Spring Holiday 2025, Thursday 20 March

Mas Alart, Saleilles, Roussillon, France

Spoke too soon about the fridge - almost as soon as I posted last night's blog it started to beep again and has continued on and off ever since. At least it is on and off - we certainly couldn't cope if it were all the time. Fortunately it piped down during our Lent Study group, and then I went to bed and profited from having Wi-Fi by binge-watching the entire week's Great British Menu, even though I did fall asleep and miss the end of the second part. And, luckily, I am deaf enough in my right ear that if I lie on my left side with my hearing aids charging up for the night, I can't hear the fridge beeping! It is quiet just now; long may it last!

So this morning, once we had had breakfast and redd up, we drove to the Pont du Gard car-park on the right bank, and had an explore. Because we had been on the actual bridge a few years ago, we walked on the foreshore - more of a scramble really, over very uneven, rocky ground! I forgot to record it, but decided it was just as well, as Strava would have tutted at me for being slow, not realising that I didn't really have another option!

When we got back to the WoMo, the Swan Whisperer had coffee, and then we headed on, stopping in Montpellier to call at a motorhome service place on the off-chance they could fix the fridge. Sadly, the very nice man didn't have enough time to do a full diagnosis, and wasn't able to help. We think the problem is that condensation may have got in behind the control panel, which is really not something we wish to deal with ourselves, so we'll just have to put up with it until we can get it seen to.

We had had lunch in the car-park of the place while waiting for them to reopen after their lunch break, so then it was a matter of driving on down the motorway until we came to a place where it was sensible to come off the motorway and approach Mas Alart via St-Cyprien. We were, as usual, warmly welcomed, and bought bottles of Mademoiselle Lili rosé and six of their sparkling white. And are now snugly in the WoMo. I shall go to bed shortly to keep warm, I think, and if I fall asleep before Compline, so be it! 

Spring Holiday 2025; Wednesday 19 March

Rémoulins, Gard, France

In hindsight, we think the electricity at the last Camping-Car park must have been dodgy, as it affected all our systems, not just the fridge. Which, I may say, has behaved itself since last night, so we are not quite sure what we did that cheered it up and stopped its plaintive beeping! 

But this morning when we woke up, the heating and hot water didn't come on! We didn't know what to do, but the Swan Whisperer consulted the wisdom of the Intwebs, and folded himself into a tiny ball to get into the cupboard with the heater, and eventually fixed it! Phew! 

We decided to have breakfast in our pyjamas - I had stayed in bed, as the best way to keep both warm and out of the way, and showered afterwards. I emailed the service place I'd contacted last night to say thanks, but we'd managed to sort it ourselves. I should have liked to have visited the local market, but there wasn't really time, and anyway, most of what I wanted to buy wasn't really going to be available in the market. Plus, of course, we had visited one on Sunday! 

So we headed on down to this Camping-Car Park at Rémoulins, which is handy for the Pont du Gard. We stopped of at an absolutely enormous Auchan, you've never seen such a huge one! Fortunately it had scan'n'shop, so I didn't have to lug round a trolley or anything. Took me ages to find the milk, and the whole trip nearly made my step count for the day! 

We stopped somewhere for lunch, but other than that came straight on, not using toll roads so it took its time, but was a pleasant drive, nonetheless. 

We have WiFi here, which is great. All the places we've stopped at are supposed to have it, but in practice most don't. But it will be a relief to have our Lent Study Group tonight and not have to worry about bandwidth (plus I can watch Great British Menu afterwards, if I want to!). The aire is totally full, so I'm glad I booked. 

Oh yes - I had an email from Tesco saying I'd won 500 Clubs points in a prize draw, which I assumed was a scam, but when I checked my Club's, there the points were! 

No photos today, so here is one of my St Patrick's Day outfit from a couple of days ago. 

Spring Holiday 2025, Tuesday 18 March

La Roche de Glun, Drome, France

We weren't supposed to be here tonight, but the Swan Whisperer thought it would be lovely - an island in the Rhone, what's not to like? Except that it is really rather a large island, with a town and shops and everything, and no actual view of the river! Oh well! 

So this morning we woke up in Chalon-sur-Saône. We had not had electricity overnight, but the batteries lasted out all right, by dint of conservative management. They will probably be all right now that they have had several opportunities to be charged. Just as well, really, as it was bitterly cold - only 6 on my clock when I woke up - so it was really necessary to have the heating on! 

After breakfast, we went for an hour's walk round Chalon, which was lovely. We had hoped to stop for a coffee, but very few places were open - it looked rather as though Tuesday is closing day in Chalon. So we rectified that when we came back to the WoMo, and then headed on south, stopping at a supermarket so I could buy a cabbage and some bread for lunch. 

Technology is hating me today - the TomTom has decided that it won't download traffic info any more, so I have to link it to my phone. And it simply would NOT link, no matter how hard I tried (it had linked yesterday, so was just being perverse), until, after we had arrived, I tried setting it for tomorrow's destination. At which point, of course, it decided to link! 

Then the fridge started beeping and beeping and wouldn't stop - not continuously, but beeping for a few moments, then stopping, then restarting. Looking up the wisdom of the Interwebs suggested the problem might be condensation on the switches, but weI ho wiped them down. Still beeping. I eventually found a repair place very near here and have emailed them, but no sooner had I done that than the SW noticed the electricity had gone off. He went and replugged it in, and the fridge has been fine since, although I think it does need serviced! All too perverse... If it stays all right, will cancel my e-mail in the morning.

I hope there will be photos on Facebook, but it has been playing sillybuggers about uploading them, so here are a few from Chalon, just in case. 

Spring Holiday 2025, Monday 17 March

Chalon-sur-Saône 

There is very little of interest to blog about today! We didn't hurry this morning, but we're away by about 10:30. We stopped en route to do some shopping, and, as always, I bought more than I meant, but hey!

We then drove to Chalon-sur-Saône, stopping once for lunch - I was so sleepy, it took me awhile to wake up enough to eat! We are parked up in a free aire where we have been before. I did get out to shake out stiffness, but apart from that and shopping, haven't been out all day. The Swan Whisperer has been for a walk, and is just back. When I have finished this, I'll get supper. 

So anyway, yesterday - I didn't mention this at the time, but it was actually quite funny. I have to take several pills several times a day, so I dispense them each week into daily containers which live, when I'm travelling, in a little purse.

Yesterday morning, when I woke up and took my "on waking" and tablets, I realised I'd left Saturday's container on the table in the living area, and went and rescued it. 

However, after breakfast when I wanted to dispense my upcoming week's medications (the rest of Sunday's go into a pretty little travelling pill-box that I also use if I'm going out to dinner), there the case wasn't. We looked high and low, taking everything out of everywhere. I knew I'd had it earlier, so it must be in the WoMo somewhere. But where? 

Then I noticed that the sliding door between the bedroom and the rest of the WoMo wasn't opening completely, so peered down the bap with my torch, and there it was!

But getting it out was another matter. I don't keep a picker-upperer in the WoMo, although I have one at home, and without it, this was going to be a struggle. Eventually the Swan Whisperer managed to get hold of it with the end of one of my trekking poles, but of course the little boxes all fell out, We ended up with me on one side of the door poking two fingers through the gap, with him pushing the boxes into my fingers, and me pulling them up to where he could reach the box and remove it. With both of us laughing so hard we could hardly do it. Eventually all five little boxes were up - one had remained in the purse and the seventh was already on the table - and the SW managed to pull the purse up, so I could get on with dispensing before we went out! 

Spring Holiday 2025, Sunday 16 March

Camping de Paris, Paris, France.

The Swan Whisperer bought croissants for our breakfast this morning, but not bread, as we knew we would eat out at lunchtime. Before we set out, I was able to buy a day-ticket for public transport on my phone, and then put one on the Swan Whisperer card, which, as I have his credit card details on my phone, too, he paid for! Result! 

We decided to attend the 10:45 service at St Michael's, as it would have been an effort to have attended the more formal 09:30. However, the service was not really such as to enable me to worship, although the sermon was excellent! 

After church, we caught a couple of buses to the Gare de Lyon, where we bought sandwiches. This was a mistake, as there were plenty of local restaurants and cafés, and the sandwiches we bought were so disgusting I couldn't eat more than half mine. Oh well. We had looked at the prices of the famous "Le Train Bleu" restaurant, but of course they were eye-watering! There was a bistro underneath, which might have been more reasonable, but we didn't see this until too late! 

We walked up to Bastille from the Gare de Lyon, and then up the boulevard Richard-Lenoir, which goes up the tunnel section of the canal. To our joy, there was a massive street market on the roof of the tunnel, and we enjoyed walking along past the many stalls, although at 14:00 it began to close. But it was lovely while it lasted. By then, I was beginning to have had enough, so we went to find a bus, only to be told there wasn't one for another hour. So there was a lovely church - St Amboise - and we sat in a little public garden in front of it - it was much less windy today, and the sun was out, so felt a lot warmer. Plus I'd worn my scarf, which I'd neglected to do yesterday, and that made a huge difference. Anyway, Citymapper and Google both suddenly said the bus was coming in 6 minutes, and when we went to the bus stop, it agreed. 

This was the first of several buses that eventually took us back to the campsite, via some of the less tourist parts of Paris - always fun to be away from the tourist areas. We did have to wait rather a long time at the Arc de Triomphe (okay, very touristy!) for the bus out to Porte Maillot, and then the campsite shuttle bus said we had to have bought tickets at the campsite, and we would have to take the public bus. I had a bit of a meltdown at that point, as with our history, we would have had to wait another 30 minutes, and I was done, but a very kind couple insisted we take their tickets and they would go on the public bus, which was lovely of them. The public bus stops several minutes' walk from the campsite, and it was as much as I could do to get from the gates to our motor home! 

I then slept for an hour until I got chilled, so I woke up and wrapped myself in my scarf, and then it was time for our Zoom Bible Study, on sin, which was good, and then we went to the campsite restaurant for supper; we both had burgers, which were very good and came with chips, but far too much; I couldn't finish mine! 

Tomorrow we leave Paris and head south, but I have no intention of getting out 

of the WoMo other than to buy milk! With >12k steps today and >9k yesterday, I definitely need a rest day! 

Spring Holiday 2025, 14 & 15 March

Camping de Paris, Paris, France

I. was too tired, and it was too late, to blog last night, so this is yesterday and today in one.

Yesterday started with the funeral of an old friend who had died very suddenly six weeks ago; the Daughter came, too. It was lovely to see her, even on a sad occasion, and she enjoyed seeing some of her former Sunday-School friends again, most of whom she hadn't seen for many years. When the service was over, she stayed to grab a sandwich before heading off back to work, while the Swan Whisperer and I rushed back to the flat to change and spend final pennies and so on - we had loaded the car earlier. We did stop to quickly eat our sandwiches, and then it was straight to the WoMo's garage, threw everything in it, put the car in the garage and headed round to no 6 to unpack things in it and fill it with water, not to mention having a cup of tea with my mother when we were at it!

We had an uneventful journey to Folkestone - apart, that is, from having to go back because the Swan Whisperer had left his phone in the courtyard! But that didn't delay us too long, and we were able to get on a crossing an hour earlier than we had booked, which was pleasing. We ate our cold supper - pork pie and salad, followed by home-made yoghurt with lemon curd - on the crossing, and then drove straight to the aire at Calais and parked up for the night.

This morning, the Swan Whisperer went to get croissants and a baguette for breakfast, and I did some of the tai chi while he was getting breakfast, but it was really too cold out there so I came in after I'd finished part 2.

Our first port of call was the local Auchan where I did a shopping while the Swan Whisperer got diesel and coffee. We then headed off down the A16 to Paris. Again, and uneventful journey, stopping once for lunch and once for the SW to have coffee again (he says it keeps him awake if he has it in the afternoon, but not if he has it at night!). We arrived at the campsite and they were expecting us. We had a cup of tea, and then took their Shuttle bus to Porte Maillot. Unfortunately it was difficult to find the metro, and I think we walked all round the houses. Then the SW had to buy a Navigo pass - I could put mine on my phone, but his phone doesn't have NFC so he had to buy one - and, of course, the ticket machine had run out of them! Eventually we came out of that exit and into another one where the machine was able to produce cards, and caught Line 1 into Paris.

We got off at Hotel de Ville, and had a lovely walk down across the Seine. The Parvis de Notre Dame was as crowded as we thought it would be, so we didn't even try to cross it, but walked down round the Cathedral and across the bridge at the other end.

After that, it all went rather pear-shaped. I thought it would be a good idea to take Line 10 to Porte d'Auteil and then a bus back to the campsite. So we went to the nearest Line 10 metro station, only to find that there had been a "one-under" and Line 10 was not running. So the Swan Whisperer found we could walk back to Jussieu station, not too far, and get another line, which would take us back to Line 1. By the time we got there, however, Line 10 had reopened, and we went back to Plan A.

Big mistake! The connecting bus wasn't going to be for another 35 minutes, and it was bitterly cold and I was tired and a bit low blood-sugar. We thought of finding a taxi, but didn't know where, but then Citymapper very helpfully suggested Uber! I have had a Uber account for years, but think I've only used it once, so it was great to be able to use it in Paris. Very nice driver, and comfortable car, got us back to the campsite in short order.

I got changed into pyjamas and my lovely warm fleecy top while the Swan Whisperer cooked Saturday sausage and mash, and we are about to eat tarte aux pommes avec sa sauce anglaise for pudding!

Tomorrow we have the whole day in Paris!