Bisecting the Hexagon, 23 March

This being Saturday, there was a parkrun and today the Swan Whisperer did the parkrun de la Ramée, which he thoroughly enjoyed and was pleased with his time of 22.05 and 78.11% of his age range.

Mind you, by the time he got back from that and had a shower and some more to eat (he had had some coffee and a flapjack - oh, excuse me, a vegan flapjack - while at the run) it was getting quite late. 

Or first port of call was at an E Leclerc at a place called Roques, which was absolutely enormous, and also had a motorhome aire with services, so the SW did that while I shopped. No queue, but the checkout person said it got quiet around noon on Saturdays. 

We decided we had had enough minor roads and set off down the motorway, stopping at a gare du péage to have lunch, after which I went sound asleep and didn't stir until we reached the outskirts of Lourdes. We found the parking place very easily, and after a cup of tea we both got our second winds and walked into the town and up to the grotto and back. 

I got some of the holy water and bought some little bottles to put it in - don't know if anybody would like some, but if you would and if I'm likely to see you within the next month, please let me know.

Bisecting the Hexagon, 22 March

Although we  are not really planning to leave the Pyrenees until Monday, we have gone quite a long way (the Swan Whisperer says 30 miles, but I think it's a lot more) out of our way to the outskirts of Toulouse so he can do a parkrun tomorrow. There are only 8 parkruns in France, so he has to do 3 of them this holiday!

We said goodbye to our hosts and stocked up on water - she told us it was rather hard, because of the chalky soil, but I grew up on the South Downs so am well used to it!

Then we drove to a supermarket on the outskirts of Perpignan - I am always surprised to discover that it is a real place - and I shopped while the SW got diesel. I was not impressed because the Carrefour had a Scan'n'Shop, but my card didn't work and the man told me it was because they had their own special programming and you had to be registered at that particular branch as it was the only one to have that particular kind. And then I forgot to present my card at the till.... Oh well. Tomorrow's shopping will be an E Leclerc.... 

Then followed a horrendously long drive on minor roads to this place Tournefeuille. The SW has gone for a walk to see where he needs to report in the morning and I am hoping this park doesn't close at night so they will move us on, but I don't think it does. And the SW says we can use the motorway tomorrow - after two very long days on often very minor roads I am fed up of them!

Bisecting the Hexagon, 21 March

So today we completed the southbound bisection and reached the Mediterranean, where we had lunch!

But before then, it was another extremely cold morning, and we were glad of the van's heating system while we were getting up. And when we walked into the village to get bread, we wore coats on top of jerseys! 

Coming back, we stopped off at the lake near which we had parked, and there was a swan who looked a bit aggressive. I don't know whether he had a mate brooding somewhere, though I doubt it as there was another swan on another part of the lake and you wouldn't get two pairs on the same stretch of water. I told the SW to talk to it and took a picture of him doing so!

When we did set off, it was another lovely drive through places that were so stereotypically Southern France as to be almost silly. It is wine country, and every other signpost was Clos This, Domaine de That, Mas the Other and even the occasional  Chateau Sky-Blue-Pink. 

Spring is definitely here, with green leaves on the trees and swallows flying about. And then - there was the Med in all its turquoise glory! We stopped for lunch in a scenic area, and then, because we were early, the SW drove us down to Port-Vendres, which was quite pretty, but I had had enough, as by then it was warm enough for bare sleeves and open windows. I did suggest we took a quick run into Spain to get cheap diesel, but himself thought not. 

Anyway we ended up at Mas Alart, where we have been twice before, and we bought a dozen bottles of their lovely wine. The SW went for a walk, and soon I shall cook supper. Risotto tonight, I think.

Bisecting the Hexagon, 20 March

It's getting to the stage of the holiday where neither of us is quite sure what the date is, or what day it is! But today was All About Millau, really. Or, perhaps, all about the A75, quite the nicest motorway I know.

We were up at a reasonable hour, despite the fact that it was bitterly cold and frosty (but the van warms up fast), and when the supermarket opened I went  in and did a shopping, and then we moved on. It was a lovely drive down the A75.

Our first stop was at an aire called Garabit-Viaduc Eiffel, which has a lovely view over the viaduct. I had caught a glimpse of it once before, and I think it was featured on Impossible Railways of one of those, but this was the first time I'd seen it properly.  

 

Then we drove in to Millau and stopped in the aire there. The SW went up to the belvedere, and then looked round the exhibits, but we've seen them before. I hope we could have lunch in the gourmet café there, but it was closed for the winter, so we just had our usual lunch. Then we headed on, mostly cross-country this time, through some truly spectacular scenery, until reached this little town called Lunas, where we are parked up. A very nice aire, and the village itself reminds us both of Pont-en-Royans, though  without the suspended houses.

The SW went for a walk, and now I am cooking supper, which is nearly ready. It has been lovely and warm, but will be frosty overnight again. I'm glad our beds are so warm and snug.

Bisecting the Hexagon, 19 March

Not a good day! Started off fine - we got a tram into town and had a very pleasant walk round, including a visit to the Cathedral, and then a cup of coffee in a random cafe which had free WiFi so we downloaded updates to all our apps, and then we got cash out of a bank nearby and walked back to the tram stop.

There was an ominous sign saying "Service Terminé", and a notice saying the parent  company was having industrial action. We did not know when or whether the service would resume so there was nothing for it but to walk back to the motor home. It was less than 2 miles, but an awful lot of uphill and I am still hopeless at walking uphill, so it took ages. We saw the demo en route, but by the time we got there the service was beginning to start up again! 

So we had lunch and then set off to drive to a place called Laguiolles, I think, but half-way there, at a town called St-Flour, we saw a sign for a supermarket and the SW remembered we needed gas. We missed the turnoff, and pulled up on the wrong side of the road so I could programme the detour into the Sat-nav, but when the SW pulled the van across the road to turn round in a private car park opposite, there was an ominous crunch, and someone had run into us! Fortunately minimal damage - a tiny dent and some scratches for us and similar for him, but of course exchanging details etc took ages, and then the SW had to ring up our insurance to report it, so what with one thing and another it was getting to late to go on. Plus it was a France Passion place and neither of us felt like being sociable, which you have to be there. So I looked on Park4Night, and lo and behold, the first place that came up was this very supermarket car park! So I bought a rather extravagant meal (kidneys, Aligot, spinach, peas and a patisserie) and some whisky, which I was badly needing by then, and we battened down the hatches and are here for the night. Very useful for shopping again in the morning!

Bisecting the Hexagon, 18 March

The Swan Whisperer went for a run this morning, and after breakfast I walked over to the Lidl which was about as far away as at home and did a shopping. I was annoyed because they had some interesting-looking yogurts but only in packs of 12, which a) we don't have room for in the fridge and b) what if we didn't like them? And they didn't have the Nurenberg sausages that they've stopped doing at home, either! But I got some choucroute garni for tonight's supper, and one of two other things we needed.

We spent the rest of the morning looking for water - the first two places we tried were a bust, but third time proved lucky. Then we drove across country to Clermont-Ferrand, stopping for lunch in a village called Culan. It was a lovely drive, but I had slept badly the previous night and napped quite a lot of the way.

Now we are parked up in the University car park and in the morning will get a tram into CF and have a nice walk round there.

Bisecting the Hexagon, 17 March

It rained in the night, but the wind had dropped so it was very comforting just to lie there and listen to it. By the time we got up, it had cleared up, although the day remained showery, with hail at times. But before we got up, we heard a cuckoo!

We drove across country to the town of Beaugency, where we parked beside the Loire and had lunch, and then went for a short walk around the town.

Then we drove on to Bourges, which I believe is in the centre of France. We have been here before, but they have moved the aire to the outskirts of town, not nearly so convenient, although I believe there is a shuttle-bus. We are not sure whether the water is working at the services, although I believe the emptying is. But we need water....