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Europe Trip 2024

апреля - июня 2024
An 8 week driving, sailing, touring trip to France, the Greek Islands, Ireland, Scotland and London. Читать далее
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  • 37следов
  • 6стран
  • 33дней
  • 327фотографий
  • 13видео
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  • ПутешественникEurope Trip 2024
    День 10

    Gardens of Etretat & Benediction Palace

    30 апреля, Франция ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C

    Sarah gave us a beautiful breakfast this morning before we left the B&B. We want to visit the gardens before we leave this morning. We did a bit of a sneaky park up the top of the cliffs near the gardens. Hope the car doesn’t get towed away while we’re there.

    It’s a small but very well manicured garden. So many topiaried bushes. And the sculptures spread throughout the gardens added a nice touch. Lovely views of the cliffs from up there as well.

    Then we were off to Fecamp to visit the Benediction Palace. Luckily we got there before they close at lunchtime for two hours. They have an app you can download to guide you through in English. Such an opulent amazing building. Beautiful stained glass windows depicting different scenes of Benedict monks. We had a guided visit of the distillery at the end, in French unfortunately but we had our little app to listen to. And then we had a tasting at then end, I couldn’t believe some people didn’t even have theirs. Graham and I had double lots. Seemed a shame for it to go to waste.    Читать далее

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  • ПутешественникEurope Trip 2024
    День 10

    Best laid plans.

    30 апреля, Франция ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C

    A funny thing happened in the way to Dieppe. It was only about 60 klms but oh my goodness, we must have picked the busiest most convoluted route, through ports and over bridges. Not the most relaxing drive. We only had 20 klms or so to go and we hit a gutter and boom the tire was gone. Graham got out to change it, No spare tire, no jack, nothing. We called the road assist number, got an answering machine who said they’d call back, nothing. After waiting for 20 minutes or so Graham went and knocked on someone’s door and this nice lad came out and rang a tire repair place for us. Thank goodness he did because the rental company didn’t answer and didn’t call back.

    Long story but the tire place came to pick us up and tow us back to their workshop which was in the middle of fucking nowhere. Then there was lots of going and froing about what they were going to do with us. In the end we paid for new tires and the hire car company eventually rang us back about four hours later and supposedly we will be reimbursed, we’ll see!

    The nice lad in the house, and the garage workers couldn’t have been more helpful. Considering none of them spoke much English and we are hopeless at French. There was lots of google translate going on.

    Finally at about 6.30 we got the tires on and we were on our way again. Such a drama all because there was no spare.    Читать далее

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  • ПутешественникEurope Trip 2024
    День 11

    Dieppe and on to Epernay.

    1 мая, Франция ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C

    We finally got to Dieppe at about 7 o’clock and we were both starving. Tried a few restaurants but they were booked out. Seems like everyone was out having dinner.

    There are lots of restaurants along the water and we found one with Coquilles Saint Jacques on the menu. So delicious.
    We started chatting to the couple at the next table who were helping us read the menu. They were travelling in their little van for a couple of weeks but were sick of the cold so going to Belguim.

    We still hadn’t found anywhere to stay, and after searching for a few minutes I found a little apartment just half a block away. Great, got a backpack out of the car and we were set. Well after climbing up 5 flights of stairs we were! 😂😂

    We are setting off early for Epernay today. It’s a three or four hour drive depending on which way we go. We took the fastest route for the first couple of hours and then got off at Laon to enjoy the countryside a bit more. Driving into Laon we saw a high Cathedral up on the only hill for miles so of course we headed for that.

    So many beautiful churches in France. Build a Cathedral must have been first on the list for a new settlement. The bigger and higher the better. This one was no exception, amazing gothic architecture and stunning windows

    Arrived in Epernay and found our accomodation. It’s right in the middle of town but a surprisingly roomy one bedroom apartment. It too is up three flights of stairs. We’ll be wearing off all the cheese, beer and wine climbing up and down them for the next few days.    Читать далее

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  • ПутешественникEurope Trip 2024
    День 12

    Rainy touring.

    2 мая, Франция ⋅ ☁️ 11 °C

    It very overcast this morning and after a quick coffee we are off to have a look at a couple of nearby villages. Hautvillers was the first stop. A very picturesque village only a few ks away. So many champagne houses there as well. Lots of names I’ve never heard of, guess they don’t have to export to Australia. There are grapes vines everywhere, no grapes on them yet and it must be pruning time because they are all regulation back and sides.

    On then to Ay-Champagne, a bigger city, with lots of nice old buildings It had started to rain by the time we got there so we found a coffee shop and a chocolate eclair. The couple at the next table started talking to us, he could speak a few words in English, not much but we managed to understand most of what he was saying with google translate.
    He was fascinated we’d come all the way from Australia, gave us some of their biscuits they’d just bought at the bakery, and recommended a nice restaurant for dinner.
    Turns out he works for Moët, said he was in the labelling department. He insisted on taking Graham to show him where the restaurant was, probably thought we were hopeless and would never find it. He had a flash Moët company car so don’t think he was on the production line. Wish we had hit him up for a tour.

    The rain wasn’t letting up so we headed home, stopping at Hautvillers again to pick up some things from a cute little bakery we’d seen.

    After a lazy afternoon we headed out again for dinner. Stopped at a little bar for a drink on the way, there were a group of kids playing darts, 3 guys and 1 girls, the girl was killing it. The restaurant was quite busy and well worth the recommendation . Chef came out to double check how Graham wanted his steak, the waitress was always checking if everything was ok. The head lady came out to help us interpret the menu. Lovely evening.    Читать далее

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  • ПутешественникEurope Trip 2024
    День 12

    Dinner at Henri’s

    2 мая, Франция ⋅ 🌧 11 °C

    After a lazy afternoon we headed out again for dinner. Stopped at a little bar for a drink on the way, there were a group of kids playing darts, 3 guys and 1 girls, the girl was killing it. The restaurant was quite busy and well worth the recommendation . Chef came out to double check how Graham wanted his steak, the waitress was always checking if everything was ok. The head lady came out to help us interpret the menu. Lovely evening.Читать далее

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  • ПутешественникEurope Trip 2024
    День 13

    Last day in Epernay

    3 мая, Франция ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C

    What a fabulous day we’ve had. We took a little tour to another village this morning and visited the main square and the church. Just as we were getting out of the car at the church. Christophe, our friend from yesterday pulled up. We couldn’t believe it, what are the chances of him driving past just as we stopped. Anyway after a bit of a chat he says “wait here don’t move” and hurtles off in his. car.
    Comes back in five or so minutes with a bottle of Moët for us and a Moët lapel pin for me. We couldn’t get over how generous it was. Turns out he rides mountain bikes as well so he and Graham had a animated hand conversation about that before he had to head off somewhere.

    We had to be back in Epernay at 11.30 for our Champagne tour of Mercier Champagne. We just had enough time to visit the lookout above Mareuil-sur-ay, wow what a view and the morning has turned glorious for us.

    The wine tour was fabulous, they give you a handset which interprets the tour for you, you get on a little train and tour the caves below the Mercier Mason, they are just enormous, and back to the reception to sample three glasses of champagne. Oh my goodness we haven’t had anything to eat today so we rolled out of there after the tour.

    Back home for a quick patisserie lunch and a rest and then we went for a drive around a couple of small villages close by. So many little villages and all so cute.
    I wanted to do one more walk down champagne avenue , the houses are all so opulent and it is so pristine. A credit to the region really. We stopped in at Hotel De Ville, it doesn’t operate as a hotel anymore it’s now the town hall. The gardens are gorgeous though and there were lots of people enjoying them.

    Walking back closer to our hotel we tried out a cheese bar just around the corner, the plan was to have a cheese platter for entree and then go somewhere for desert. OMG that cheese platter was fabulous and neither of us needed any dinner after that.

    We’ve had a lovely stay in Epernay, met some great people, seen some lovely countryside, had some fabulous food and wine. Who could ask for more.    Читать далее

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  • ПутешественникEurope Trip 2024
    День 14

    On the road again.

    4 мая, Франция ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C

    Setting off from Epernay this morning we made a wrong turn and came upon a market. We decided to pull over and have a look. Oh my goodness if only we had markets like this at home. So much amazing food and such fabulous quality. We really have nowhere to store food but we bought chicken legs, sausages, champagne pate, a baguette and strawberries. We ate the chicken and sausages for breakfast on the road and the baguette and pate for lunch.

    An hours drive in we stopped at Troyes to see the half timbered houses. It’s Saturday morning so it is busy busy and finding somewhere to park was a bit of a challenge but we managed a park at Hotel De Ville. I think every town has a Hotel de Ville. Came up in the street right at the old timbered houses. Wow there were so many of them. It’s amazing these old building are all still standing, some a little crookedly, but still there and still in use.

    Another couple of hours drive got us to Dole, which we were expecting to be a small town and it is, but in the middle of a huge place. Google maps keep wanting us to go down a street with a bollard in it but we finally found our accomodation. It is lovely, and the old town is lovely too but I don’t know that it has enough to keep us entertained for two days. Might have to venture further afield.

    We went foraging for dinner and considering there doesn’t seem to be that many people about all the restaurants are booked out. We found a French frontage fondue place who said if we eat straight away and are done by eight we could come in.

    Nobody in there had much English and we had no idea what we had ordered but it was all delicious. I think we keep the owner amused, he keep coming out to talk French to us, none of which we understood but it seemed to entertain everyone, us included.    Читать далее

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  • ПутешественникEurope Trip 2024
    День 15

    Dole

    5 мая, Франция ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

    We were all set to go for a bike ride this morning but couldn’t find the keys to unlock the bikes. Rang the owners and they had to send someone out to find them, he couldn’t come until 5 o’clock. So annoying.

    So off we went to do the perched cat trail around town. About a four kilometres trail that winds around the old streets and points out different points of interest.

    We lost interest about half way through when we came to a restaurant we wanted to try. Sunday is a busy day for lunch. None of the restaurants open on Sunday night, only lunchtime. We lucked out and got a great table overlooking the canal.

    Had a look in the church after lunch and then bought some supplies for dinner since we have to fend for ourselves.

    Finished off the cat tour in the afternoon with a look at the art gallery and Hotel Dieu.

    Finally Matthieu turned up and found the key to the bikes, probably be raining tomorrow and we won’t be able to use them. We are having a quite evening at home with our picnic supplies.    Читать далее

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  • ПутешественникEurope Trip 2024
    День 16

    Lazy Monday

    6 мая, Франция ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C

    Woke up to drizzle this morning, thought it might be a good day to catch up on emails, do the washing, refuel the car, repack and in general relax for the day. We have been on the go pretty much every day since we left home.

    We got all our jobs done in the morning, bought a quiche and brownie for lunch, and opened our bottle of Champagne. All of them delicious and then of course we had to sleep the Champagne off for an hour or so.

    We had passed a Luthier shop a couple of days ago and we called in there to see if someone was in. Graham and Roberto had a lovely chat for half an hour or so and we came away with a souvenir of Dole in the shape of a soundboard. Roberto also recommend a restaurant for us as well but as they don’t open until 7 we had a few hours to kill

    The sun has come out this afternoon and we decided to finally take the bikes for a trip along the canal. It was a lovely ride, mostly flat with a good path and a canal. What more could you ask for.

    Home again to finish off our last glass of Champagne and then off to find our restaurant. It really didn’t look too inspiring from the outside but once we got inside it was lovely. Nobody spoke any English in there except the chef, who had to come out when we got there and say “ yes it is possible for you to have dinner” After that it was all sign language with the waitresses. Even Google translate struggled with the font on the menu, so somethings where a surprise when they came out. All good ones luckily.    Читать далее

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  • ПутешественникEurope Trip 2024
    День 17

    On our way back to Paris.

    7 мая, Франция ⋅ ☀️ 15 °C

    We are packed up and on our way back towards Paris today. We only plan to go about half way and find somewhere to stay. Travelling over to Montbard and then a little further on to visit Ancy Le Franc. Montbard is a little trip down memory lane from when we came to France last time. We started our canal boat tour from Montbard. Today we went past a few of the places we went through with the boat. Things look very different from a car, much more suburbia than I remember.
    Ancy Le Franc is a chateau built in the 1500’s It is being slowly restored to its former glory. The top floor looks amazing but the ground floor needs a bit of work yet. It holds t he biggest collection of Renaissance murals in France, they are in every room. The maintenance on these Chateaus must be incredible, and Chateaus are everywhere. It really must have been a have and have not society, no wonder there was a revolution.    Читать далее

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