Late Spring Holiday, 19 May 2026

Oberstdorf, Allgäu, Bavaria

Woke up to clear blue skies and brilliant sunshine! And then we both went back to sleep again! But we got up eventually and enjoyed the rolls from last night for our breakfast. I had half with peanut butter and half with cream cheese and Marmite, and a tomato. Didn't fancy an egg this morning.

After breakfast I went to Lidl - rather more of an expedition than it is at home - as I had coupons for a meal deal of a ready meal, a drink and a pastry. So I got sausages with lentils and noodles (which we had once before in a restaurant in Koblenz), a "chausson de pommes" and a bottle of water. 30% off - not bad! We shared the chausson for lunch pudding, and the ready-meal was tonight's supper. I also got some asparagus which was reduced. I will have to go back....

I didn't walk back to the WoMo but got the bus - they have changed the buses round and made them much more complicated, but they are still free with the tourist pass. We had lunch very punctually and then went to the rink to watch our friends in the Silver Women IV class. After which I went for another walk into the town, mostly window-shopping, and then back to the WoMo for a rest. I did take the bus just one stop up the hill....

Then back to the rink to watch the second half of Silver Women III, and back to the WoMo for supper. The SW had a meeting, so I holed up in the bedroom to watch the skating on livestream. No photos today, but... 

Late Spring Holiday, 18 May 2026

Oberstdorf, Allgau, Bavaria

The weather in the Alps in May is changeable, to say the least! It was bitterly cold on Saturday, when we arrived, and all the skaters froze at the welcome party. Then yesterday was really lovely, mostly sunny and very warm, and today - this afternoon, really - it has been very wet indeed. It wouldn't really be Oberstdorf without a picture like this:

Anyway, the Swan Whisperer went for a run this morning before breakfast, but I found myself really tired - I seem to have overdone it rather over the past few days! I did get up when he came in and, after breafast, contemplated going into town to visit the local Lidl, but realised that this was simply Not On, so contented myself with going to Norma, which is even nearer to the Wohnmobilstellplatz than Lidl is to home! 

I went up to the rink to see at least one skater that I wanted to see, but found I was very tired, so when she had skated I went back to the WoMo and lay down for a bit before lunch, missing another skater I should have liked to have seen. After lunch, I again lay down and rested for awhile, but headed up to the rink (in the pouring rain) for 5:30 to watch pretty much continuously from then until the close of play. Zorans seems to be closed on Mondays (although I'm not actually sure that it was tonight - but perhaps it doesn't when there is An Event on), so we went out to a local take-away called "Zur Currywurst" and got ourselves the eponymous sausage and a portion of chips to take away. Which was delicious, and I ate all my sausage and pretty much my fair share of chips, too! We hadn't realised the sausages would come with rolls, so we decided to keep them and have them for breakfast tomorrow. 

We saw all the women skaters we wanted to see in Gold V Free, Silver II Artistic; and Gold III Artistic which was very frustrating - two friends were lying first and second in the class (only 5 skaters in it), when the fifth skater pipped both of them and (deservedly) won the class! My friend who came 2nd was very frustrated as she said that is the 8th time she has come second, and never yet won! 

I was very stiff by the time the skating finished - ice rinks are not comfortable places to sit for hours, and I ended up with serious chapelbottom! I had the inflatable cushion for my back, but the flat cushion I like to sit on is fabric, and there wasn't room to stuff it in my bag, and it was too wet to just carry it, so I left it back in the WoMo. I must manage things better tomorrow, but I hope it won't be quite so cold and wet. This being Oberstdorf, it will probably snow.... And despite everything, I have still done almost 7k steps today! 

Late Spring Holiday, 17 May 2026

Oberstdorf, Allgäu, Bavaria

I woke up really early and needed to visit the sanitary block; on my way back I grabbed my phone as the early morning sun hitting the snow-covered mountains was so spectacular! 

We didn't actually leave the motor home in the morning, as we were watching the livestream from the competition, and then our church service (quality not at all bad), and then we had lunchI, During the early part of the morning, the Swan Whisperer changed our sheets and towels, as we are half-way through the holiday. After lunch he went for a walk which he later described as "Very long, very strenuous, very enjoyable!" 

I, meanwhile, went up to the rink and sat with some friends to watch other friends skate. When there was a gap in my interest, I decided to go for a walk in the village. Either I have done too much over the past ten days or I'm not quite as adjusted to the altitude as I thought I was, but I found it rather hard going towards the end, and had to force myself nnot to take the bus back fr just one stop! Eventually I did >10.5k steps over the course of the day. 

When the SW got back from his walk, we had a cup of tea, and he went up to the rink as he couldn't make the livestream work - I think it did go down for a while there - but I decided to stay put and read. I'm reading Julia Boyd's "A Village under the Nazis", which is about Oberstdorf, and is very interesting. 

We had arranged to join some other ice dancers (after all, that is what we were) for a meal at Zum Wilde Männle, in town, which was most enjoyable, both the company and the food! I had the trout with asparagus and new potatoes, which was lovely, although I couldn't eat the potatoes and the SW had to help me with the trout! He had roast pork, which looked very good. I had yet another Hugo (I gather that traditionally it is not made with gin, just elderflower, mint and prosecco; the gin is a modern addition). 

When we had finished eating, we went back to the rink where we had hoped to watch the rest of the day's competitions, Unfortunately, they were running rather late, and I started flaking out, so we came back to the WoMo and I went to bed and watched the remaining skaters on the livestream! Didn't have the mental energy to blog, though. 

Late Spring Holiday, 16 May 2026

Oberstdorf, Allgaü, Bavaria

We have had it relatively easy compared to the stories we are hearing of mislaid luggage (including, disastrously, ice skates), trains up the creek, and generally awful journeys. However, our own day was not without its problems. We got up early, and set off before breakfast to get to the parkrun in Ulm, but, alas, when we got there the car park we needed to use was closed for an event of some kind or other, and we were waved away. So no parkrun for the poor Swan Whisperer. We found somewhere to park, but far too far away to get back in time, and had breakfast, and then headed straight to Oberstdorf, arriving about 11:30.

I went over to Norma and got a few things, and after lunch and a bit of a rest, we went up to the rink where we met loads of friends, hugged many, chatted to a few. Then back down to the Wohnmobilestellplatz to register and pay - he still only takes cash, so the SW dashed into the village to get some. The man did say we could pay tomorrow, but easier to get it over and done with. This year, we can get our Kurkarte online, so we did, but I haven't yet tried to use it. 

We went back to the rink for the opening ceremonies, during which the SW was presented with a badge, as he is one of the few skaters who took part in the first competition - and this is the 20th!

He skated with someone else that first year. We came to watch the 5th year, and actually competed the 10th.Then we have been coming every year since 2017, except last year when the dates simply didn't work for us. 

The competition starts tomorrow, and I'm sure we will be in and out of the rink - too many classes have skaters we don't really know just now. But there's lots to do in Oberstdorf even without watching skating (and there is always the livestream if you want to watch just one skater!). I see the Oberstdorf Therme has reopened after about 20 years, so may well see if anybody else wants to go with me.....

Late Spring Holiday, 15 May 2026

Weilheim an der Teck, Baden-Württemberg

We are only just not in Bavaria! But still, I understand, in Baden-Württemberg. 

After breakfast and tidying up, we drove the short distance to the Schwartzwald-Center and parked up. I expect the Swan Whisperer had coffee and did various things, while I thoroughly enjoyed myself in the shopping mall. There was a big shoe shop but, perhaps it is as well, the trainers I really loved didn't come in my size (and were expensive). There was a C&A (I do miss that!) but I did not yield to temptation. Just. Then there was a huge Müller, and I did buy some travel-sized shower gels which smelt absolutely lush! 

Then downstairs to the REWE, where I really only bought such groceries as we needed for today, and tomorrow. A banana, as I want a peanut butter and banana sandwich for my breakfast, and a rather large granola yoghurt for the SW to have after his parkrun. And various other bits and bobs. 

Then it was time to head on, and we drove down here to Weilheim an der Teck. I was pleased to find that it was easy to pay with the app, and of course it was less than half what we paid for last night. But no WiFi, alas. 

Then a much-needed lunch (I do wish I could manage a whole one of those delicious German rolls) which I included a delicious patisserie, which was a layer of raspberries in jelly, a layer of some kind of 

yoghurt concoction, and a layer of sponge, the whole surrounded by a protective coating of chocolate. I forgot to take a photo until it was too late! I should really have only had half of it, but it really was too good to resist! After which, I flopped on the bed and went to sleep for a bit, and when I woke up we had a cup of tea, and then set out to explore the town. 

At first, we thought it would be disappointing, as it seemed to be rather nondescript residential housing, and a ReWe/Aldi/Tedi complex, but we walked a little further and found ourselves in the old town, which really was rather nice.

I was not really enjoying the walk, as we had come down a rather steep hill, and I was not looking forward to the climb back up! Imagine my surprise, then, when I found we were back at the aire, and it hadn't at all felt uphill! I would have enjoyed the walk so much more had I realised that was going to happen! 

On or way back, we stopped at a random Netto and bought some pink fizz and a couple of cans of Hugo. When we got back, we decided the sun was over the yardarm, and I had one of the tins, while the SW had a beer. The Hugo was lovely, and didn't taste a bit alcoholic - but I noticed, too late, too late, that it was 6.9% ABV! I am well aware that I have drink taken..... 

Late Spring Holiday, 14 May 2026

Freudenstadt, Baden-Wurtenburg, Germany 

We left Strasbourg about 10:30, having used the services and made our farewells - I expect we will return to that campsite again, probably on our visit to the Christmas markets. Our first port of call was to have been the Esso garage in Kehl, but we missed the entrance, and ended up going all round the houses until we found diesel which, while horribly expensive, was about 25 cents a litre than it is in France. 

All went smoothly for awhile, but the Satnav suddenly told us to turn left instead of following the signs to Freudenstadt, and we decided we knew better than it. So we stayed on the main road which was probably a Big Mistake, as it went over the mountains (Black Forest) and round lots of hairpin bends. The Satnav probably knew an easier route! Oh well, we got there in the end and the bends, while horrible and sick-making, weren't too scary because at least there was armco and stuff to stop you going over the edge. The SW wanted to stop for coffee, but I begged him not to on the grounds that the sooner we got the drive over and done with, the better! 

So, anyway, we arrived at Freudenstadt only to discover that where we normally parked up is no longer the motorhome aire, but instead they have laid out a shiny new aire with marked pitches, services, electricity and even WiFi - for a fee!

Electricity and water are extra, but we can do without them, and the WiFi is included. It wouldn't be quite so bad if they didn't charge tourist tax, which made the price of the night half as much again. Plus it is further from both the swimming-pool and the big Schwarzwald shopping centre, which I am looking forward to exploring in the morning. No point today, as it is Ascension Day and the shops are shut! 

We thought about going swimming, but the reviews said it was always packed out on public holidays, so we decided against it. The SW went for a walk, and as there have been several showers, and even a crack or two of thunder, he got a bit wet! 

Supper was a bit of a disaster. I had bought delicious rösti from Lidl, and decided to cook one with a mushroom and cream cheese sauce (garlic and herb cream cheese), pureed broccoli and asparagus. The veg were all right, although the broccoli took a LOT of puréeing, but the rösti were very difficult to cook - I should have used the larger pan, as really we ended up with brown-ish shards of cooked potato that didn't hold together at all. Oh well, they tasted fairly good, and there is about 1/3 left, as it was far more than I thought. So, as we have no fresh bread for the morning, we might fry what's left up again and also a tomato to go with our fried eggs. 

After supper, I did some of the tai chi form as I'd had no exercise today, and feel a great deal better for it! 

Late Spring Holiday, 13 May

Strasbourg, Grand-Est

Today is our last full day in Strasbourg; we will have to move on tomorrow. I should have liked to have stayed another night, but the campsite is full for the long weekend, so we'll head on. I would then have liked to have gone to our next scheduled stop, and arrive in Oberstdorf on Friday rather than Saturday, but himself wants to do the Ulm parkrun, so we can't. We think we'll stop over in Freudenstadt, on our route, where we have stopped a couple of times before. Of course, the shopping complex there will be closed tomorrow, as it is Ascension Day, but they'll be open again on Friday morning, and I'm sure I'll have time to shop then. 

But to return to today. We had thought to take the bus to Etoile-Bourse and then change on to a D tram, but in the end we got off a couple of stops earlier and walked up along the river, to the Barrage Vauban, which was having Works done to it, so covered in scaffolding, and so into Petite France.

I hadn't known that, back in the day, it was the main port for Strasbourg, and the area where the more noisome trades were kept, and the poorest people lived. Nowadays, of course, it is seriously touristy! 

We were delighted to find the local Methodist Church, although it was locked so we couldn't go in; however we could, and did, go into St Thomas' church, which is also Protestant. The SW said it was too highly decorated to be Protestant, but I pointed out that it was restrained compared to some Anglo-Catholic churches we know! There was an exhibition of modern sculptures taking place, which were rather lovely. 

We walked on up to Homme de Fer, and then to Place Kléber and looked round the market there; then on to Les Halles, where there was a shopping centre but it wasn't very exciting. So we came away. I was beginning to have had enough by then, so
 we walked back down the road to a restaurant I'd seen yesterday and thought looked good. It was called Le Bouillon Pharamond, and is a homage to the traditional "bouillons", or workman's cafés, of Paris. 

It was very good. I had snails (and because I wanted a main course, I goody didn't sop up the delicious garlic butter with the bread provided) followed by steak and chips, which was not such a huge helping I couldn't eat it all - plus I was hungry after all that walking. I washed it down with Diabolo, that delicious mint cordial that I would never drink at home. The SW had egg mayonnaise followed by boeuf bourginon with coquillettes, washed down with apple juice. 

We then lazily took the tram one stop back to Homme de Fer, where we changed to an F, which took us to Comte Station, where there is a Lidl. I bought one or two things for tomorrow's food, and we walked back to the campsite down rather a lovely path which takes us past the old Jewish cemetery and through a public park. 

Whereupon I flopped on the bed and went to sleep for a bit, and the SW did a load of laundry. And in a bit, we will have croque-monsieurs for supper. At least, ham and cheese toasties because we probably can't be bothered to make béchamel sauce! 

Photospam, needless to say, on Facebook. 

Late Spring holiday, 12 May 2026

Strasbourg, Grand-Est, France

Today, we went to Germany. Yes, I know we will be going there on Thursday, but, among other things, we wanted to see whether diesel was any cheaper across the Rhine. It is, quite significantly, although it is still eye-wateringly expensive! 

Anyway, the SW went for a run first thing, while I got breakfast (scrambled eggs on a lovely fresh baguette), and then we set off. I thought we had decided to go up to Comte tram stop, which is where the local Lidl is, to locate it and to see a part of the town we hadn't yet seen, but the SW misunderstood and thought we were walking towards the central station - as if, it's much easier to go by public transport! So once that was sorted out, we found we were one tram stop nearer to town. We changed at Homme de Fer (no, I don't know why Iron Man, either!), and it was an uneventful run to Kehl Rathaus. 

We wandered up the main drag, with me telling myself firmly that I could go to both Müller and Woolworth's when we get to Oberstdorf, and then turned down towards the Edeka Center (sic), where I parked the SW with a cup of coffee, and went to DM (I do like their moisturiser and their shampoo bars, only they didn't have the moisturiser I like) and to Tedi, where I didn't buy anything, and so to Edeka, where I got fresh milk for the SW, and a few goodies you can get in Germany but not in France or the UK. 

The SW had kindly bought me a coffee, which was getting cold, but still drinkable, and although it was 13:00, I felt I could last out until we got back to the WoMo before eating anything. So we walked back to Kehl Bahnhof, getting the view of the mosque in the distance,

and got on the tram there. Which, unfortunately, broke down! In a place where there was no convenient alternative, and I knew I couldn't walk another 20 minutes at that stage. So we had to wait until a mechanic came, who seems to have waved a magic wand over the tram, as it promptly started off at full speed and then had to brake rather hard at a red signal. The driver apologised! 

We got to Etoile-Bourse without further incident, and there was a C1 bus almost straight away, and so back to the campsite. I had bought rolls for lunch, and they were as delicious as always, even though I couldn't manage a whole one. 

I had hoped to go out again this afternoon, but it just couldn't be done, alas. I did go for a leg-stretch up to the main block to refill my water bottles, but that's as far as it went. The SW did go out for a short explore, but mostly to see where a path went before we go out tomorrow. And I have done nearly 8K steps today, as I did yesterday, which is a lot for me! 

Late Spring Holiday, 11 May 2026

Strasbourg, Alsace, France

It has been a very wet day, although really just showers - more-or-less continuous showers, with a few breaks in between! And, of course, it is Monday, so all the museums and many restaurants are closed. 

However, we did not let this deter us too much, and set off about 10:30 to visit the European Parliament. We bought ourselves 72-hour tickets, which are excellent value for money, and will do us until we leave on Thursday (and if we end up in Kehl, which we might, we can always buy another 24-hour ticket, should we need to). I wished - as I did all day - that I had put a sweatshirt on under my jacket, as I was totally not warm enough! And I was wearing my mid-season jacket, too, not my light one! 

There is a bus stop just outside the campsite, and we caught the second bus that came along - a no 2, as it happens - because its route goes more through the city centre than the other bus, the C1, does. We eventually changed on to a tram, which took us out to the European Parliament. 

I don't think we'd really planned what we'd do when we got there, but we found out that one could visit the building, so of course we did. It is free to visit, but there is strict security. You start off by showing your passport at the entrance, and then you are directed downstairs where there is an airport-style conveyor belt and metal detector. Then you scan your passport and the machine issues you a badge, which you show at the entrance to the main area, and wear attached to your person for the rest of the visit. 

The visit takes you past all sorts of exhibitions about the main movers and shakers of the European Union (the historical ones, I mean), and at the heart of it all you enter the main debating chamber. Parliament was not in session, so we were able to take photographs. There may have been a tear or two on my part at the thought that my stupid country voluntarily took itself out of all this. Photospam on Facebook. 

Anyway, the visitor trail - clearly signed, and you couldn't wander off the beaten track - took us back down and past more exhibitions (one on Simone Veil) and so out of the site. You had to remove the plastic clip from your badge and return it to a container designed for the purpose, and then scan the badge itself before you could get out. 

There was a tram back to the city centre, and we decided to lunch at the restaurant we first went to in 2018, and at least once later on. But, alas, as is the way of restaurants, it is no longer there, and had been replaced by a Lebanese one, which we could go to at home. So we walked down to the Cathedral, and ended up in a random restaurant where the SW ordered a Flammekeuchen, which he had been longing for. I got put off them in Lübeck when we had one and the taste lingered all afternoon! So I had a "Salade de jarret de porc", which was pulled pork knuckle on a bed of lettuce and potato salad, with a hard-boiled egg and tomato. Very delicious, but I don't eat much these days and could barely manage half of it! 

We then walked down to L'Etoile and caught a C1 back to the campsite, where I threw on more clothes, and even the SW put on a sweater. We spent what was left of the afternoon reading - and it has to be said, dozing - on the bed, while the rain hammered on the roof (incidentally cleaning much of the owl poo off the skylight!) and now we are about to have soup and bread and cheese for supper! 

Late spring holiday, 10 May 2026

Strasbourg, Alsace

It is raining. The forecast was for this to happen, but as none of the apps I use seemed quite sure when it was going to start, so we decided to leave our lovely little aire in Argonne fairly early. We could not, of course, check in to the campsite until 14:00, but we wanted to stop and listen to our church service - sadly, it took forever for it to come up, and we were only able to join for the second half of Gordon 's sermon. But what we did hear was excellent.

We drove mostly on the excellent N4 and its tributaries, going through Bar-Le-Duc, among other places. We didn't think we'd been there before, despite having seen lots of signs for it over the years. It looks lovely. The Satnav got very confused, though, as they have changed the road layout and it didn't know about it, so it paid us back by taking us to the back gate of the campsite! Still, we got here in the end. Warm welcome, but the WiFi is a bit far away.

We are here until Thursday, but the weather forecast is a bit pants - and the museums are closed tomorrow! I think we will have to visit lots of churches instead. 

Late Spring holiday, 9 May 2026

Givry-en-Argonne, Grand Est, France

Still no services this morning, and Camping-Car Park haven't replied to my email, so I am not pleased with them. They are usually far more efficient than that. We put a notice on the services saying "En Panne", but you would have thought they would have done that, and provided an alternate source of water - if only a bowser, or directions to a nearby standpipe! 

Anyway, after breakfast I went round to Lidl to get another free baguette on my points, and also found some merguez reduced for quick sale, so I'll make a couscous tomorrow. Tonight is our traditional Saturday sausage and mash. I also bought some strawberries, but didn't buy asparagus as it was rather expensive. Later I wished I had, as it was even more expensive in Auchan. Anyway, once I had done that, there was little to keep us, so we headed on, 

First port of call was an Auchan for fresh milk, which Lidl doesn't sell, and I couldn't resist some fromage frais with raspberries. The SW had coffee while I was doing this, and then we joined the A26, on which we stayed until just before Reims. We stopped at a random picnic area for lunch, which was really rather pleasant.

At Reims, we came off the motorway, and went on progressively slower roads, ending up on the D70, which brought us to a very nice free aire in this little hamlet. 

We are behind a small Carrefour, in which you can buy a token for either 10 minutes of water or 2 hours' electricity, so we did that, and emptied the loo and put some more water in the tank, plus a containerful for the SW to wash the windscreen. We had driven through a swarm of flying insects, and it was covered! I popped in a few minutes later to get some scrubbers, as we'd left ours at home, and although we do have a washing-up brush, it is less effective on tea stains in mugs! I then did some of the tai chi form, and when the SW had finished cleaning the windscreen, he went off to see if there is anywhere he can go for a run in the morning (probably only a short one) and I did some crochetinig in front of YouTube. I hope the SW will get supper soon. 

The birdsong here is exceptional! Ranging from cockerels to cuckoos, and anything in between! The SW has a wonderful list from his walk, and says there are frogs, too. 

But I am sad this evening, as news came through that a contemporary of mine has died very suddenly of a massive stroke. I didn't know her well, as she was in the parallel class and a different House, but all the same.... It is sad. 

Late Spring Holiday, 8 May 2026

Saint-Omer, Pas-de-Calais

We were horribly low on water this morning, so did not shower but made do with a "possible wash" in the basin (you know - you wash down as far as possible, then you wash up as far as possible, and then you wash possible). 

The Swan Whisperer went out to buy croissants and, incidentally, to look at the local cemetery in case it had a tap so we could get water - CCP still haven't fixed the services, and I gather they have been out of use for several days. Unlike them to be so inefficient, but they haven't even put a notice on them saying "En Panne", far less produced a bowser of water! I have emailed them to complain - not that it will do any good - and will write them a bad review when the time comes.

So after breakfast we drove up to the cemetery and filled our water tank. We didn't quite like to connect our hose to the cemetery tap, so the SW filled our 11-litre watering can several times. We think we have enough to do us, certainly for the morning and, hopefully, as far as Strasbourg on Sunday.

When we got back to the CCP, I went out to Lidl, which is only marginally further away than it is at home, and which doesn't observe public holidays (which today is, but in France). When I got back, the SW was busy mending the bedroom door, which broke again yesterday. We badly need a new latch for it, but he has made a sort of Heath Robinson arrangement with a spider clip. Then it was lunch-time, and after that we flopped on the bed for what was supposed to be half an hour, but the SW went sound asleep, and it was about 90 minutes later when I woke him to suggest we had a cup of tea before heading out for our walk.

We had a lovely walk along the canal for a bit, and then past the ruins of St Bertin's Abbey,

and then past the Church of Saint-Denis. 

 It said there was a fountain, but it was not an ornamental one, rather it was some kind of historic standpipe or something. The church, disappointingly, was locked. We walked back to the campsite past a Carrefour City, as the SW wanted milk and he doesn't like UHT stuff, but it was closed. So back to the WoMo - he went on a little further to look at the marshy area beyond, but I didn't join him. Then he nipped out for some more beer, as we only had a smallish bottle in the fridge, and now it is supper time. Photospam on Facebook. 

Late Spring Holiday, 7 May 2026

Saint-Omer, Pas-de-Calais

The Swan Whisperer had to get up at 05:30 this morning to open up the Youth Club to be a polling station. I had had every intention of getting up then, but I must have fallen asleep straight away, as it was 06:45 next time I looked at my clock! This meant, of course, that it was after 08:30 before we got away, and we didn't get to Sussex until nearly 11:00. 

We decided it wasn't worth filling up with water, as we would have services this evening, so only put a few litres in, to get us there. Spoiler alert: Big Mistake. 

We made good time to Folkestone, stopping at Clackett Lane services to eat our sandwiches, and were pleased to be offered a crossing at 16:16 rather than the 16:46 we had been booked on. I discovered I had forgotten to enter our API, and had a bit of trouble finding out how to do it, although the man in the customer services seemed to think it wasn't necessary (I don't think he was right. Plus he gave me some extremely dubious information about what to do next time. I do think customer service reps ought to know what they are talking about; they very often don't, though!). Anyway, I found the correct login in the end, and was able to enter the info before we went through passport control. 

We were well on time for our crossing, but they suddenly said the next crossing was at 16:46 and they apologised for the delay, which wasn't very nice of them. I do wish they wouldn't do that! I don't at all mind going on our booked crossing; I do mind when they muck us about. 

Anyway, once we got going, that was fine. We stopped at the Cité Europe for me to shop and the SW to get diesel, which was horrendously expensive. And then a smooth run to Saint-Omer. 

But the services have broken down! We tried and tried to get them to work, but they wouldn't, and when the SW rang up they told him there was a fault and "they were working on it", but couldn't tell him when they would be mended. So we have almost no water, and I have no idea where we can get some. And we have booked here for two nights; I assume they will refund me if we can't stay the second night! They would have need to! 

There is a cemetery up the road, and that may well have running water; they often do. Otherwise we'll have to buy water from the local Lidl, which is just round the corner. 

I had made a big vegetable stew for supper, which we had with rice and an egg poached in it, but it wasn't very nice.... 

We have, by and large, had better starts to our holiday! 

Early Spring Holiday; 12 March 2026

Bellicourt, Aisne

The rain departed during the night, and the sky cleared, with the inevitable result that the temperature dropped like a stone, and in our bedroom this morning my clock said it was only 8.5° C!  However, the heating soon came on and it was reasonable - not warm, but reasonable - by the time I went to have my shower.

We decided against retracing our steps  into Troyes - we have been there before and will doubtless go again.  So we headed straight on towards Saint-Quentin, stopping for me to shop and then again for lunch.  Alas, by the time we got there, there was No Room in the Inn as the aire was full.  So we decided to come here to the Riqueval canal tunnel, where we have been a couple of times before.  There are services, but according to the nice man in the tourist office nearby, they are a new installation and don't work, so he came out to see exactly how they didn't work, so he could report it!  He also let the Swan Whisperer have some water from the tap, so we should be all right for showers in the morning.  

After a cup of tea, we went out for a walk from the tunnel mouth down to the bridge over the canal and back.  What was rather fun was that there was a barge just coming under the bridge

so we were sort-of racing it all the way back - it was travelling at about the same speed I'm comfortable with, so I pushed myself slightly.  But it moored up before reaching the tunnel, and we thought it might not go through this evening.  And on that side of the canal you have to go down to water level and up again, rather than staying on the level of the bridge as you do on the far side, which was a very long pull up.  I got there in the end, but was utterly feeble and kept having to stop to catch my breath.  Poor Swan Whisperer was very patient with me, but I'm sure he'd rather have gone on by himself rather than trailing along at my speed.  He was most polite, but....

Anyway, we are approaching the end of the holiday - Calais tomorrow, and a Last Shop in France, and then home on Saturday.

Early Spring Holiday, 11 March 2026

Pont Sainte-Marie, Troyes, Aube

We decided not to visit Dijon this morning - the prospect of a walk round the Lac Chanoin Kir (sadly not filled with the eponymous beverage!) was far more attractive. 

It was a lovely walk; the lake, artificial, is a leisure area, with loads of sporting facilities, cafés, etc, plus a cycle track and a pedestrian path - well used by joggers and walkers - all round it.  We did come slightly off it - not so's you'd notice, really - to walk alongside the Canal de Bourgogne, which is alarmingly well-groomed, and appears to have no life at all apart from some weeds. 

There were plenty of water fowl on the lake proper, though, including grebes, coots and mallards, and a heron on a post (photos on Facebook, of course).

The walk was just under 4 kilometres by my watch, and I was struggling a bit towards the end, but nevertheless enjoyed it.  Back at the WoMo, we had coffee and then the rain started!  It has continued  on and off ever since, and we are thankful we got our walk in before it started!  

We set off for Troyes going on a non-Motorway road that, although bendy in places, was mostly very well kept.  We stopped at a random Lidl to shop, and at a picnic area for lunch.  After which I went sound asleep, and have really not been awake much since.  Supper, fortunately, was leftovers, and the Swan Whisperer very kindly hotted them up.  We are not at our usual aire, because when we got there, the motorhome spaces were filled with cars (which they ought not to have been), and there was nowhere really to park up while we waited for their owners to come back.  However, there is a paying aire not 10 minutes' drive away, and we have come to it - so useful, as we can have electricity, which always helps make the place more appealing on a cold, wet night, as we can have the heating on and not worry about the lights.  But we are not well placed to visit Troyes - however, we have done that before and it doesn't really worry us not doing it again.  There is an Aldi not very far away where I can shop in the morning.

Early Spring Holiday, 9 March 2026

Chalon-sur-Saône, Saône-et-Loire

Memo to self: Where we park in Vichy is in one of the car parks by the Mairie!  We had trouble finding it and at first the Swan Whisperer wanted us to park somewhere where it would be about 30 minutes walk to get to the spa park and back - I don't think so!  But eventually we found where we like to park, and it was gratifying free on a Monday.  This, of course, means that most shops are not open, but it is not closed up quite as much as Moissac, for instance, is, and many bars and cafés were doing a roaring trade.

We had a lovely walk.  I gather it was proposed(?) named(?) as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2021, and it is doing what it can to justify that nomination in terms of refurbishing the place.  Most of the park has been refurbished now, and looks very nice - the Swan Whisperer said it had been heaving the previous evening, and I'm not surprised - but a lot of work is still being done.  We were able to enter one of the "Sources", but not to drink the water, which is a pity.

  

After our walk, we headed on to what I hoped would be the nearest Lidl, but the Satnav started taking us all round the houses, and there was a large Carrefour, so I shopped there, instead.  After which I was very low blood sugar and felt cross and weepy, and it was a good 15 minutes to the picnic place where the SW had decreed we would have lunch.  Once that had happened, I felt sleepy (often do, after a hypo), and slept most of the way to Chalon-sur-Saône.  We are parked up in the municipal aire we have used before, and I'm looking forward to a walk in the morning.  The SW has gone for a leg-stretch and to remind himself of the layout of the place.  I, meanwhile, am very amused by the plethora of young people, obviously going to or from playing sport, who, by their hairstyles and dress, could be clones of my older grandson!  Teenagers everywhere look the same.... 

Early Spring Holiday, 8 March 2026

Bellerive-sur-Allier, Allier

Today made a lovely change from the wet days we've been having recently.  It was very cold overnight, and I rather wished, after I'd got up to use the loo, that I'd had a hot-water bottle!  And my clock said it was only 10°C when my alarm went off!  But it soon warmed up, and today has actually been a lovely warm, sunny day!

The Swan Whisperer went into the town before breakfast and bought a baguette and some Sunday patisserie (pear tarts, which I found slightly disappointing - too sweet, and not enough pear flavour).   We actually had ordinary toast for breakfast, as it was boiled eggs, and you can't make soldiers out of a baguette!

After breakfast, we visited the services and then drove into Maissiac, where we found a car park very near the centre, and had a lovely wander round.  The town is so very pretty - just the sort of mediaeval village I love, with just enough modern buildings and so on to keep it interesting and relevant.  There was a lovely modern complex with the Mairie and the schools - an elementary school and a "maternelle" (nursery school), at any rate; I don't know where the older children go.

Photospam on Facebook!  When we had finished our walk, we called in at a different patisserie and bought a couple of quiches for our lunch, which were very good.  We then went back to the motor home and had coffee, and by the time we had had that, it was time to watch our church service on livestream.  When that was pretty much finishing, we had our lunch - including the disappointing tarts - and then we set off to come here, which is on the outskirts of Vichy.  Last time we were here, it was very disappointing as the park was being renovated (which the French always amuse me by calling "relooking"), and there was very little to see.  The Swan Whisperer says it isn't finished yet - he went on an explore - but most of it is looking very grand.  

It was a lovely afternoon, and, along with many other people in this aire, we sat out for a bit.  The SW said that there were simply no parking places anywhere along the river - but on the first fine and warm Sunday afternoon of the year, what do you expect?  However, it cooled down, of course, and I was just moving back into the WoMo when the SW returned, so he put the chairs and table away - and just as he came in to sit down, it started to rain!  Only a very brief shower, but of course the other motorhomes here were rushing about to put their tables and chairs in.... We felt smug that we'd got ours in in time!  This place isn't a Camping-Car park, for once (I think the SW feels about CCPs like he used to about Ibis hotels - you always know what you're going to get), but it is in many ways even nicer.  Well, nicer than some - they do vary!  And, like the CCPs, we have electricity, and allegedly WiFi (which basically doesn't really work unless you are parked up absolutely snug to the router), and of course all services.

Early Spring Holiday, 7 March 2026

Massiac, Cantal

Another very wet morning.  The Swan Whisperer went for a walk round La Cavalerie, but my eyes are still slightly playing sillybuggers after the bites, and I decided to stay in the dry!

We had some discussion about where to spend the night.  Originally I had planned to spend last night at St-Hippolyte-du-Fort, but then changed it to La Cavalerie, which is actually a lot further from St-Hippolyte-du-Fort than I thought it was!  So where we had planned to spend tonight was rather too near.  So the Swan Whisperer discovered this Camping-Car Park in this little town of Massiac, just off the A75.  It's the kind that is a campsite in the summer, and a motorhome aire in the off-season.  I think we are the only people here, despite the fact that it is so  near the motorway, and has over 80 pitches!  It actually has usable WiFi, which makes a change - we are making the most of it!

However, I think we made a bit of a nonsense of today's journey!  Had we been going straight from St-Hippolyte-du-Fort to the motorway, it would have made sense to have shopped in the Auchan in Millau first.  However, what I hadn't realised was that the SW wanted to drive under the viaduct, and to do that first, rather than shop first and then go under the viaduct!  So in fact it would have made more sense to have shopped at the E Leclerc or similar - we had lunch in its car-park once - rather than go all the way to Auchan.  However,  it did mean a rather lovely drive through Millau, and we were in no real rush.

Except that I should have liked to have stopped at the aire du Garabit-Viaduc Eiffel, where we could probably have bought sandwiches for lunch and maybe even patisseries.  However, it was too late for that, but we did stop in an aire - forget which one - that sold local produce and got bread and also some cheese.  Not Roquefort  - we already have some of that, although only the rather industrial "Société"  This is a "Brique" made from sheep's milk, and 'M looking forward to trying it, as I do love briques made from both cows' and goats' milk!  I'd been really fancying a "jambon beurre" and had bought ham in Auchan, so that's what I had (and half an avocado and half a tomato) and very good it was, too.

We drove on up the A75, fortunately now out of the rain although you couldn't exactly call the weather very nice, stopping near Lorzac for the SW to have coffee and some fresh air.  We debated stopping at the Viaduc Eiffel, but you can see it from the road, so we decided honour was satisfied!  I didn't have time to take a photo, though, so today's photos are all rather bad ones of the Millau viaduct.

Maissac looks like a lovely small town, and I hope to explore in the morning, if the weather behaves (I think it will); the SW did go for a walk round and says it is as lovely as it looks.

Early Spring Holiday, 6 March 2006

La Cavalerie, Aveyron

Last night, when I was practising tai chi outside the van, I was tormented and distracted by flying insects.  I had, unfortunately, taken off my spectacles and left them in the motor home, only to discover, some hours later, that I have an insect bite on my right eyebrow- and just underneath my left one!  And two eyes that are nearly swollen shut, and very uncomfortable - and me not feeling very great.

Plus the price of diesel has gone up by 30 cents a litre since the attacks on Iran.  And it is raining, and it is cold.

All of which sounds very pessimistic, and I must admit, I've had better days!

The Swan Whisperer went for a run this morning, and after breakfast we headed along the D999, stopping at a random Carrefour en route for a little shopping, including a decent citrus press - the one we have has too small a dome to be comfortable juicing oranges, and the nicer one is at home!  Also some more blood oranges, which are much cheaper here than they are at home.

We stopped in St Hippolyte-du-Fort to have our lunch, noticing the turnoff to Monoblet, where a friend has a house. but she's still in the UK just now.  It was still raining, so we didn't explore, but it looks like a town that would be worth exploring, as would various others along the route.  One town, Quissac, I think, even had a very promising-looking mediaeval centre.  We arrived up at La Cavalerie mid-afternoon; I promptly collapsed on the bed and went to sleep - I don't know whether the Swan Whisperer went for a walk or not.  If the weather is not significantly better in the morning we won't be doing our usual trek round the ramparts!  Or I won't be, anyway!  We plan to shop in Millau, which is only a few kilometres away, and maybe stop for lunch in the aire du Garabit, with the lovely railway viaduct.  If their visitor centre is open, we can get lunch there.

This photo is of the view from my bedroom window today - note the leaves on the trees, despite being at about 800 metres!

Early Spring Holiday 4 March 2026

Mas Alart, Pyrenees-Orientales

The Swan Whisperer went over to the convenience store across the road first thing and bought croissants for breakfast, which were nice.  After breakfast, I went over and got what we needed for the day, and then the SW went for a walk, which he enjoyed.  We decided to drive to Quillan and have lunch there, and a walk round the town.  But oh, it is such a sad little town.  It is very pretty, with a river running through it - and a notice for anglers explaining where the town beat was, which fish were in season when, and that it was catch-and-release exclusively.  Apparently the river was used to float logs down to the mills - we saw several of the lorries that now perform this function during our day.

Anyway, the sad thing about Quillan was that almost all the shops were empty.  I saw a convenience store, a pharmacy (of course), whose window display made me smile,

a second-hand shop and an English bookshop, the latter only opening two hours a day.  Later I did see a post office and a gendarmerie, but where we walked was empty shop after empty shop, so sad, so depressing!

So we came away, and drove up to Atax, where there is a little railway that you can hire pedal-powered machines to go on.  The Swan Whisperer would have quite liked to, but the first free slot wasn't until tomorrow, so we didn't.  Instead, we drove along the lovely D117 to Perpignan, and then to Mas Alart.  They do seem to have partly, at least, built the faster road to the coast, and the poor Satnav had serious indigestion about it!  It is so new that not all the signs are up yet, and we did turn left where we arguably should have turned right, but ended up in Cabestany, although we had missed most of the roundabouts!  

I don't know whether the Belmas' are away at the moment, but it was the son who welcomed us and who sold us our wine.  For once, we are the only outfit here, which is nice.  We decided we would stay here for the night, and although the SW did shake out the fidgets, we have been here ever since.  I had to frog a bit of my knitting (not too disastrously), so have been trying to catch up on that, and also reading.  I made shakshuka for supper, which I hadn't made for awhile, and it was delicious.  In a bit, it will be time for our Lent Bible Study.  We are a day ahead of ourselves, and not quite sure where we will fit in another day, but I expect we'll find something.  France is such a lovely country, and we can either revisit places we know we like, or try new ones!  Or, indeed, a mix of both.