's a gonna as well!

    20 septembre 2022, France ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C

    What's goin on with these two? We are due to move on today.... then he twists his back putting his socks on and he cor sit, stand or walk for the pain. Brilliant. So as she ain't in proper good order, an he cor move, they decide to spend another day/night here in the hope things will improve for tomorrow. Luckily the weather is fantastic so they soak up the sun an he meks it to the jacuzzi hoping the bubbles will help his back. Later on they hobble off to the town slowly for some exercise and a drink and also stock up on the ibroprufen tablets for them both.
    Luckily I'm OK but I cor drive meself, so fingers crossed tomorrow improves for the two of them or we'll be here for Xmas.    En savoir plus

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  • Martin and Debbie KinallyMuttley part en ProvenceVoyageur
    1

    Walking wounded movin on

    21 septembre 2022, France ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C

    Well they're up and we are movin on, very slow and gently some of us. The plan is to move into Western Provence notably the Luberon Valley area. Olive trees, grape vines and more lavender fields, and villages that time forgot.
    We first head north to skirt round Lac de ste Croix, one of the largest lakes/reservoirs in France, or would be but the drought has reduced the level considerably.
    We then head west to Apt a sizeable town in the Luberon valley to a campsite only 300m from the town. After lunch they wander off for a tour of the town and ice creams.    En savoir plus

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  • Martin and Debbie KinallyMuttley part en ProvenceVoyageur

    Roussillon

    22 septembre 2022, France ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C

    Well we are avin another day here at the campsite in Apt. But we am all off to ave a butchers at some of the typically Provence hillside villages.
    First up is, Roussillon and its market day today so they am lovin that. This is also a place renown for its highly coloured ochre rocks and artisian shops and arty farty galleries. Parking up as usual in these villages is very easy, and they wander off round the very pretty village with fantastic vistas of the Luberon valley, and then tour the market before taking the trail out the village to see the ochre rock formations. Very nice they are but they abandon the trail as it gets very steep up and down in places, and they are both still struggling with their, ailments.
    So they return to ave a bit of lunch before we trundle on along the quiet country roads with grape vines all around us to the next village they want to explore.    En savoir plus

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  • Martin and Debbie KinallyMuttley part en ProvenceVoyageur
    11

    Bonnieviux

    22 septembre 2022, France ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C

    We trundle up the hillside and park up at the bottom of the hillside village of Bonnieviux. Again typically the parking is free an even for a big lump like me very spacious. The old Frenchies really embrace and welcome us motorhomes, and rarely put up barriers to deter us visiting places of interest, unlike back in Blighty where they doh like us to stop and spend money in local shops, bars and restaurants. I'll just get off me soapbox now! They saunter off to visit this wonderful scenic time forgotten hillside village , but bugger me it ay arf a steep climb.! So they have to stop for refreshments, But again the views across the Luberon Valley is fantastic and worth their efforts. So suitably knackered we return back to our site in Apt fer the night.En savoir plus

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  • Martin and Debbie KinallyMuttley part en ProvenceVoyageur
    111

    Gordes

    23 septembre 2022, France ⋅ ☁️ 24 °C

    Well we break camp early (for them) and weme off for the short drive to visit the hillside village of Gordes. This is one of the must sees in this part of Provence, honey stone coloured buildings clinging to the rocks, much used as film sets as the steep alleyways are medieval in character.
    Well we park up again OK and they amble off, and straight way its apparent this is the destination of tour buses, mainly well heeled yanks and the shops and restaurants reflect it, its a bit out of their league. Also although the centre is nice, and the views across the Luberon valley are extrodiniary, the rest of the village is extremely steep with very uneven cobblestones and is hard going and very run down . So as the tour bus visitors never stray from the centre, there ay much to see, and they leave a bit disappointed. There is no denying though the vista of the village from the road is the best thing about Gordes.    En savoir plus

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  • Martin and Debbie KinallyMuttley part en ProvenceVoyageur
    21222

    Fontaine-de-Vaucluse

    23 septembre 2022, France ⋅ ☁️ 24 °C

    After Gordes we trundle off to another village which has the most powerful natural spring in France, and the source of the La Sorgue river. Again after the drought we were not expecting much, but what a, surprise. We park up next to the fast flowing river which is crystal clear and icy cold. Walking upstream they come to the village which is a bit touristy but nice, so lunch and wine are partaken to fortify them on their quest for the natural spring source.
    Well it ay hard to find.... just a gentle stroll from the village past numerous shops, most of them closed for the season, and they arrive at the Gorge end and indeed find the water gushing out of the bottom of the steep cliff of vertical rocks, as advertised. Well worth seeing with the weeds at the bottom making the water a crystal clear green colour, rather nice.
    An amble back and we mek the short trip to another camp site for the night just outside the town of Lisle dur la Sorgue, further downstream of the river source.
    Now we am all bracing ourselves for summat called 'rain' overnight and tomorrow morning. Hope we survive!    En savoir plus

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  • Martin and Debbie KinallyMuttley part en ProvenceVoyageur
    1

    Lisle dur la Sorgue

    24 septembre 2022, France ⋅ 🌧 15 °C

    Awake to rain on me bonce, doh think much to it after all the sun we've had. Anyway they have a lazy morning and the forecast is spot on by 1pm all is dry again. So they hop on their bikes and pedal along the river to the town, known as the Venice of Provence. The Sorgue splits, and flows right around the town effectively making it an island with lots of bridges. Waterwheels are everywhere. some of them are turning with the flow of the River Sorgue. There are other inlets as well giving a nice feel to the town with restaurants lining the river, and the whole town is virtually traffic free, so all in all very pleasant. There are art galleries everywhere to poke around inside, and the centre square church is the stand out building of the town.
    An obligatory beer was had before a peddle back along the river.
    Well tomorrow we start the long journey north back home, but we are breaking the trip down into small stages each day, well, we are still on holiday!    En savoir plus

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  • Martin and Debbie KinallyMuttley part en ProvenceVoyageur
    1

    Going North part 1

    25 septembre 2022, France ⋅ ☁️ 13 °C

    Well we depart northwards for the long drive home nice and early for them two and 5 killies later we get diverted cos the antique market is in our way in the town. No signposts to aid us and old satnag ain't awake and tries to send us under a 2 metre railway bridge! Wot a great start, not. Soon we get back on track and we gerron OK, the roads am good and its sum nice undulating scenery as we trundle along. The plan is to do around 300 killies a day so we ay knackered. Weather kicks in a bit later and we park up in a quiet village aire fer the night. Free to stop, and they wander round a bit for a leg stretch as there's , a 12th century church here worth seeing, she does luv a church bless her. No shops open today to stock up so French cheeses, and ham omelette and salad it is with the last of the wine. Luverley!En savoir plus

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  • Martin and Debbie KinallyMuttley part en ProvenceVoyageur

    Going North Part 2

    26 septembre 2022, France ⋅ 🌧 13 °C

    Well muckers.... we got up hit the road for 300 killes and ended up on an island campsite in the middle of the Loire River and its raining. Nipped round the town in the rain but not great, so that's today! End of.....En savoir plus

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