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A 25-day adventure by Kate Read more
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  • TravelerReturn to France 2023
    Day 1

    Coronation channel crossing

    May 7, 2023 in France ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

    So, after a long ride to Portsmouth we caught the 10.45 pm ferry to Caen. There was a Coronation Disco in the bar and a carboard cutout of Charles in the vestibule... we watched a hoard of pre-teen french school kids do the makarena and a congo in the bar before retiring for side to side rolling and no sleep. And then the 5 am wakening by the Brittany folk music...
    But off we went south . Kate broke her European driving duck and drove the van for a hundred miles or so , including a jaunt down a motorway storm drain that we only just escaped with our roof intact...it will become dinner table folklore.
    After a visit to a medieval castle, we ended up in Montbazan , just south of Tours. And the heavens opened and washed away a very large car boot sale on the other side of the river. And also a wedding reception in a big marquee.
    But then the sun came out and we went for a stroll to the town before wine and hotdogs beside the van. Great to be back in France.    Read more

  • TravelerReturn to France 2023
    Day 2

    Tour of Tours

    May 8, 2023 in France ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C

    Awoke to the sound of the Marseillaise blasting out. Later found out its a national holiday on 8th may in France to mark victory in Europe day, when the Germans surrendered in WW2. Every wee village seemed to be having parades and bands so a pretty big thing all round.
    Ian mapped a bike route into Tours and off we set, cuckoos singing all around us, all the way. Impressed with the bike lanes in such a major city but might have been less impressive if it was a normal traffic day and not deserted for the holiday. We cycled about the medieval section , and of course there is a massive cathedral. And oh yes Tours is on a route to Santiago de Compostela like everywhere in France!
    I woke up dreaming of a croque monsieur and frites so that had to be done in a cafe near the town hall.
    Lovely route back along empty lanes.
    Moving on south tomorrow.    Read more

  • TravelerReturn to France 2023
    Day 4

    Recovery day at the Bastard Chateau

    May 10, 2023 in France ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C

    Yesterday was best forgotten. We tried to set off southbound but it had rained so much we were stuck in a quagmire on our pitch and in a wheelspinning mess. The campsite boss tried to pull us off the pitch and our tow hook sheared off and took a bit of the bumper with it.... could have been worse I suppose. Ian had nightmares about the hook flying off and hitting me, so at least that didn't happen... then we drove 250k through fierce rainstorms. Horrible journey. I did a swerve on the motorway, startled by a fast slip road entry and frightened the pants off Ian. We didn't talk much after that...
    But arrived safely at a really nice site by a river near Perigeaux and slept like two people who had had a day to forget
    Woke up to sunshine and croissants popped on the van seat while we were at the bathroom. Drove to a magnificent Chateau at Hautefort, renovated by the Bastard family, but the site dating back to a Roman fort . Smashing place, beautifully restored, great information everywhere, lovely gardens, formal and wooded. Quite restored us to normal service.    Read more

  • TravelerReturn to France 2023
    Day 5

    Perigeaux-go

    May 11, 2023 in France ⋅ ☁️ 13 °C

    With one eye on the threatening sky we gamely pedalled off to Perigeaux, via one of the many voie vert bike routes. The heavens opened after a bit and we took shelter for half an hour under the trees by the River Isle. We made it eventually, the sun came out, we explored the old streets and had lunch in a park by the cathedral. Mainly to skip an impending thunderstorm we found our way to a Roman museum, the Vesunna. After an initial slight 'lost in translation' interaction, the staff helpfully tucked the bikes behind the counter. We jostled with French teens for some of the exhibits, but it was suprisingly good. Vesunna is the ancient Gallo-Roman Perigeaux, and the museum is located over an excavated urban dwelling or domus, with intact walls, gardens, underflooor heating, baths and mosaics and friezes. Astounding stuff.
    Then we raced home on a bit of a nasty main road just ahead of the next cloudburst.
    Bromptons standing up to the challenge .    Read more

  • TravelerReturn to France 2023
    Day 6

    Lascaux cave paintings

    May 12, 2023 in France ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C

    Off pitch early as we had a timed entry to the Lascaux cave paintings. Just as well Ian booked as there were no spaces left when we got there and they were turning folk away. Very modern, so very French. Excellent guide, headphones , tablets with translations, mock up of caves, movies, the lot. The cave paintings date back 20,000 years, and were discovered in 1940 by a dog called Hobo...
    Go Hobo.
    Then a drive down through Sarlat to our next stop, and our first stop by the Dordogne this trip. Lapped the campsite a few times trying to choose a pitch that we wouldnt get stuck on like before, but not confident....and its raining again...    Read more

  • TravelerReturn to France 2023
    Day 7

    Sarlat-Eyrignac loop

    May 13, 2023 in France ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

    Off we set on the bikes to Sarlat for the Saturday market. Last time here 30 years ago when Erin was 4 weeks old and the boys both had chickenpox. Don't remember much from then, but the market today was HUGE. It took over the whole medieval centre but was busting at the seams with Americans. We had pencilled in lunch but downgraded to a coffee, with lunch purchased from a nice Frenchman in a bakery who persuaded us into a quiche and a prune tarte.
    Uphill all the way to the gardens, and trying not to use power assist in case we needed it later so progress was slow, but we got there in the end. Picnic lunch on a bench overlooking the valley we had just climbed up from. Then we toured the splendid gardens, which we agreed were well worth a visit. Top topiary skills.
    After a coffee, spin back down country lanes through lovely villages to the bike path and home. Great day out (apart from the noisy Americans)    Read more

  • TravelerReturn to France 2023
    Day 8

    Dordogne doddling

    May 14, 2023 in France ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C

    Weather finally on the up. Set off on the bikes after breakfast with a dual mission today. A chateau and some gardens, about 10 miles away. Both involved a stiff climb to even get to the ticket office which maybe explains the welcome lack of loud Americans who seemed to have taken over Sarlat. The chateau was at Castlenaud , and was brilliantly restored with lots of information everywhere. We did a lot of climbing up and down keeps and towers and it is was a wee bit " health and safety" in places, but well worth the slog up from the river.
    The gardens at Marquaysacc were only a couple of miles away from the chateau , but also a stiff climb up from the river. The whole area is filled with topiary box hedges, hand clipped by the gardeners. We thought they must get a bit bored....
    Some very flashy peacocks showing off, and also scavenging at the cafe tables which was novel.
    There was a 2k walk to a marvelous viewpoint overlooking the Dordogne, with canoes and boats serenely drifting by, and the village of la Roque-Gageac far below ( another of those "most beautiful villages in France" )
    A slow and slightly weary pedal home past drifts of meadow sage and glorious red poppies in the roadside verges.
    Beers in the sun by the van perked us up again.    Read more

  • TravelerReturn to France 2023
    Day 10

    14 stations of Rocamadour

    May 16, 2023 in France ⋅ ☀️ 14 °C

    Yesterday was a moving on day. Not far, and still hugging the Dordogne, but it gave us a chance to catch up with shopping, planning and washing . We don't do it often, but spent the afternoon chilling beside the van and reading. We have a lovely pitch on the edge of the river and facing west so we get the evening sun. The campsite is great. Run by 2 young men who also cook in the snack bar, which seems to attract all the local cyclists, always a good sign. They cook up meals and deliver them to people's tents and vans!
    Today up and away on the bikes to Rocamadour. We rode quiet lanes for 10 miles or so and then burst out into tourist central, the viewpoint over the village, Bellevue. We parked the bikes and hiked down from the top on a serpentine path with one of the 14 stations of the cross at each bend in the trail. The tourbus folk took the elevator....
    Half way down is the church with the black Madonna. Pilgrims climb up the many steps from the village on their knees to show devotion. The jury is out as to whether the madonna is black from centuries of church candle smoke, or it's meant to depict the fact that Africa is the mother of all humanity. Anyway she seems to attract a lot of interest. Saw our first walking pilgrims of the trip here with shells on their backpacks.
    We went all the way to the bottom of the hill to eat our picnic lunch watching vintage cars snake up the road opposite.
    Suprised ourselves by the speed of our ascent back up the steps and the hillside.
    Glad to get back on the bikes and away to the lanes with their carpets of wild flowers .
    Then sat watching the sun go down over the river back at the van.    Read more

  • TravelerReturn to France 2023
    Day 11

    Up the cliff to another Bellevue

    May 17, 2023 in France ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C

    Slept in today, not sure why. Woken up by barking dogs. Set off a little later than planned on a hike the campsite owner had recommended.
    Out along the river, then scrambling up under the limestone cliffs , and up onto the plateau at the top for a picnic and a splendid panorama .
    The route down had some health and safety elements, so much so that we googled the French emergency number! (112)
    But we made it down safely. Walking poles probably responsible for saving us, not least from several aggressive dogs who tried to ambush us on the route.
    Back to the van and spent the evening watching our camping neighbour fly fishing beside us as the sun set.    Read more

  • TravelerReturn to France 2023
    Day 12

    Steaming along the Dordogne valley

    May 18, 2023 in France ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

    Waking up to a Baltic but clear morning that needed the heat on in the van to get us up out of bed. Lunch packed we pedalled off to a nearby medieval town Martel 6 miles away up a long hill. Part of the draw was a scenic steam train ride running today. Our route to the town was along quiet, empty country lanes. We hadn't booked a ticket expecting it to be quiet.... but we didn't factor in another national holiday (Ascension Day). When we got there it was heaving, with families (schools all shut), motorcycling groups, cyclists. You name it. We did get a ticket, but there must have been 200 on the train ride, steaming through tunnels in the rocks and past majestic viewpoints from the cliffs. Not sure how any asthmatics would have survived the return journey with the train in front...the smoke in the tunnels was choking!
    Then we pedalled on into the medieval centre and were seduced into a menu du jour at a nice little restaurant that seemed to have attracted all the cyclists too. Very tasty . We had a nice glass of local wine and sat in the sun. Picnic tea instead tonight.
    Lovely return journey down wooded lanes and through wild flower meadows.
    Campsite busier than its been all week. Think its a french " long weekend"
    We will leave them to play in the Dordogne. Moving on tomorrow.    Read more

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