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  • Carmel CarlsenVia Francigena - part 1
    1
    442442
    Day 20

    Day 17 - Perrone to Trefcon

    May 7, 2023 in France ⋅ 🌧 15 °C

    It was a much shorter walk today. I'd finished about 2:30 and, as luck would have it, I can't get into my accommodation until 5 pm! So I'm sitting on the steps of the local church completely relaxing with two donkeys, a roaming chicken, and a horse to keep me company. My accommodation last night was very basic, donation style, in the grounds of the presbytery. I had to source my own breakfast, a first for me in France, and was delighted to find a bakery open (on a Sunday morning). I waited for the supermarket to open, grabbed some fruit, and set off in the rain. It was not another mud day, but I did have to traverse a quagmire (photo included for verification). I came across some church ruins and a grave, dated 1865, being overgrown by a tree!Read more

  • EUROPATOUR 2019
    2
    211
    Day 90

    Reise nach Belgien ..

    September 20, 2019 in France ⋅ 🌙 17 °C

    Auf der Durchreise ...ein Stopp zur Übernachtung an der idyllischen "Somme" 💫🐢🦢🕊️🐟🐾

    Der Name Somme geht auf keltische Ursprünge zurück. Die Römer nannten den Fluss Samara. Die Somme wurde weltweit bekannt durch die Schlacht an der Somme..mit mindestens einer Million Toten und Verwundeten eine der blutigsten Schlachten des Ersten Weltkriegs 🥀Read more

    See translation
  • TravelerOldtimertour Normandie
    1
    Day 8

    Die Odyssee nach Hause

    September 13, 2024 in France ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C

    Heute morgen erst einmal ausgeschlafen und dann das weitere Vorgehen mit dem ADAC besprochen.
    Wenn die Werkstatt den Wagen nicht innerhalb von 3 Werktagen wieder flott bekommt, würde der ADAC uns entweder einen Mietwagen bis 500€ oder ein 1. Klasse-Zugticket bezahlen.

    So hieß es erst einmal abwarten, was die Werkstatt für eine Diagnose stellen würde.

    Bis dahin, erst einmal irgendwo frühstücken gehen und abwarten.

    Wieder einen Uber bestellt und siehe da, nicht nur eine andere Fahrerin, sondern auch ein anders Fahrzeug. Damit wäre der Beweis erbracht, dass Saint Quentin mindestens zwei Uber hat.

    Bis kurz nach Mittag haben wir im Café ausgeharrt, bis wir eine Info von der Werkstatt bekamen, dass a) unsere erste Diagnose richtig war, Kupplung defekt und b) alleine die Ersatzteilbeschaffung mindestens eine Woche dauert….

    Mit dieser Information sind wir zum Bahnhof gelaufen um für den Nachmittag ein Zugticket von Saint Quentin über Paris nach Köln zu buchen.
    Wir wollten dann mit dem Taxi, oder Uber, zu der Werkstatt fahren um das restliche Gepäck zu holen und dann zurück zum Bahnhof.

    Dann die Ernüchterung…
    Es gab keine freien Plätze im Zug.
    Weder früher, noch später….

    Also doch Mietwagen….

    Bei Avis über die App gebucht….
    One way nach Köln für 1.400€

    Die Station war beschrieben als Saint Quentin Bahnhof.
    Nur… nach langem Suchen…. Keine Starion…. Nirgendwo…. Nix…. Nada….

    Beim Bahnhofspersonal nachgefragt…. Nö… keine Avis-Station am Bahnhof.
    Wir müssten mit dem Taxi rund 2km weit fahren.

    Wir müssten aber waren, da die Station erst um 14:00 wieder aufmacht.

    Also am Bahnhof, mit entsprechenden Publikum, in der Sonne gesessen und gewartet.

    Kurz vor 14:00 Uhr dann Uber bestellt….
    Und siehe da, die gleiche Fahrerin, wie am Vormittag….
    Also wirklich nur zwei Ubers in Saint Quentin.

    In der Mietwagenstation wieder mit Händen und Füßen und Simultanübersetzung am Telefon den Mietvertrag zustande gebracht.

    Mit einem ordentlichen Nissan Qashqai ausgestattet sind wir etwa 25km weit in das nächste Dorf zu der Werkstatt…

    Hier wird die Vette in bester Gesellschaft von Artgenossen die nächsten Tage verbringen, bis der ADAC den Rücktransport organisiert bekommt.

    Nachdem das restliche Gepäck eingeladen war, ging es auf die Autobahn und dann ab nach Hause.

    Damit endet diese spannende Reise.

    Auch wenn das Ende ein eher trauriges war, hatten wir eine tolle Woche mit vielen Eindrücken, tollen Gesprächen mit alten und neuen Freunden und vielen gefahren Kilometern.

    Und mit einem Schaden muss man bei so einem alten Auto immer rechnen.

    Am kommenden Montag geht die nächste Reise los.    Read more

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  • Euro Trip
    Day 4–6

    Bye bye, London. Bonjour, France!

    September 8, 2024 in France ⋅ 🌬 66 °F

    Wake up was at 5am this morning. We were given a sack breakfast and promptly departed on our giant coach bus at 6am. We headed towards the ferry, which took about an hour and a half. At the dock, they checked everyone's passports, and our whole coach drove onto the ferry (more like a boat!!). We said goodbye to London with the view of the white cliffs of Dover from the back of our ferry. We arrived to Calais, France after about an hour and a half (and a quick nap!) We are ready for the next part of our adventure in France!Read more

  • Convention 2024 Liepzig
    Day 10

    Guards cemetery

    August 20, 2024 in France ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C

    All indications say H S Barling in interred here! I am honoured to bring Connie here to share this moment, to see the emotion. Such a sad waste on human life, yet such a peaceful place. The guardeners (see what I did there) are taking care of the gardens and are very respectful as we wander around.Read more

  • TravelerVia @ 70
    Day 14

    Trefcon 11 miles

    July 26, 2023 in France ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C

    A new problem today. Nice short day, less than 4 hours walking, the trouble was I couldn’t check in to the next accommodation until after 5pm. It was in a tiny village so nothing to do there if I arrived too early. Therefore no point in leaving Peronne before 1pm. Luckily Peronne had the largest WWI museum in Europe. Not something I knew much about but thanks to 3 hours spent there this morning I am now a bit of an expert. With my memory I probably won’t remember anything by the time I get home but it was really well done.

    And I bought a sandwich before I left town. Organised or what? Truth is tonight I am in an old farmhouse with no possibility of any food if I didn’t bring it with me. Sanny and water for tea. Plus some half melted Lindt chocolate that was wonderful.

    Initial misunderstanding when I arrived meant that I thought I was going to be in this fairly dire dormitory with no hot water, dampish mattress etc but it turned out I have an old but quite adequate room, sheets on bed, proper mattress etc. that I am delighted with. Amazing how if you think you are getting nothing you are quite happy with a little something.

    It is time I talked about feet. I have talked about eating quite a lot as well as sleeping but I don’t think I have mentioned my beloved tootsies. A pilgrim’s life revolves round that blessed triumvirate, food, bed and feet, after all. Anyway there is good news and bad news. Firstly the good - my left foot is grand, thank you. 2 weeks in and no blisters so far. Somewhat tender certainly but a combination of 9 months of twice-weekly training walks with full pack and a comparatively low mileage over the first 2 weeks have done the job. On the other foot as it were, its partner is not quite so happy. Don’t ask me why. Pretty sure they both have taken the same number of steps. Only a couple of blisters but together just a bit of a nuisance. Not burst yet, though.

    The real trouble is things are about to get more serious. I have averaged a comfortable 13 miles a day up to now but the next 4 days are over 20 miles a day. And just to start things off well, tomorrow’s forecast is heavy rain. I am of course camping tomorrow night. Luckily tomorrow is all on road. Hard on the feet and not fun dodging traffic but at least I won’t have mud to contend with.    Read more

  • TravelerVia @ 70
    Day 13

    Peronne 17 miles

    July 25, 2023 in France ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C

    What a difference a day makes. Not raining - well it wasn’t when I set off and stayed pretty much dry all day. A breakfast - well a fairly poor French one but a heck of a lot better than none at all.

    So all going grand. Off I went but then I became aware of 3 slightly disturbing things. To begin with, to set the scene, most days I am walking from somewhere to somewhere with very little infrastructure in between. Certainly no food to be bought. So why is it that I never buy lunch as I set off? I know I am not the sharpest tool in the box sometimes, especially in the morning, but it really isn’t rocket science. Just because I am not hungry at 9.30am doesn’t mean I’m not going to get peckish by 1.30pm. Day after day. Quite incredible.

    The second thing was I realised that I was being followed. I was leaving town by a bit of a shortcut. Yesterday was a bit tough so I thought I would take advantage of a shortcut that I had identified from the map. I had done an extra mile yesterday so cutting a mile off today seemed justifiable. I haven’t seen any walkers let alone pilgrims so far so it did seem odd that these two gentlemen suddenly appeared behind me on this out of the way path. Both carrying pilgrim sized rucksacks. Just to be clear I mean large enough to last a pilgrimage rather than large enough to contain a pilgrim. Strangely unhappy about having them behind me. Luckily, I came upon a military cemetery. This is Somme country and they seem to be everywhere. As I frequently do, I spend some time in these and the lads had gone on ahead by the time I got going again. Never saw them again.

    The third thing had me thinking. I noticed that one of my “footprints”, as this app calls entries, has been liked by someone I don’t know. Now I am writing this thing partly as a memento which I will get printed when I finish and partly to keep friends and family informed as to what I’m getting up to. To make that easier for them I had to make it public so anyone can read it. But I never thought that anyone else would. Good grief it must be boring enough for someone who does know me, and bless you all for reading it, but I can’t imagine anyone else being bothered. It’s a strange world.

    Staying tonight in a sort of Youth Hostel. Strange definition of youth if it includes me. Still, I’m not complaining as it is only 30€ a night including breakfast. Got to use my own sleeping bag but that isn’t too onerous.    Read more

  • Matthias RothLa pura vida
    Day 362

    Camping

    July 18, 2023 in France ⋅ 🌙 14 °C

    Nachdem wie die gestrige Nacht auf einem Campingplatz am Meer verbracht haben, konnten wir für diese einen herrlichen Platz auf einem Feld ergattern.

    Aufgrund des gestrigen Regens konnten wir auch mal die Gepäck Strategie für das schlafen im Auto testen.

    Zwischendrin gucken wir uns immer ein paar Städte an. Für ein stabiles Internet und eine ruhige Arbeitsatmosphäre bieten sich die Bibliotheken der Universitäten an. Das hat uns schon viele entspannte Stunden und Meetings ermöglicht. Diesmal haben Paul und ich eine schalldichte Kabine zugewiesen bekommen.    Read more

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  • TravelerVia Francigena
    Day 25

    Stage 16: Trefcon to Saint-Quentin

    May 5, 2023 in France ⋅ ☁️ 54 °F

    I had breakfast with Anic Urier, who had also invited me to dinner last night. I explained to her what a Camino Angel is, so she was pleased. I had arrived in Trefcon not knowing there was no food. My gîte was weird, too. The shower only had scalding water and the toilet didn’t flush. If I had known that I would have spent the night at Anic’s house, which was literally a 20 second walk from the gîte.

    Today’s walk went well……until my phone almost died after only three hours and the charger didn’t work ( I thought I charged it all night but maybe it wasn’t plugged in all the way?). I was pretty unnerved since I needed the GPS to find Saint-Quentin as well as the name and address of my hotel. At 3% I found my first bar and plugged it in. Very nice…..except for the drunk lady who kept stroking my raincoat and hat. 🤨 It was only 12:30! Sheesh!

    The walk included a few small woods but mostly it ran along farmland. Wheat, colza and newly planted beets.

    Lots of cemeteries. This region was devastated by WWI and WWII. The towns were pretty much razed by the fighting and rebuilt afterwards, so most everything is less than 100 years old. Red brick everywhere.

    The French war dead are grouped together in big cemeteries. The English, Germans, Canadians, Australians, etc., are in their own cemeteries where the battle took place. Each country takes care of its own cemetery, usually through local associations. I was told there is a lot of WWI tourism, as people want to see where Great-Grandpa fought and was buried. A lot of that, which explains all the tour pamphlets I see everywhere.

    The countryside is beautiful. Some of the villages are nice but the towns make tge countryside look even better.

    No sighseeing because I need to rest my legs for tomorrow and because it’s RAINING.    Read more

  • TravelerVia Francigena
    1
    Day 24

    Stage 15c

    May 4, 2023 in France

    Anic Urier is a member of the Via Francigena FB group. It turns out she lives right across the street from my gîte. When she found out I was there she invited me over for a chat, laundry, dinner and (tomorrow) breakfast.

    I also finally got a photo of a bottle of colza oil. Colza is all those yellow fields.    Read more

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