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Tour De France 2025

juillet 2025
  • Andy and Teresa Mays
  • Teresa Mays
Six days of who knows what! . . .
Cut to four days ☹️ En savoir plus
  • Andy and Teresa Mays
  • Teresa Mays

Liste des pays

  • France France
Catégories
Vélo, Camping, Famille, Court voyage, Sports, Excursions, Région sauvage
  • 595miles parcourus
Moyens de transport
  • Campeur595kilomètres
  • Vol-kilomètres
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  • 4empreintes
  • 4jours
  • 64photos
  • 16j’aime
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Les plus récents en premier
  • Tour De France 2025

    Above The Clouds

    15–16 juil., France ⋅ ☁️ 25 °C

    So up fairly early - both of us not having the best of nights sleep at home . . . Possibly a little excited. Loup was pleased we were up but quickly guessed something was on the agenda and he wasn’t going to miss out. So as we tidied the house, packed our last minute bits and pieces and strategically threw everything into Roxvanne - Loup watched every move.
    At 1130 we set off, initially into town to grab some cash and to fill Roxvanne and then off to the N10 and southbound.
    Our journey was initially to Bordeaux and then on towards Pau, then hang a right to Ferrières and through down and up the Col De Soulor.
    The tour is not navigating the Col De Soulor until the 17th but it will be busy up there and so we have decided to pitch up there tonight, have a chilled day in the mountains tomorrow, before the mayhem hits on Thursday!
    The drive to Bordeaux was easy enough and without issue. We stopped shortly after for a wee break and a sandwich grab. I gave Loup a wander for 15 minutes while Tre fought her way through the hoards in the services.
    We then drove to Pau and stopped at Leclerc for food to see us through the next two days. There was some disagreement on what we needed but we finished and left without coming to blows.
    We then did a quick dash to Decathlon to buy a small upright tent for a specific purpose - if you know you know.
    Then we hit the quieter roads and through winding lanes to Ferrières. As we cleared Ferrières we saw quite how misty the mountain climb was going to be. I’ve only driven Tre through the Pyrenees once before - in a snow storm. Tre didn’t open her eyes for that entire drive and I had a feeling this was going to be similar. To be fair it wasn’t too bad as we couldn’t see over the edge - I just had to stay between the white lines, avoid the cars descending the other way and try to find somewhere to park up - not on the edge side obviously . . . I had been told!!
    We finally reached the summit and turned onto the D918 and almost immediately finding a grass area on which to stop.
    On exiting Roxvanne we heard bells and were immediately surrounded by mountain sheep being brought down by the shepherd and his dogs - much to Loup’s disgust.
    We then set about sorting the van, grabbing something to eat and walking Loup.
    Fair to say the views were not visible due to the cloud and mist - we have seen it should be 30 degrees and sunny tomorrow.
    So after a fairly busy day an early night was called for.

    On the way to Pau we played our little in van game of listening to an album neither of us has listened to before, then to give it a score out of 10. If it doesn’t get a score because it is so poor we make a note of which track we got to before binning it.
    So today’s choice by Tre was
    The Boomtown Rats - In The Long Grass
    We made it to track 3 . . . it was pants.

    Song of the day
    Paul Weller - Above The Clouds

    https://open.spotify.com/track/1Xttc3DIZpksCRHR…    En savoir plus

    Voir la traduction
  • Tour De France 2025

    Anything On Four Legs!

    16–17 juil., France ⋅ ☀️ 14 °C

    I had a disaster of a night’s sleep, whereas Cinderella and Loup slept soundly. Not sure why as normally I sleep really well in Roxvanne.
    At just before 7am I decided enough was enough and got up - much to Loup’s delight. I opened the van to be met by a beautiful early morning mountain scene with not a cloud in the sky - so different to last night. I also saw that about 50m down the hill was a fairly substantial car park that we could not even see last night.
    I took a couple of photos of the mountains and turned to find a number of cows standing near Roxvanne looking at me. I obviously hadn’t seen them when I got out as my eyes were on the mountains.
    Whilst Loup sat and had a stare out with the cows, the sound of bells got ever closer once more - this time donkeys. About 15-20 of them casually walking off the mountain side across the road and into the large car park, where they proceeded to use any van they could as a scratching post.
    Tre tumbled out of the van to see what all the commotion was about and to see the views. As we stood looking across the road to the valley and highest mountains approximately four tan coloured horses came from that direction straight towards us. I assumed they would turn and walk the road to avoid us - not a chance! All of them walked straight towards me as if a gang looking to sort someone out - and they were small or fragile looking horses . . . they looked like they’d been on steroids.
    By the time they passed us by it was time to give Loup a run and then return for a cup of tea and brekkie.
    The morning drifted away in bright and hot sunshine. More sighting of donkeys regularly interrupted the relative quiet - I say quite . . . Apart from camper vans, motorbikes, cyclists, walkers and helicopters. The immediate area is getting busy for tomorrow.
    The afternoon continued in a similar manner with a number of walks for Loup, on each occasion trying to find some shade. The sun had been out all day with clear blue skies and as a result we had felt a little baked.
    More and more people arrived and parked up and then we found out the roads at the bottom had been shut, so those that were here, were here!
    The sun finally dropped behind some hills about 8.30pm and so we enjoyed the shade for a couple of hours.
    A last walk for Loup and it was bedtime - next stop the mayhem of tomorrow.

    No album of the day as we had not been on the road.

    Song of the day
    Ain’t No Mountain High Enough - Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell
    https://open.spotify.com/track/7tqhbajSfrz2F7E1…    En savoir plus

    Voir la traduction
  • Tour De France 2025
    Loup has realised that there is a cool draft blowing under the van and as an added bonus he can keep

    Let Mayhem Commence !

    16–17 juil., France ⋅ 🌙 20 °C

    So this morning we woke just before 8am with not a sound from Loup other than snoring!
    Once out of ‘Rox’ I found us to have a good few long horned cows within about 3m proximity once again. Tre followed me out and hardly noticed the cows before entering our newly acquired Decathlon purchase sited right next to the van.
    By the time she emerged she was in the centre of about 30 of these cows and as a result had to remain within the booth until they had moved on.
    Before it got hot we have Loup his first walk - it’s his birthday today - 2yrs old and he seemed to know it as he thundered around the large green fields near to us.
    A hot cross bun for breakfast and the morning was set. As many walks for Loup as he could manage in the heat, so that he could chill in the very cool interior’d van while the caravan and tour passed.
    First up a procession of helicopters enjoying the scenery around us at low level.
    Then almost spot on time at about 2.30pm the caravan arrived - and seemed to be making ground as it hurtled through our downhill stretch. The goodies cast from some of the floats was fairly light - even for the small children quite near to us. I was pleased however that the Orangina girls didn’t hurl their tins of fizz from their speeding chariots!
    Just after 4pm the cavalcade of lead cars, including M. Macron in the lead red vehicle sped through, to be shortly followed by the first of the riders. I have no idea at this point who was leading as they passed - not a hope. Their speed on the downhill from the summit of Col Du Soulor past us was frightening.
    Over the next 30 minutes or so the remaining riders came down past us, then eventually the end of the tour car.
    At this point everyone starts to break camp either to travel home or onto the next stage - once the gendarmes open the road that is.
    We packed relatively quickly and within about 30-40 minutes we were ready to head on. We are not going to the next stage but the one after that and so we have this evening and tomorrow to get there, in time for Saturday mayhem.
    So off we set down the mountain, not able to take the route we wanted due to road closures, so ended up in a relatively large town for this area called Pierrefitte-Nestalas. After quite a bit of pfaffing trying to find a shop and somewhere to stop for tonight, we found a small apparently picnic car park. Not sure where the picnic area was to be found but settled in for the evening.
    Loup walked, all of us fed - we were knackered. Tomorrow is another day.

    No album of the day as not travelling - well not for long.

    Song of the day
    Caravan Of Love - The Housemartins
    https://open.spotify.com/track/58RdxKqvxh631GXr…    En savoir plus

    Voir la traduction
  • Tour De France 2025

    Gutted !!

    18 juillet, France ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C

    Another night of not sleeping - this time for a reason!
    As we had arrived in Pierrefitte-Nestalas last night and started to hunt down an overnight spot, I started to turn Roxvanne around when she made a weird and not good creaking noise from the steering column. Over the space of another 15 minutes looking for the elusive parking spot, she repeated her noise on a good few occasions.
    Once parked up we sorted everything and finally went to bed.
    My head however was far from sleep mode as I tried to reconcile driving twice as high into the mountains in the morning, as we had just been on race day.
    During the night I thought about breakdowns and recovery, and what the problem might possibly be. Not being car engine mechanically minded, I could only assume it could be hydraulic oils at one end of the scale, to a new engine gearbox and steering rack at the other end. At about 3am I was seeking Google help which obviously just made things worse and secured a sleepless night for me.
    Additionally it was very hot down in the valley and Loup was struggling to sleep and I wondered if he had coped with enough - we knew it had been about 35’ up at the race yesterday.
    7am took forever to arrive and as I got up to walk Loup, Tre had woken and I mentioned my night’s musings.
    By the time I had returned Tre regrettably had come to the same conclusion as me - it was better to get Roxvanne home for a service and overhaul.
    This meant no race day in Tourmalet tomorrow - we were both gutted. Our next two days had been ripped away from us - and also for me a chance to return to a former holiday resort and enjoy the high mountains.
    So at 8.30am we were sorted and on the road home. Initially a little quiet in Roxvanne but slowly Tre and I broke into conversation and planning for next year if not within the next couple weeks.
    The Tour really is an experience, not for everyone I’m sure, but a carnival feel with good vibes and lots of very friendly people.
    With literally one short stop and a slightly longer one to give Loup a stretch we got ever closer to home.
    Finally home, we unpacked a few basic bits and decided we would sort Roxvanne tomorrow.
    We then settled to see the Tours sprint day and then searched yesterday coverage to see if the helicopters had picked us up, particularly Tre on her personal hill top and spangly flower hat . . . fair to say blink and you’d miss it.

    Tour De France - we will be back.

    As we were travelling, we did our normal album of the day to pass the time.
    Earlier in the week I had heard Christine McVie singing - I’d Rather Go Blind - an original song recorded by Etta James, known to me because it was also covered by Paul Weller.
    So I suggested . . .
    Fleetwood Mac - Rumours
    As I mentioned previously, neither Tre nor I had ever listened to this album. It was like a greatest hits album as track after track of well known songs swept by. I had no idea ‘Songbird’ was on that album. We think there were only three tracks that we hadn’t heard before. So - we agreed a strong 10/10 for an album and band that I would never have given time to.

    Song of the day -
    Gloria Gaynor - Never Can Say Goodbye
    https://open.spotify.com/track/1nvWbwYHXGocLrI5…    En savoir plus

    Voir la traduction