Early autumn holiday, 4 October 2023

Troyes, Champagne

A very frustrating day! The Swan Whisperer having said it wasn't worth going into Is-sur-Tille, we didn't  bother, but once we had cleared up breakfast and used the services, we headed on. Now, what we hadn't realised was that if you turned left out of the CCP, rather than right as he had done last night, it was a much better way into town, pavements all the way, 100m from a convenience store - and the town itself, from that angle, looked quite nice and I should have liked to have visited it. But too late, too late, so we drove cross country, first to the Lac d'Orient, where the SW went for a walk, and then on to the village where we had hoped to spend the night.

It really was a lovely drive, though - beautiful countryside sprinkled with pretty villages, and we both really enjoyed it. We stopped at a big and very empty Auchan for shopping and lunch.

But when we got to the France Passion place where we had planned to spend the night, nobody was home and it was totally not obvious where to park. We waited for over an hour (having a cup of tea while we waited) and then came sadly away. Probably as well for my purse, as they sell alpaca wool and so on... The Swan Whisperer found this car park in Troyes, where we are parked up next to what I think is the Seine.

Early autumn holiday, 3 October 2023

Is-sur-Tille

This morning I overslept, which didn't really matter as we were in no hurry; all the same, it meant we didn't get away until after 10:30. We went for a lovely walk around the old town centre of Chalon-sur-Saône, which was rather beautiful. The Swan Whisperer, who had explored the previous evening, said one of the streets was very Euro-high-street, but when we explored it together, we realised it was mostly French chains, and very few international. So it was a typical French high street, but not necessarily European! 

We came back through the public park next to the aire, and hoped to cut through the botanical gardens, but when we got to the exit, it was locked, so we had to go back to the gate we had come in by and walk round it back to the WoMo. Not impressed! 

We then set off to a big Carrefour on the way out of town, mostly so the Swan Whisperer could get diesel. I did a bit of shopping, but was very restrained and didn't buy 6 sheep's yoghurts for the price of four, as I bought some rhubarb compote for him, which he loves (and some chestnut mousse for me to have while he's having them, as I dislike rhubarb). And I resisted (with difficulty) buying a box of two cream buns reduced for quick sale. 

Anyway, after that we basically drove up the "Route des grands crus" north to, and past, Dijon; we drove through Nuits Saint-George, where we have often spent the night, either at the motorhome aire or in a hotel in pre-motorhome days; past Marsonnay-la-Côte, and the hotel where, twenty years ago, my mother spilt tonic water on the cushions on the window-seat! 

And it rained! We have had clear blue skies most of this holiday, and it has been really warm, but today it was cloudy and then at one stage the heavens opened. This, of course, was because the Swan Whisperer had just washed the windscreen, which was converted in dead insects. 

Anyway, we arrived here at Is-sur-Tille and after a cup of tea, the Swan Whisperer went for a walk which he then said had not been worth going on, as pedestrian access to the town was rubbish, and the town wasn't worth seeing when you did get there! Oh well, I expect we can find something to do en route tomorrow. I hope so, anyway. 

Photospam on Facebook, as per usual. 

Early autumn holiday, 2 October 2023

Chalon-sur-Saône

Today was a massively better day! The Swan Whisperer went for a run, although sadly he is still not fully fit and had to walk some of the way, especially uphill. But I am so very pleased he is feeling like running again - two weeks ago, even a week ago, he really didn't want to even try. Of course, it will take him some time to get fully fit again, you have to expect that, but I'm pleased the Alpine air did the trick, as we both hoped it would. 

Once he came back and we had had breakfast, we said farewell to our delightful hosts (who did not offer to sell us anything, which was a relief - you don't have to buy, but you do have to look if they want you to, and the Swan Whisperer always feels we ought to buy something). 

Our first port of call was the nearby village of Crémieu, which was said to have a mediaeval centre. It most certainly did, and we had an utterly delightful walk around it. There will be photospam galore on Facebook! Just the kind of walk I love, although there were some fairly steep slopes, and I bottled out of the steps up to the 12th-century chateau!

There was a convenience store, so we did the day's shopping, and as the SW was with me, he paid! Win all round! 

The Swan Whisperer decided he didn't want to spend the night in the place I had carefully chosen, but then faffed about deciding where he did want to go, eventually deciding on a Camping-Car Park in Chalon-sur-Saône. We set sail, but when we got here found there was a free municipal aire in a much better location than the Camping-Car Park, with free services! So we parked up here, and he went for a walk; it looks as though we are seriously not far from the town centre, so I am looking forward to exploring it tomorrow morning. 

Early autumn holiday, 1 October 2023

Saint-Hilaire-de=Brens

Not a good day today; I woke up with a splitting headache and feeling slightly feverish, which I hoped would go away if I ignored it. Alas, that was not to be, and although I should have loved to have gone to the local market, I simply couldn't find the energy!

So we used the services and set off. I hadn't realised that we would be retracing our steps a lot of today, something I always hate doing and would not have done had I realised. Which I didn't until the Swan Whisperer said he had marked the sports ground where we had spent the night as a good place to listen to our Church service and have lunch. 

Which also didn't work out as planned. The Satnav kept telling us to come off the N95, and we kept saying "No!" Unfortunately, the Satnav knew best as all of a sudden there was a height limit of 2m6, which is fine for a car but not for a motor home. We discovered later we could possibly have been let through - it is mainly to stop too many lorries going down a very steep slope - but as we didn't know that at the time, we thought better not. So we turned round and then were directed up the most horribly narrow road, all hairpin bends with steep drop-offs, just the kind I hate, and when we finally got down to the main road again we discovered that I had misprogrammed the stop (we had reset the Satnav when we turned round as it was having conniption fits by then), and I'd only been and gone and sent us to the launderette instead of the sports ground! Anyway, the SW sorted that and at one stage we had his phone and the Satnav telling us which way to go. 

We had been trying to listen to our church service, but it was impossible to hear against the road noise, and by the time we got parked up it was practically over. I thought I'd go for a leg-stretch around the playing-fields as I didn't really want any lunch, but couldn't remember the way I'd been the other day, and didn't really want a long walk, anyway. 

I did manage a scrap of cheese for lunch, and two big glasses of the German iced tea I like really helped. It's white tea, flavoured with elderflower, and not too sweet the way, for instance, Liptonice or Fuze Tea is. 

After which, I dozed while we drove back on the main road and up the motorway, and felt a lot better when I woke up. We are at a France Passion farm not that far from Lyon, and the people are so nice. They have been celebrating Monsieur's mother's 95th birthday, with 76 people in the village hall, 22 of which were her great-grandchildren! 

It is a duck farm, which also has lamb and chickens and stuff. And a cat!

And I am feeling a lot better and hoping to get a good walk round the village of Cremieu tomorrow, where there is a mediaeval centre. 

Early autumn holiday, 30 September 2023

Saint-Firmin

I haven't really done much today. We set off at about 10, having used the services and so on, and first port of call was a supermarket for the weekend shopping. Then we drove straight here, to Saint-Firmin, and that's about it, really!

The Swan Whisperer did go for a longish walk this afternoon, but we are in the middle of nowhere. The pitches are horrendously sloping, half the electric points don't work, the WiFi doesn't work, and there is very little phone signal. I am not a happy bunny, but you do get a few duff places everywhere. And there were some spectacular views on the drive here!

Early autumn holiday, 29 September 2023

Crots

The Swan Whisperer actually went for a run this morning, first time since he fell ill! Less than 4 km, but it's a start. He says he's very unfit still, but that's only to be expected. Later in the morning, he went for a walk, as did I a little later (photos on Facebook, as per usual). It was a bit confusing, as there is a vast campsite just near us (now closed for the winter), but then great signs saying it's a hunting preserve.

I don't think they hunt campers....

We didn't do much the rest of the day; it was always going to be a rest day. We basically sat in the shade of the WoMo and read, or watched videos, or dozed, until the mosquitos started biting, whereupon we came in and had supper! 

Early autumn holiday, 28 September 2023

Crots

It is roughly the midpoint of our holiday, and we are having a couple of very relaxed days in the Alps. For some reason I have been very tired today, and apart from wandering into the town to visit the supermarket, I've done very little. 

The Swan Whisperer walked up to investigate this clock tower

while I was shopping, and then we did very little until after lunch, when we finally got our act together. 

Unfortunately, when we were using the services, the cassette stuck, and the lever broke off! We thought for a few minutes we'd have to come straight home, but the SW has managed to work out how to get it out with the help of a screwdriver (that sounds like some awful schoolboy joke), and it should be fine until we get home.

We only had about 50 km to drive today, if that. This Camping-Car Park is a lot busier than last night's, but by no means full! Its big disadvantage is that there is no shade other than that provided by the motor homes themselves, but we put our chairs and table out and sat out to drink our tea. The SW went for an explore, but I stayed in and drowsed a bit.

We are planning to stay here tomorrow night, too, and I hope and expect to feel up for a walk as we are near a lake, almost a sort of beach resort! I want to explore at least a bit.