France to Spain 2019

Motorhome adventure to northern Spain via French Atlantic coast Lue lisää

Seuraa Yhteenveto Kalenteri Valokuvat Jaa

Matkan aloitus
26. toukokuuta 2019
France to Spain 2019 Matkaaja
Ideas above our station
26. toukokuuta 2019, Englanti ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C
And we are off!
After a slight hiccup when our long awaited ferry to Santander was cancelled last week (engine fire + rudder not working ....) we switched to Cherbourg. Good old Brittany ferries gave us a cabin upgrade for the journey, half our fare back and an allowance for the days needed to get to Santander, as well as overnight stay allowance of £80 each.....so we booked to stay in a castle in Cherbourg!
When we arrived we were treated to drinks in the bibliotheque. We parked the motorhome outside the front door for the benefit of the other guests.
We smuggled in two tuna salads and an apricot tart that we hid in a sick bag from the ferry (unused) and a bottle of wine and had a picnic in our palatial room. The bathroom alone was as big as our lounge at home.Lue lisää
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Back where we belong
27. toukokuuta 2019, Ranska ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C
Slept so well in the supercomfy super quiet castle bed, but woken by three cockerels at dawn. And they didn't stop....
So we got up to our homemade jams and yogurt breakfast with lovely fruits and croissants. An old dog kept us company as well as 6 noisy budgies in a cage.
We headed off after breakfast having been given a picture of St Christopher by the owners to keep us safe on our travels.
Onward to a châteaux just south of St Malo. This time camping in the grounds where we should be.
Steaks on the Bbq and bike planning for the morning.Lue lisää
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Brittany biking
28. toukokuuta 2019, Ranska ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C
Sat out the morning rain and then set off on the bikes. Routes galore round here. Mostly called the voie verte but lots of different options. We added a couple of loops together and followed a route showing lots of churches, châteaux and an intriguing blue granite garden. The only traffic the whole day was the postman in his yellow van.
Back in time to catch the evening sun.Lue lisää
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Tartelette temptation
29. toukokuuta 2019, Ranska ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C
Second days riding from our base in the châteaux grounds. Dull day but lovely route, along the canal to a wee village having its weekly market. Coffee and tartelette Normandie (apples, yum). Too hard to resist.
Then on out around lovely rural villages. Picnic by a pond.
More 16th century churches than you could imagine in such a small area. Religion must have been big back in the day...
Had a Normandie cidre for an apertif tonight.Lue lisää
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South we go
30. toukokuuta 2019, Ranska ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C
Long drive today to La Rochelle. We have always wanted to cycle on the Ile de Ré, so tomorrow it will happen. We are camped in a quiet place just south of La Rochelle near a huge plage where half of France seems to be. It's a bit like a posh Weston on a good day...
We rode along the front, spotted Fort Boyard in the distance and then retreated back to quiet base for beers and a BBQ.Lue lisää
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The itch was scratched
31. toukokuuta 2019, Ranska ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C
It's been so many years that we have wanted to visit here. Started when the kids were small and never went away. So today we struck out on a 60 mile ride over the bridge from la Rochelle to the Ile de ré.
There is no doubt it is a beautiful place. And we have never been anywhere with so many cycle paths... Nor have we been anywhere with so many cyclists. ...families , tandems, tag alongs, stabilisers, trailers with kids/dogs/ provisions...
All a bit frustrating to get past ..... We were both glad when we got back to the bridge to get off the island.
It was a beautiful sunny day so shouldn't complain...
Nice omelette and a glass of wine when we got back to tranquil base.Lue lisää
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Maritime meanderings
1. kesäkuuta 2019, Ranska ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C
It was hot enough to melt the tarmac today but we set off on the bikes for a 40 mile loop. Shunning the beach front where everyone else on the planet was going we headed off inland on a lovely route along waterways and marshes. We reached the banks of the Charente River and then followed the river upstream to Rochefort. A rather splendid transporter bridge from the 1900s on the way, and then we cycled into town via the Royal rope works. This was a big naval base in Napoleon's time and the buildings in the rope works were very long so they could make 300 feet long ropes for the galleons. The town was low key and quiet- a refreshing change from yesterday. We had a picnic in the shade. On the way home Ian overheated a bit so we had to pour cold water on his head. Made it home in one piece but realised we were quite dehydrated. Rookie error. Went for a cold swim in the campsite lake and settled down to watch the Champions League final.Lue lisää
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Shhh France is asleep ..
3. kesäkuuta 2019, Ranska ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C
We had a long drive south yesterday. Lots of "at the roundabout take the second exit" stuff and then some busy busy motorway round the Bordeaux peripherique. We were glad to get to the relative quiet of Landes. Nice campsite with a grand wee pool and a bar. Very laid back.
We set off this morning for a gentle bike route through the forests to visit a couple of the surrounding villages. So quiet it felt like everyone was asleep with their shutters down. The coffee stop was a challenge but we rose to it although we had to add 5 miles to our loop as as a result ....
Picnic in a churchyard - often the best locations - and then back home for a swim and a rest. Spent an hour or two planning our journey into Spain (2 weeks after we should have got there) but the journey has reminded us how much we love camping in France.
Today is world bike day so it is good that we were out on 2 wheels exploring.Lue lisää
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Where is everyone?
4. kesäkuuta 2019, Ranska ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C
We set off in the sunshine for another 30 mile loop around the pine forests of Landes. Even though our route passed through a few small towns virtually the only person we saw was a nice lady opening up a small cafe who agreed to make us a coffee. Then we found we had forgotten to bring any money.....
We picniced by a small lake and then flew home along deserted roads. We have never ridden anywhere as relentlessly flat as this. Never thought we would be longing for an undulate ..
Moving on tomorrow to the Pyrenees. Should be plenty of undulates there....Lue lisää
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All for one and one for all?
6. kesäkuuta 2019, Ranska ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C
The rain fell in torrents yesterday. We knew it was coming so we made it a travel day. We had a brief stop in a town called Orthez famous for a 12th century bridge with a big tower in the middle.
On to Aramits. One of the three musketeers was supposedly born here but he is fictional....
Sun came out after breakfast and we had a splendid day on the bikes. Some climbing yes, but no complaints. Pastures and picturesque villages, rushing rivers and snow capped mountains in the distance.
Spent a happy hour exploring a Roman town Oloron-ste-Marie where two rivers meet. Had a great picnic spot.
Then lovely quiet undulating route home for a beer in the evening sun. Great day. What motorhomes were made for.Lue lisää
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Over the Pyrenees
7. kesäkuuta 2019, Espanja ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C
4 wheel adventure today rather than 2. The overnight rain and thunder cleared to leave a good day for crossing the mountains. The pass we chose was quiet and a little less high than some of the the others but it was still a buttock--clenching, toe-curling journey mostly in second gear, once or twice in first. The van wheezed and stuttered over the top after about an hour of climbing steep hairpins and there was a cyclist reading the map at the top......respect. The wind was so strong we struggled to open the van doors to get out for a look.
We sailed down the Spanish side and came to rest just outside Pamplona. Ready for a bike into the city along the river tomorrow.Lue lisää
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Pintxos in Pamplona
8. kesäkuuta 2019, Espanja ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C
We set off from the campsite for the 10k ride along the river into Pamplona. We somehow managed to make an easy route difficult but arrived eventually along with many hiking pilgrims (en route to Santiago De Compostela) following the same path as us. There are clam shell markers everywhere. The city was great, easy to navigate around and there were lots of historic sights to see. Some very weird giant figures dancing in the squares. We had a great menu del dia in the city's theatre. Then we biked around gardens where there are wandering deer and peacocks in the old moats of the city walls and a dramatic 16th century citadel in the shape of a 5 pointed star.
Finished the day with wine and pintxos in a busy bar. Dad chose one with tuna, salmon, anchovies, octopus, baby eels, egg and peppers. I did not share it until he removed the baby eels....Lue lisää
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La Rioja day
9. kesäkuuta 2019, Espanja ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C
Up and away early from Pamplona to navigate the city before the traffic built up. Then out over vast plains and valleys that reminded us of our trip up from Valencia after the volcano.
The campsite in Haro was packed. Big family groups and kids everywhere. Then we discovered today is a holiday - day of the Rioja . As it's a Sunday, tomorrow is a holiday too. However we found a great spot and settled in. Life administration, laundry and research. Then as the fridge was bare and the supermarkets closed we walked into town and wandered the narrow streets eating pintxos and drinking red wine from the local bodegas. Best mushrooms we have ever eaten.
They have a festival here at the end of May where everyone throws red wine over each other...Lue lisää
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Vine vine pilgrim pilgrim vine vine
10. kesäkuuta 2019, Espanja ⋅ ⛅ 12 °C
Was a bit overcast and drizzly when we woke up - and we were a bit overcast and drizzly after our Rioja fest last night - so for penance we went on a long hilly bike ride. Out into the empty vineyards in the hills around Haro and reached our lunch stop in Nájera which is also a stop on the pilgrim route. Astounded again at the numbers and physical state of folk walking this to prove their faith. Well at least if you're on the pilgrim route you can guarantee a few open cafés.
The sun came out for our return journey as we left the walking throngs and headed back into the empty hills with the vines stretching off to the distant mountains. A suprise monastery on our return journey, with open doors and peaceful gardens was a lovely stop.Lue lisää
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Where roosters crow after being roasted
11. kesäkuuta 2019, Espanja ⋅ ⛅ 12 °C
Set off along a rather overgrown bike path to a town called St Domingo de la Calzada. Legend has it that a German boy was hanged here for a theft he didn't commit. His parents came to find him still alive (miracle). They went to tell the mayor, who said that the boy was as alive as the roast chicken on his plate. Promptly the chicken sat up and crowed (miracle).
In the cathedral they keep a live hen and rooster in a gilded cage. They change them every 15 days.
The cathedral was fascinating, with all sorts of artefacts and tombs dating back as far as the 11th century. We spent ages in there with an audioguide, and consequently missed a huge downpour (miracle). Oh and we had cracking egg and chips in a local hostelry that was full of hikers and bikers on the Camino route.. Great route home with lovely mountain views. Went via some of the bodegas on the way to have a look about. Bit too posh for us in our biking gear...Lue lisää
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Cathedral overload
12. kesäkuuta 2019, Espanja ⋅ ☀️ 12 °C
Up and away on an empty road headed for Burgos. The Camino route ran alongside the road for most of the way and clearly there were droves of folk who had made a very early start judging by their progress. All marching along, earphones in, hopefully enjoying inner peace.
Busy campsite that got very very busy as the day went on. Where did they all come from, and where are they all going?
We jumped on our bikes and headed in to the city. Beautiful place. Dominated by the cathedral. We climbed up to a great old castle from the 9th century. Marvellous city walls, and wall gates lead to a huge square where the cathedral stands. We went inside for an audioguide. It was so opulent that it was almost obscene. Made us wonder what the poor folk made of it all back in the day. The stuff that fuels revolution ....
Best part for us was an old wooden casket supposed to contain the remains of El Cid but didn't even get a mention in the guide.
We had a glass of cold white wine in the square in the evening sun fully expecting to be charged an arm and a leg. €4 for both...Lue lisää
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Double monastery day
13. kesäkuuta 2019, Espanja ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C
Turning our backs on the throngs of camino walkers and tourists visiting the city and its cathedral we headed off in the other direction on our bikes. Very quickly completely on our own in the "big sky" countryside. Our route took us past an impressive monastery . One of the monks was sitting outside with his hood up a bit like he was on the naughty step for something...
We had a great coffee stop at the top of a hill where our only companions were a couple of Spanish bikers.
Then on out around the hills and into to an impressive headwind (the windfarms should have given the game away). Some of the descents were a bit hairy with crosswinds. We were both mindful of Chris Froome and made sure to stop before any noseblowing.
Had a picnic in a lovely small town en route, and then homeward on a cycle track (Via Verde) that runs all the way from Santander to Valencia! We even had a 600m tunnel to navigate with no lights ...
Once we got back we took a ride to see another monastery just a couple of km from the campsite. We went into this one - impressive church.
Immediately invaded by about 100 Spanish schoolchildren who swept through like a swarm of noisy locusts. Then we were left in the quiet again listening to the monks singing in the courtyard. Another one of those nearly religious moments ....Lue lisää
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Platinum CD reserve team
14. kesäkuuta 2019, Espanja ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C
Set off in the van from the busy campsite in Burgos and pretty soon on quiet empty roads. We had 2 stops on our journey today. First in a beautifully preserved medieval town called Covarrubias. There was a Norwegian connection as the top banana brought back a Norwegian princess for his wastrel brother. She was so lovely her sister in laws poisoned her...
Then we went on to an 11th century monastery in Santo Domingo de Silos. Just scraped in to see the cloisters before they shut for siesta or prayers or something.
Absolutley delicious pintxos in the town square...stuffed peppers (stuffing not determined, however. Black pudding?) and chorizo sausage cooked in cider.
They told us the Gregorian monks had made a CD of their chants that had gone platinum so we went to a service in the church in the early afternoon but clearly got the B team...some old monk kept blowing his nose really loudly during the singing. We snuck out the back...
Moved on to a wooded campsite by a reservoir deep in the middle of nowhere.
Only the birds to keep us company .Lue lisää
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Cyclocross
15. kesäkuuta 2019, Espanja ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C
Restless night worrying about bears and wolves we are so deep in the woods...
Set off on a gentle 30 mile bike loop around a huge lake/reservoir nearby. Had a relaxed stop at a small village to buy picnic supplies and have a coffee. Then off we went again unaware our route was blocked crossing the dam . This meant a choice. An extra 30k or so or a rough bike path through the woods. Ian got the casting vote. Disturbing start through a herd of cows with a massive horned bull in the middle.
The surface got worse and then unridable sand and stones so it turned into a cyclo-cross event, pushing and lugging the bikes along for several more km than was good. There were no words spoken till we reached the road at last....
Then things improved. Nice picnic stop and another stretch on the Santander to Valencia bike path to finish. We are friends again now.... Scenery was beautiful.Lue lisää
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No rain on the plain...
16. kesäkuuta 2019, Espanja ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C
Moving on day today. Started with a lovely route through a spectacular canyon - Rio Lobos - where we watched huge birds of prey wheeling around on the thermals. Then on to El Burgo de Osma. We stopped for a coffee and then nearly drove on through but caught sight of the storks on the church belltower and the cathedral spires so we jumped out for a walk about. Very lively Spanish Sunday with everyone in their Sunday best drinking and eating tapas. Then on out over vast rolling plains to our stop in Segovia.Lue lisää
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Segovia splendours
17. kesäkuuta 2019, Espanja ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C
Biked down a long hill from the campsite and the aqueduct just fills the sky in front of you as you turn a corner. It's a magnificent thing, all held up with no mortar. We marvelled at all 800m of it along with the busloads of tourists on a day trip from Madrid (mostly Chinese using selfie sticks). Then we walked up through the narrow streets to the Alcazar. Also magnificent, beautifully restored and presented. We saw that mostly surrounded by hordes of Spanish school kids - much preferable to the selfie sticks.
A menu del dia in a quiet back street was just great.
Then we visited the cathedral. We have seen 3 great cathedrals now and the opulence is near overload.... However these things were built in the 11th and 12th century so that alone deserves respect I suppose.
Bit of a drag back up the long hill and BBQ with beers in the cool beside the van .
New favourite wildlife creature is storks. They are on every church bell tower.Lue lisää
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Fountains in the mountains
18. kesäkuuta 2019, Espanja ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C
Another bike loop today. This one inspired by our Spanish friend Simon who told us to see the palaces outside Segovia in the hills. It was hot and windy but a lovely route. Our first palace was in a small town called San Ildefonso. It was the summer palace of Felipe V. We didn't go into the palace but the gardens were absolutely magnificent. Fountains everywhere and cool shady walks through the woods above the palace. We had a picnic in the shade and continued on our way to the second palace Rio Frio which was built as a hunting lodge for a son who died young. The building was huge but not pretty. The grounds were enormous and apparently full of deer and birds of prey although we didn't see the deer... There were stork nests on special poles. We weren't sure whether we were allowed to bike through the grounds but we blasted our way past the guard on the gate and sailed on into the estate, which went on for a few km on a private road, and then made a dash through the lower gate giving the guard a big Ola!
Hot dusty and hilly ride back to Segovia, but a great day.Lue lisää
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Cherry suprise
19. kesäkuuta 2019, Espanja ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C
We headed off from Segovia and paused our journey to look at the almost perfect walled city of Avila from a vantage point on a hill outside the city by a monument built as a defence in 1566.
Then we drove on a "scenic" route Ian said. Turned out to be another buttock-clenching, nail-biting journey round endless hairpins on a single track road with sheer drops into the valley. All around, terraces shaped the mountainsides and on the endless terraces, endless cherry trees. I wondered why they were so cheap to buy in the supermarket this morning...
We finally reached Hervas, a lovely small town with a medieval Jewish quarter. We jumped on the bikes and rode into town for a walk around the narrow streets and then a couple of crisp white wines in the square watching the people go by.Lue lisää
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Listen to the silence..
20. kesäkuuta 2019, Espanja ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C
Ian had sorted another 30 mile loop ride on the GPS. We set off a bit late. We hadn't set an alarm because we were knackered after yesterday. Soon we were high up in the cool oak woods above the valley and the quiet was deafening. Our only companions were the birds and the frogs.
On to the next village - Gargantilla - where we heard Ry's masters result. They have a cherry co-operative.
Rode past a couple more tiny villages and stopped in one that had a sign of a bull in its village sign - Segura de Toro. We parked the bikes and walked down the steep streets. Some one was filming in the village by the church and a friendly lady gave us a leaflet on the history of the village (in Spanish of course).

Then we found a bar where an old lady used Google translate on her iPhone to tell the barman what coffee we wanted...
We pedalled on to a small town called Zarza de Granadilla that was compulsorily evacuated in the 1960s for a reservoir to be built, but the water level never reached it so now it remains nearly deserted. We had a picnic in the church square watched by the storks.
Home across the parched valley.
Celebratory curry and a fine local wine ended the perfect biking day .Lue lisää
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To the frontier
21. kesäkuuta 2019, Espanja ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C
Headed off to cross another set of mountains - the Sierra de Francia - this time on a passable road which had a line down the middle....
Great views across into Portugal - we are very close to the border now. Stopped at a picture book town at the top for coffee - La Alberca. Enticed to buy what we thought were cookies but turns out big slabs of chocolate with walnuts in ...€5 !
On down the other side and stopped at Ciudad Rodrigo. A historic walled border town. Spent most of its history defending itself against attack from all sides. Even Wellington had a go at it.
We wandered the deserted narrow streets and climbed the walls. At 6 pm everyone came out to the main square for drinkies so we people watched for an hour or so. Swallows in their hundreds swooped all round the square. We had sussed out our dinner venue and it was a great success. Divine seafood stuffed peppers and the best fillet steak we have ever eaten.
Campsite poor though and in a dodgy part of town. It is the first time we have felt a bit insecure on our travels...Lue lisää
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